new savannah

[Eixi Olive]

Hi everyone! I’m Bridget and my husband is Sam. We’re musicians in Chicago and just adopted our first SV, an F7 SBT Mel female named, Nightfall Olive You. AKA Olive. Our previous black rescue short hair of 20+ years recently passed. We were devestaed beyond anything we’ve ever felt before. This little lady, Olive, has finally brought some smiles, snuggles, and companionship back to our life.

I had been researching the Savannah breed for several years...one thing led to another.

Anyway we just picked up Olive from O’Hare Saturday October 19.

Tomorrow I’m planning on taking her to the vet for a general checkup. We want to get her harness trained for out doors when she decides she’s ready.

She has her rabies vaccination, a Revolution since 9-10-19, and microchipped. I was also suggested to not inoculate against FIP or FeLV. And no Ketamine or cocktails of.

I have been glued to this forum reading suggestions and experiences. Does anyone here have any opinions about getting a Savannah ready for walks on the harness outdoors health wise?

 

[Eixi Olive]

Does everyone here vaccinate their Savannah for FIP and FeLIV? I was told not to because of possible injection site sarcoma. Would Olive be at risk for these if we were walking her outdoors?

 

[Patti]

Welcome Bridget, Sam, and Olive! I do not usually vaccinate FIV/FeLV since my cats are indoors only, but if you are planning on taking Olive out on walks etc. it wouldn't be a bad idea to vaccinate her.

 

[Eixi Olive]

Thanks Patti. Because of all the negative possible side effects I’d prefer not to give her the FeLIV. I figure that if she wasn’t interacting with random other cats and in contact with infected cats feces that her chances of contracting it are very slim to none.

 

[Hippy]

Welcome to the forum and Congrats on your new family member!
She is just precious!


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[Ninja-n-Bear]

Olive is adorable! I love her eye color.

Have you considered a pet stroller for walks? We got the boys vaccinated as kittens with the intention of walking them, but while both will wear a harness, neither will move an inch while doing so! After trying many different types of harness, we’ve given up. They are getting a stroller for Christmas this year.

 

[Eixi Olive]

Ninja that’s a great idea! We’ve definitely thought of those cat backpacks with the ventilated clear dome they can see out of. She’s funny, she will wear the harness but wants to take the lead in her mouth and ‘walk herself’ I had a friend who’s dog used to do that too

 

[Hippy]

Funny you mention the back pack.

As you would not catch me dead walking around with one.. Lol
But

My daughter had one and her cat can't get enough of it..

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[Moggieslegacy]

Congrats on the new family member!

I have been using the “Fat Cat Cat Backpack” and have been very happy with it. https://yourcatbackpack.com/products/the-fat-cat-cat-backpack

It is very well made and has a lot of room inside and comes with an alternative perforated plastic screen insert, which I think my cat prefers to the bubble. One of my Savannahs is very shy and he is much happier having me put him in there when we cross paths with a pedestrian or car or maybe even a dog. It also has served as a platform I could hoist up into a tree before we both learned which trees might lead to trouble if climbed.

The advice given in other places here, which is to always carry the cat out the door in a carrier so they never figure out how to do door dashing has been really helpful, and this has never become a problem, though that might be more the personality of my cat who is the main user of this, as he is very sensitive to everything and strongly prefers to cooperate. My other SV is a lot more naughty (in a charming playful way) and he has made it a sport to do door dashing just into the room off the double doored entryway, where he is not allowed. Not because there is anything special in that room, just because it is a wonderful game...

I would also warn against taking a Savannah out into a yard on a leash that they can get attached to and see from the house or enclosure, as wanting to be out in the yard with me on a leash, a lot more than I can be out with them, has become a real problem for the cat that got used to spending time with me out there. I think if I had taken him out of sight of the yard in a carrier before letting them out to walk, maybe this would never have become a problem but it is hard to say. They all have different personalities.

I didn’t do any special prep for going out on a harness with any of my cats. Just put the harness on and took them outside. They all were way too interested in what was going on around them to worry about the harness, and quickly came to express pleasure as soon as it gets put on, as it means they get to go out.

I also have found doing clicker training games fed into helping my cat that goes out for walks with me understand my gestures and vocalizations had a purpose, and except for his extreme shyness, he walks on a leash just like a dog and can keep up or lead for a full 2 mile hike at a brisk pace, with only the occasional stop to sniff or climb a tree. He understands it when I make suggestions or warn he is about to get tangled going into some bushes and now has learned to avoid these problems.

 

[Ninja-n-Bear]

Ninja that’s a great idea! We’ve definitely thought of those cat backpacks with the ventilated clear dome they can see out of. She’s funny, she will wear the harness but wants to take the lead in her mouth and ‘walk herself’ I had a friend who’s dog used to do that too

I’ve thought about the backpack, too, but ultimately decided on a stroller because of the weight. Ninja is the only one light enough to carry on my back, LOL.

I knew a dog who liked to walk itself, too, super cute and funny!