The Savannah cat is the largest of the domestic cat breeds. A Savannah cat results from a cross between a domestic cat and a serval, a medium-sized, large-eared wild African cat. This unusual cross became popular among breeders at the end of the 1990s, and in 2001 The International Cat Association (TICA) accepted it as a new registered breed. In May 2012, TICA accepted it as a championship breed.