Adding another pet( dog or Savannah)

[Lizerd619]

Hello I have a 4 year old f1 male . He seems like he wants more playtime than I can offer. Would he be happier with another cat/Savannah or a dog ? Is it too late to introduce him to a potential playmate ? Which scenario sounds best ? Or just not getting another pet ?


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[WitchyWoman]

I don't have experience introducing a dog into my brood of 4 savannahs and have no advice to give in that regard. There are folks here who have added savannahs to a house with an existing dog and vice versa. Is your F1 tolerant of change? Bringing a kitten or puppy into the mix would be easier than bringing in an adult. How well the F1 adapts depends on his basic personality and whether the new pet complements his personality. For exmple, two dominant-aggressive animals would likely not get along well.

Size is also a factor. I have a very large F1 who generally plays too rough with my F2s and F6. His size intimidates them although the F6, who is the smallest, plays best with him. I know the F1 is frustrated when the others run from him because he doesn't understand that his size and strength are intimidating and apparently he's not smart enough to figure out how to hold back a bit. He tries occasionally to be gentler but a proper rough house is what he craves.

How you introduce the new animal is important. Time and patience are necessary to ensure that both the F1 and the new addition integrate well and you'd have to be prepared to keep them separate for as long as it takes until you're certain that they can be trusted together.

 

[Patti]

I agree with Witchy - a lot will depend upon the personality of your F1. If he generally gets along with everyone then he will likely adjust to a new companion without too much trouble. Breed is important as well - you could always get another Savannah, but there are other breeds that also do well with Savannahs such as Highlanders, Abyssinians, Bengals or Oriental Shorthairs for their equally active personalities, or British Shorthairs or Maine Coons for their unflappable personalities.

If you choose to get a dog make sure is is at least a moderate sized breed and I would definitely get a puppy as opposed to an adult. As a general rule I would also steer away from the hound/hunter breeds as they are more likely to view a cat as something to be hunted, although my Rhodesian Ridgeback was raised by my Savannahs and Highlanders so has learned how to play appropriately with them for the most part - although I would never leave him alone with them unsupervised...