When you read about Savannah kittens, you might read the word ‘fuzzy’. Below is a short explanation of what this means.
Until the age of six months Savannah kittens experience various stages of ‘fuzzy’ fur.
From birth until about seven days, the fur is generally clearly visible and quite beautiful. (It is possible that the fur pattern is very dense and the kitten may look quite dark. Between six and eight weeks the markings spread out and the fur becomes more imposing.)
First phase
Between one and three weeks the fur of most Savannah kittens is soft, long and the pattern is less clear. The spots are temporarily lighter. Keep in mind that, if the kitten before this phase had a gorgeous spotted pattern, this will be visible again after the ‘fuzzy’ phases.
Second phase
Between six and ten weeks the kittens will have a kind of ‘nest fur’ to provide camouflage and protect from danger, just like Serval kittens. The hair can be twice as long as normal. The spots are not clearly visible. After a few weeks the long hairs fall out.
Third phase
This is the last ‘fuzzy’ phase and becomes noticeable when the kitten has a big growth spurt. All energy is used for growth with the result that the fur looks less beautiful. After this growth spurt the fur turns back into his normal beauty and colour, so that you can admire the contrasting spots again.
When you see photos of your kitten, keep in mind which phase the kitten is in in order to be able to predict its future looks!