hi i wanted to know more about the Savannah cat breed, so that i can tell if it is the right cat for my family. i would appreciate any good, thorough and informative websites about the cat's breeding and temperament, as well as where to adopt within norhtern california. i would also like to know wether it works well with large families with younger children, around ten to 5 years old. thx. Hi There Savannah cats "can" be great house pets, however there are some important things to note about their temperament and personalities. They prefer the company of other cats and most do get along with cats IF/WHEN the introductions are done correctly as this applies to ANY cats who meet for the first time. However, there are some who are the exception to this rule.
Savannah cats like most hybrid cats are a very hyperactive breed of cat well as extremely vocal and loud cats much more than Siamese cats. They are very demanding for attention and interested in everything their owners are doing. They certainly enjoy affection however only on their own terms as they rarely like being held or are lap cats especially because of their relative size when they are adults they can be as much as 25-35 lbs. However, some are an exception to this rule. Ideally, they "may" not be a good fit for young children, because children want to cuddle and Savannahs are far from being such a cat who likes to be restrained. They also are not a cat which should have any rough horse play as this becomes difficult to manage them when they become adults because of their larger size. If they are left alone for long periods of time it's best to have the company of another cat or dog, which is preferable or they can be quite mischevious as well as destructive as a result of loneliness and/or from boredom.
Please consider speaking with "multiple" Savannah breeders before purchasing one because these cats are very demanding in general (will give links to breeders in N. Calif below). Some important information about Savannahs. They should never be declawed as it leads to overcompensation with vicious biting since they have larger canine teeth than a typical domestic cat as well inappropriately soiling (urinating/defecating) around the home. Something we have witnessed too frequently with the rescues we take in.
Savannah's should never be allowed to roam freely outdoors as they are apt to be stolen and later sold sometimes for profit. However, they will take to leash training easily and it is the safest way to give them some of the outdoor enjoyment. In some regions the Savannah cat is outlawed, however in California they are legal.
Many Savannah's require a healthier diet of closer to raw as many suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)--loose stools syndrome. Royal Canin 27 is generally what Savannah breeders use to feed their cats since this is highly endorsed with The Int'l Cat Assoc (TICA). There are premium brands such as Innova EVO or Nature's Variety Prairie (see other diets listed below) that help easy the problem with IBS. Any of the cat foods that contains the ingredient corn, corn meal (e.g. Iams, Science Diet, Purina, Whiskas, etc) causes severe bowel distresses so it's best to choose cat food products that steer clear of these ingredients.
To learn more about Savannah's consider joining the Savannah & Bengal Chat forum: http://www.hdw-inc.com/chathome.htm (click the first link "JOIN US AT THE CHAT BOARD!! ")
As a rescuer for hybrid cats we always let new Savannah families know if in event there's a time in the future you are unable to keep your cat perhaps to allergies, medical illness in the family or moving overseas, etc all responsible Savannah breeders WILL take their cats back (no questions asked) as it is their ethical agreement with TICA in the sale of the kittens. There are also Savannah rescuers located all over the world and we are also willing to help with rehoming if necessary. We try to keep Savannah from ending up in the shelters as many euthanize them quickly believing they are a wild cat and not safe as a pet, when in fact they are domesticated since they are four or more generations removed from their wild relative the African Serval
Diets for Savannahs:
Their diet should consist of very high protein rather than the usual commercial cat food, which contains corn, corn meal and preservative fillers... for example those would be: IAMS, Science Diet, Purina, Whiskas and many others...essentially, anything from the grocery store and pet stores. The reason being is that hybrid cats commonly suffer from lifelong Irritable Bowel Syndrome so if you live in a large metropolitan city look for a specialty pet store that carries any of the following products to help minimize his bowel distresses:
Innova EVO and/or California Natural: http://www.naturapet.com/
Nature's Variety Praire: http://www.naturesvariety.com/
Wellness: http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul: hhttp://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssou...
Life's Abundance: http://www.healthypetnet.com/
Here's a super website which talks about the breed, temperament and lists breeders including Calif.:
http://www.savannahcat.com/public/index....
Another website about Savannahs: http://www.savannahcatclub.com/ (listing more breeders)
Look for breeders who are TICA registered. They are likely to be more responsible as they are looking to improve the breed -- health, temperament, etc rather only for making money lacking in the cat's health and welfare. www.savannahcat.com
They're gorgeous aren't they?? google SAVANNAH CATS this is their web site. go to the site by wikipedia for general information (the'res much more there than i can type) about the breed). the site above this one lists breeders in different states. im sure there is one close to you. |
