Serengeti cats have been created to look like serval cats using primarily Oriental Shorthair Cats and Bengal Cats, but individuals of other breeds could be used if they have something to offer - there has been no serval blood used in the Serengeti Cat.
CATEGORY: Traditional
DIVISIONS: Tabby, Solid and Silver/Smoke Division.
COLORS:
Tabby Division: Brown spotted ONLY;
Solid Division: Black ONLY.
Silver/Smoke Division: silver spotted and black smoke.
HEAD:
Shape: Medium width, modified wedge with rounded contours. In shape the head is a modified wedge, starting at the nose and flaring out in a straight line to the base of the ears forming a triangle with a slight break at the whiskers. Cheeks should not be prominent. The head is longer than it is wide and small for the size of the body.
Ears: Conical, wide and deep at the base with rounded tips. Strikingly large, equal to the length of the head. Set upright and close together on the top of the head.
Eyes: Round and large. Neither protruding nor recessed. Separated by a broad nose. Much more than an eye width apart. The eye should be a dark color with copper and gold the preferred colors, followed by any shade of yellow through amber. Shades of green permitted.
Chin: The chin is strong and lines up with tip of nose in the same vertical plane, neither receding nor excessively massive.
Muzzle: Fine but strong. Wedge-shaped with broad moderately prominent whisker pads.
Profile: Long, straight line from the top of the head to the bridge of the eyes, then turning down approximately 30 degrees and continuing in a straight line to the tip of the nose.
Neck: Long in proportion to body. Thick with very little to no taper into back of head.
BODY:
Torso: Medium size, tubular and solid. Males may be somewhat larger than females.
Legs: Excessively long with strong boning and musculature. Hind legs are not higher than front legs.
Feet: Medium, round.
Tail: Thick and tapering slightly from the body to the end. Medium short, ideally short of shoulder when laid along torso.
Boning: Strong.
Musculature: Firm
COAT:
Length: short and even
Texture: Fine, thick, tight with some loft
COLOR:
Tabby Division: Black or dark brown spots on a warm tan ground color or black spots on a cold tan ground ground color. The spots should have extreme contrast with the ground color giving a distinct pattern and sharp edges. Light underbelly, chin and front of muzzle. Back of ears with eye spot. Glitter acceptable.
Solid Division: Black solid, ghost spots may be visible .
Silver/Shaded Division: Black spots on a clear silver body; black smoke
PATTERN:
Preference given to random spot pattern with some short horizontal bars on the shoulders, spot pattern on shoulders and hips extending down the legs and black rings around the tail. "Tear drop" markings running down the side of the nose from the inner corner of the eyes are very desirable.
OTHER:
Balance: Square build with level topline.
Condition: Well muscled
Temperament: Confident. Must be unchallenging.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Named for the long legged hunting cats of the Serengeti Plains of East Africa such as cheetahs and servals, the Serengeti Cat should evoke the appearance of a wild cat with large, dark eyes and a clear spotted pattern.
The ideal Serengeti Cat is a medium sized cat with long legs and huge ears. It should appear as a graceful, squarely built cat with a very upright posture. It should be in excellent physical condition, strong and muscular. Females are generally smaller than males and exhibit proportionately similar qualities.
They should have a gentle, confident, outgoing and alert temperament.
ALLOWANCES: Green or amber eye color permitted. Locket on throat or small spot in groin not to exceed 1/2" in diameter.
PENALIZE: Spots tending toward bars on side of body; two-toned (rosetted) spots; heavy ticking; small ears; short legs
WITHHOLD ALL AWARDS: White tail tip, toes or white anywhere on the body except for small locket described above. Miniaturization. Blue eyes.
................................. Temperament must be unchallenging; any sign of definate challenge shall disqualify. The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but must not threaten to harm.
Evidence of intent to deceive the judge by artificial means, cats with all or part of their tail missing (except those breeds whose standard calls for this feature), totally blind cats, cats having more or less than five toes on each front foot and four on each back foot (unless proved to be the result of an injury or as authorized by a Board approved standard), and, at the discretion of the judge, tail faults (visible or invisible) and/or crossed yes shall be disqualified from championship competition. See Show Rules, ARTICLE SIXTEEN for comprehensive rules governing penalties/disqualifications applying to all breeds.
..................................
