Before you surrender your savannah cat....

[admin]

This is for all the people out there who never ask for help and just decide one day to surrender their savannah or any other cat...

• If you are having a problem with your savannah cat, PLEASE ask for help when the issue starts! Don't wait years and then one day decide you have had enough...
• If your cat is urinating or defecating outside the box, there is usually a behavioral reason, but please have your cat checked out by a vet to be sure...clean with an enzyme cleaner such as anti-ickpoo or unique distributors - they are really the only cleaners to completely eliminate the odor
• If your cat is scratching furniture or carpet, he/she either doesn't have enough scratching posts, is bored or upset...we can help advise you...
• If your cat is biting, we can help...there are many reasons a cat bites...declawing is one of those reasons...but we can help you with advice on how to eliminate that behavior
• Read the forums on here for advice, ask us for advice as many here have similar issues, call your breeder for advice
• IF the behavior continues, despite our advice, PLEASE contact a cat behaviorist, such as Marilyn Krieger...
• PLEASE surrender your savannah cat or any other cat as a last resort...contact Savannah Rescue...
• PLEASE do not just drop off this pet, who has been in your home for years and is part of your family at a shelter, where he/she may be euthanized...

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

And PLEASE contact the breeder too! Breeders usually have quite some experience and advice they can impart (along with a network of other breeders to consult). Additionally, the breeder should be told if you are ready to surrender your cat.

Most good breeders would rather take responsibility for their cats and find their new homes, they should be given that opportunity. We in SV Rescue generally find the breeder has not been contacted at the time someone contacts us to give up their cat....but almost always the breeder when contacted wishes to take the cat back!

As Paige says, there is a wealth of advice on this forum already, and almost every behavior can be worked with. Sometimes it is just a matter of figuring out WHY, which as we aren't cats sometimes that is so difficult!

 

[wetcats]

Just read this and felt my heart swell--so much love and care here for our fur friends, and compassion for folks.

 

[Jacq]

I think we all have our breed's best interest at heart.

 

[The Kasbah]

and perhaps most important of all, PLEASE really think about what it means to add a new family member. Think about the fact that adopting a pet is like adopting a child, except in this case, it is a 20 year commitment. Do you research and ask your questions IN ADVANCE and do not ever acquire any animals on a whim. There are plenty of Breeders and online resources available to gain the necessary knowledge to know IN ADVANCE whether or not you would be an appropriate owner and you have an appropriate setting to raise such an animal. If you don't...then perhaps it is best to wait and avoid the problems that are likely to ensure from not being prepared.

 

[Pam Flachs]

Excellent advice all!