Quick Question: Is it Me or an Illusion?

[John Campbell]

I have spent quite a bit of time looking at Savannah Kittens and Grown Cats and it just hit me - The ears on a young kitten seem to be more on the side of their head where an adult is more on top of their head... Am I seeing something crazy, or is this just a growing up phase...



Either way... they look great to me.... Sometimes I wish I could them as a kitten for a lifetime

 

[Pam Flachs]

You are correct. Kittens' ears are more on the side of their heads, and may or may not come up as tall as shown in the second pic you posted. BTW, I doubt that is a kitten pic of the adult cat

Some time ago I posted these on FB to show just how much a kitten's ears can move up in just a very short time. These are F5SBT babies. Pics are shown at 1-2 weeks old, then at 8-9 weeks old. For the kitten in the bottom pics with the airplane wing ears...it was truly astonishing!

 

[John Campbell]

You are correct. Kittens' ears are more on the side of their heads, and may or may not come up as tall as shown in the second pic you posted. BTW, I doubt that is a kitten pic of the adult cat

Some time ago I posted these on FB to show just how much a kitten's ears can move up in just a very short time. These are F5SBT babies. Pics are shown at 1-2 weeks old, then at 8-9 weeks old. For the kitten in the bottom pics with the airplane wing ears...it was truly astonishing!

Thanks for the info... I was showing one kitten vs a full grown adult.. Just as a comparison, but by looking at your pictures it appears to happen much quicker than just over a life time. By looking at those to sets, the 1-2 weeks old appears so innocent as to say I would never get in trouble, and the old 2 is kind of like, what can I get into next.. Thanks for sharing.

 

[SV Dad]

Fascinating change, isn't it!
And to give you a heads up, they seem to have funny growth patterns. The legs get long, the body is usually quite slim, and long. Many are so slim as to cause the new owners concern. They don't seem to start filling out until 2 to 3 years. Bottom line, if they are active and healthy, it's all good.

 

[John Campbell]

Fascinating change, isn't it!

Very... I do not know why I did not pick up on that before... I was almost thinking it was a Birth Defect as that is a major change.... Either way, they are just as cute... Almost Cuter with ears laid down.

 

[Patti]

Yes it is true that for a Savannah the ears can continue to travel up to the top of their head as late as five months of age, although at that point we usually figure that will be their permanent spot. Then, if you have an intact male, as they mature and jowl out the ears seem to slide down again...

This is in contrast to a breed such as the Oriental Shorthair whose ears actually travel down as they mature - just he opposite of our Savannahs!

 

[Dantes]

You are correct. Kittens' ears are more on the side of their heads, and may or may not come up as tall as shown in the second pic you posted. BTW, I doubt that is a kitten pic of the adult cat

Some time ago I posted these on FB to show just how much a kitten's ears can move up in just a very short time. These are F5SBT babies. Pics are shown at 1-2 weeks old, then at 8-9 weeks old. For the kitten in the bottom pics with the airplane wing ears...it was truly astonishing!

This is very cool! Are these kittens related? What predictors are there of how far a kittens' ears will travel upward? Is there something you look for?

 

[KMcgown]

You are correct. Kittens' ears are more on the side of their heads, and may or may not come up as tall as shown in the second pic you posted. BTW, I doubt that is a kitten pic of the adult cat

Some time ago I posted these on FB to show just how much a kitten's ears can move up in just a very short time. These are F5SBT babies. Pics are shown at 1-2 weeks old, then at 8-9 weeks old. For the kitten in the bottom pics with the airplane wing ears...it was truly astonishing!




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Great examples! Love the bottom kitten!

 

[Patti]

This is very cool! Are these kittens related? What predictors are there of how far a kittens' ears will travel upward? Is there something you look for?

I think the only predictors that one can count on are the earset of the parents, or older siblings from the same breeding.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

This is very cool! Are these kittens related? What predictors are there of how far a kittens' ears will travel upward? Is there something you look for?

As Patti says, there is no true predictor with ears, but the parents or the siblings can give you clues. Some lines are more prone to have the ears keep traveling upwards longer than others too I have found. With one of my lines, I have learned not to assume the ears have reached their most upright position for those five months or so that Patti mentions, with others it is clearer by 3 months where their ears will be...