Do Savannah's mature differently than domestic kittens

[tusalena]

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You can purchase a copy of Naughty No More by Marilyn Krieger, a well-known cat behaviorist or visit her website and set up a phone consult. She will likely be able to offer suggestions to change Blue's behavior. Her fee for phone/skype consult is $190 per hr. When you consider the peace and lack of potential for injury gained, it's worth the money. Periodically she'll offer her services free here but there aren't any scheduled in the near future.

I was looking into clicker training, I have a male that likes to spray, territorial issue and he's now losing his eyesight and relies on his smell more, meaning more spraying. I'm hoping to change that to relying on sound and use clicker training to help ease his territorial issues. I will check out the book. Thank you

 

[John Campbell]

He seems more like a 4 month old when it comes to coordination. He does not have very good balance or climbing ability, and walks off things like the bed if he has something in his mouth, Seems uncoordinated? Could it have been the intestinal parasites he had for quite awhile before I got him and this may have deprived nutritionally? Finally putting some weight/meat on his bones and his legs are growing, would that contribute to the un coordination?.

When I got Elsa she was quite a bit uncoordinated and would just uncaringly run into anything full speed ahead. At 7 months, she is pretty much out of it now however.

One other behavior issue is his snarling and hissing at the other cats. They are older guys and not interested in him, mostly ignore him, but he has to hiss and swat at them. Is it a dominance thing or a confidence issue. He seems more of a skittish cat, he's quite content to play with me or lie down with me as he is now, but as soon as other cats come in the room, it's hiss, snarl, growl..

I would imagine this would be different with all cats, and may relate to where he came from. I know with Elsa I did not know until her 3 visit to the vet that she knew how to grow or hiss.... And she only does this at the vet when he pulls out a syringe...

Sorry to hit you guys with 2 issues but this is my first Savannah and we usually get 2 kittens at once so they can interact with each other, so I'm at a loss with this guy. Trying to curb any behavior issues now before it effects the rest of the gang.

LOL, that is what everyone is here for.. I have popped more question like that at a time... That is what this forum is for. Don't hesitate to ask, there are no dumb questions... Or Paige would have kicked me by now.

 

[tusalena]

When I got Elsa she was quite a bit uncoordinated and would just uncaringly run into anything full speed ahead. At 7 months, she is pretty much out of it now however.

OK so maybe a month or 2 left on the falling off the bed) I was concerned that his intestinal parasite caused growth issues. Needless to say this "breeder" was not very good at socializing her kittens, so I have to try and fix that problem.



I would imagine this would be different with all cats, and may relate to where he came from. I know with Elsa I did not know until her 3 visit to the vet that she knew how to grow or hiss.... And she only does this at the vet when he pulls out a syringe...

I'm wondering now if it might have to do with me giving attention to the other cats, I'll do a little more investigation. I need to see how he reacts with the other cats when I'm not in view.



LOL, that is what everyone is here for.. I have popped more question like that at a time... That is what this forum is for. Don't hesitate to ask, there are no dumb questions... Or Paige would have kicked me by now.

I certainly appreciate all the help you guys have given me and I'm sure I'll be back for me. As I said this is the first breed cat I've had and the 1st time we have had only 1 kitten at a time..it's a lot more work, especially in a multi-cat household.

 

[Charley]

Lol! Loving all the stories! Jengo was very clumsy - still is sometimes but he's going to be 3 I'm 2 days and finally he's starting to get some grace. He will run into a wall though or land on his brother when jumping for toys. Biz scampers like a kitten like his paws are too big for him or something and he's extremely clutzy. Lol! They remain kittens much longer than domestic cats I've owned.

 

[Carykd7kau]

But they are still our little loves. Klutzy or not.

 

[Eddies]

I think I hear...he gets spooked with the other cats & growls, hisses, then runs away...he pounces on the other cats & they get defensive...multiple ages & multiple breeds....taking away the (forgive me) ADHD symptoms of Spencer (Eddie too!) & what do I hear? "I'm scared but I'm gonna get you before you get me!" As long as the bigger, older, more experienced cats are not putting holes/tears in him I would step back & monitor...they WILL teach proper behaviors but if you already have somebody in there spraying....guess what else he will learn! Eddie again has been playing on top of the fridge...he jumps from the floor, ninjas sideways off the wall & he's up there. Mojo (3 year old SV) opens the fridge for snacks, taught by Tigger (almost 1 year old Bengal); Eddie (~6 months SV) jumps uo/off walls, taught by Mojo. Little Trooper (waiting on his owner to get out of the Army) sits & watches all of this like kids with a TV...as a Maine Coon he is THE CALM CAT! All boys, Eddie is (SHHHH) getting neutered this week, & Trooper waits till next month...yesterday Eddie "mounted" Mojo & believe me when I say Eddie flew across the room...now he knows mounting is unacceptable behavior! More toys please, lasers, automated, touch/motion activated....Eddie goes bonkers for the remote control mouse we found at Pet Smart! Keep him busy...use favorite treats to bring the whole pride together a couple times a day...It took almost a month before Mojo would even stay in the same room with Eddie but then he "Big Brother-ed" little Trooper right off...now we have 4 fur balls running & horse playing together through the house!

 

[tusalena]

I think I hear...he gets spooked with the other cats & growls, hisses, then runs away...he pounces on the other cats & they get defensive...multiple ages & multiple breeds....taking away the (forgive me) ADHD symptoms of Spencer (Eddie too!) & what do I hear? "I'm scared but I'm gonna get you before you get me!" As long as the bigger, older, more experienced cats are not putting holes/tears in him I would step back & monitor...they WILL teach proper behaviors but if you already have somebody in there spraying....guess what else he will learn! Eddie again has been playing on top of the fridge...he jumps from the floor, ninjas sideways off the wall & he's up there. Mojo (3 year old SV) opens the fridge for snacks, taught by Tigger (almost 1 year old Bengal); Eddie (~6 months SV) jumps uo/off walls, taught by Mojo. Little Trooper (waiting on his owner to get out of the Army) sits & watches all of this like kids with a TV...as a Maine Coon he is THE CALM CAT! All boys, Eddie is (SHHHH) getting neutered this week, & Trooper waits till next month...yesterday Eddie "mounted" Mojo & believe me when I say Eddie flew across the room...now he knows mounting is unacceptable behavior! More toys please, lasers, automated, touch/motion activated....Eddie goes bonkers for the remote control mouse we found at Pet Smart! Keep him busy...use favorite treats to bring the whole pride together a couple times a day...It took almost a month before Mojo would even stay in the same room with Eddie but then he "Big Brother-ed" little Trooper right off...now we have 4 fur balls running & horse playing together through the house!

Thank you for that, makes my house look like a walk in the park) I think you are correct, it's more scared and a little "I'm a big boy now" attitude. It's getting better and I'm taking your advice and observing more. We have our Peanut (4 year old that is a very small loving cat, but doesn't take any flack from anyone) she is a great Miss Manners and is teaching Blue how to behave around other cats, the pouncing is not acceptable and she teaches it wayyy better than I could. She will not attack him but will not accept being pounced on and does the stare down until he submits.

Rosie and Callie (15 and 13) don't have it in them to attack but will give him a smack down if he gets to cocky. Unfortunately I think Callie maybe losing her hearing and Blue can sneak up on her, those I try and intervene on Callie's behalf. My Tigger (also 13 and the sprayer) is losing his sight and the spraying I think is his way of knowing where he is and of course everything is his. I pray Blue does not learn this before I can get a handle on Tigger. It requires cleaning the whole house, getting some calming stuff and scratching posts everywhere. I'm hoping to curb his spraying to scratching. Any other suggestion are very welcome.

A funny Blue antic: I have some round cat beds and had one by the washer to clean, Blue dragged it out of the laundry room and outside, it's twice as big as him...it was amazing to see the determination. Now why that bed in particular..??

At the moment Blue and Rosie are napping on two cushions, 10 minutes before that he was growling at her, she ignores him

 

[Patti]

My goodness, you have quite a troop of kitties there! I assume Tigger is neutered? Has he always sprayed or is this a new behavior? It may very well be his way of keeping track of where he is with his waning eyesight, but it may also be a response to the new kid on the block who is not yet neutered and clearly feeling his oats... Feliway diffusers may help, as may getting Blue neutered...

 

[tusalena]

My goodness, you have quite a troop of kitties there! I assume Tigger is neutered? Has he always sprayed or is this a new behavior? It may very well be his way of keeping track of where he is with his waning eyesight, but it may also be a response to the new kid on the block who is not yet neutered and clearly feeling his oats... Feliway diffusers may help, as may getting Blue neutered...

Tigger has been a fixed kitty we found him or I should say he and his sister found us in 2001. They were strays that jumped through ( yes through the links) of a chain link fence in September 2001 and ran over to us. We were on our way home from Franks parents place and were chatting in the driveway. Did not even see them. Tigger went to me and Callie went to Frank, poor things were full of fleas and shivering from the cold. Needless to say they became part of the family and tigger is my boy and Callie is Franks girl, so they chose us)

Anyway, Tigger was an outside cat for the first 4 years until we moved to an area that we could not let them roam free. About a year later he started to spray but only once in awhile, finally figured it out it was due to a stray wondering in our back yard. Our next move we still could not let him out and the spraying got worse when one of our cats/my original got very sick. The stress level in the house went up and of course he did not receive as much attention. A year after she passed a kitten (Akira) was dumped on us, full of fleas and was being abused by a toddler and a puppy. In our ultimate wisdom, knowing kittens work better as pairs we went to local SPCA and of course there were 2 kittens (Peanut and C'Mel) in one cage, not related but obviously friends. Frank being the softy he is insisted we get both and now we have 3 kittens and 3 older cats in same house. What a zoo. Needless to say the spraying got worse, and both Callie and Tigger have a hate on for Akira, she is the ultimate "victim" and a drama queen, so picking on her has become a sport.

One more move and we are now up to date. Within the 2.5 years since we have been here, another stray showed up on our doorstep, he would stand outside out siding door and stare in, this was in February, and it was very cool, we thought someone must own him. By spring time we took a closer look and discovered how thin he was, he was so desperate for company he would let me trim his nails. An amazing cat, but a scraper, protected his territory and his people(us), he would follow me around the garden like a dog, but he would intimate all the other cats. Needless to say the spraying got very bad and then Akira started.

I have to go feed the critters, but will be back to finish the never ending saga of life in our ever changing rescue home)

 

[Carykd7kau]

It is nice to see and hear that I am not that unusual in my tendancy to accept any cat that asks for sanctuary. You are good people! I sure wish there were more like you in the world.