Advice on purchasing a Savannah!

[sweetmelly]

Congrats!!! She is beautiful! Enjoy being smitten with your kitten!

 

[Lesley]

Hi Guys,

I am a bit concerned after reading some of this. we are going to look at an F5 Servaline kitten Sun. We have 3 DSH rescue kitties, all active and lots of attitude. We have been dancing around getting a Savannah for awhile. I am concerned about just how destructive these guys can be. Everyone on this site seems to think its more then worth the trade off. But I'm a bit concerned. I'm not worried about expensive nick knacks getting destroyed (don't have any), bu t I am a little concerned about coming home to constant destruction. HELP ME! please

 

[ALizzlyBear]

Hi Lesley, I had an F2 and he was very active. It was all about "kitten proofing" the home. He was still less destructive than my previous German Shepherds and easier to have as a pet.. despite his cute rambunctiousness. They are more work than regular cats but if you have ever had a dog it is kind of similar - you just have to make sure they can't access the important things to destroy. You also need to satisfy their energy needs with lots of toys they CAN play rough with! Give them scratch posts, little bell roller balls, tease them with streamers.. Alot of interaction is good too. My F2 did not really cause any damage since we were so pro-active about his environment in this way.

and.. yes.. TOTALLY worth it!!

 

[admin]

Hi Lesley,

An F5 is a bit different...my litter of F5 kittens were a handful but never destructive...kittens are kittens, for the most part...they get into things and chew, which is why you need to kitten proof.

Savannah kittens are just a bit more curious with a bit more energy...

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Lesley]

Thanks for the info guys! Appreciate it.

 

[John Popp]

The carnage left in the wake of our boy really isn't all that bad and despite him tearing up a few things, about 90% of the time I say "I should have thought better about leaving that out". The other 10% is just things that display his superior intellect and athleticism. Things that in my life time with cats I never thought about locking down or heights I wasn't aware that a cat could attain. Our DSH of years ago was far more destructive and broke things with intent and purpose, while our SV occasionally breaks things with his teenage awkwardness.

 

[Lesley]

Thanks John. These sound like things I expected. Just want to be prepared and not naive about what we're getting into.

 

[John Popp]

Here are a couple tips, always step on a roll of toilet paper before putting it on the dispenser. Never leave a roll of paper towels in reach. Child locks on lower cabinets have always been necessary, with an SV consider child locks for cabinets above the counter. Child lock ice and water dispenser on the fridge, if not your SV will pretend he's a penguin swimming on the kitchen floor. Pedaled lids for trash cans and although they'll eventually figure them out, at least you can say you tried.

 

[Lesley]

Dually noted! Thx John. All tips are appreciated. I'm assuming SV's will dig up plants? I only have 2 but figured they would have to go.

 

[Jacq]

More likely they will get chewed on. Just make sure they are not toxic to cats.