Getting home ready for Savannah kitten

[Cinamon]

We placed a deposit for a F3 Savannah kitten that will be ready around Christmas to come to its new forever home. We have done alot of reading and research (and I am thrilled that I found this site) and feel confident in our decision. One of the questions I have is this: How important is it to "quarentine" the kitten to one room as we introduce it to our home? Our main level has an open floor plan, with no doors except to the bathroom, and seperating the basement & upstairs levels. We do not have a room that we can exclusively use for the kitten. Any suggestions?

 

[WitchyWoman]

How about your master bedroom? It is important to quarantine the kitten, even if you don't have any other pets, so you and the kitten have a better bonding experience and so that the kitten has a safe room where it can acclimate before getting used to the rest of the house.

When I got my first SV, he was quarantined in the office which has glass doors so he could see the dining room, part of the kitchen and the great room. When his time in quarantine was up and he began to explore the house, he'd still get lost and I'd hear him chirping for rescue. Even after the 2 wk quarantine is over, you might want to keep the kitten in the quarantine room for a week or two longer when you're not home or at least until the cat is comfortable being out and about without getting lost or forgetting where the litter box is.

 

[Cinamon]

That could work. We definitely want the kitten to bond with us and our 11 year old daughter, and are trying to figure out where the kitten would be comfortable, safe, and not feel "isolated" from our family. I have a feeling that my daughter will want her room to be the kittens preferred safe room We are so excited!

 

[Kristin]

Congrats on your upcoming kitten! Do you have a name picked out yet?

 

[Cinamon]

We have first pick of litter, so we don't even have a gender picked out yet I know my daughter Chloe is really wanting a female to name "Giovanna". She has been planning this for a year, and Grandma is buying the kitten as a birthday gift. Now I have a few months to "Savannah proof" my house, and research training techniques. I am not concerned with chaos...but cooking with cats on the counter near food has me a bit stressed.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Congratulations! As others have mentioned, using a bedroom works and your daughter's room could be perfect

 

[Kristin]

We have first pick of litter, so we don't even have a gender picked out yet I know my daughter Chloe is really wanting a female to name "Giovanna". She has been planning this for a year, and Grandma is buying the kitten as a birthday gift. Now I have a few months to "Savannah proof" my house, and research training techniques. I am not concerned with chaos...but cooking with cats on the counter near food has me a bit stressed.

The theme song in our house is "If you like it then you shoulda put a lid on it" as any food left on the counter WILL be eaten by Zeddie haha...but she doesn't go up until we are done because she knows she will get in trouble

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I am not concerned with chaos...but cooking with cats on the counter near food has me a bit stressed.

Our cats KNOW they should not be on the counters, doesn't mean they don't do it while we are not in that room of course. We have a large island in the middle of the kitchen/dining room where a lot of the cooking action goes on and of course they are tempted to jump up there to observe. So I put a cat tree at the end of the island, where they know they are allowed to perch and watch. They also know they can sit on the island stools to observe... but if their paws stray to the counter it is a firm "off!" and a push off the counter. You may feel like you have to do this over and over and over...but they do learn. They are smart cats, just you need to be firm and persistent but also realistic on what you can prevent and consider giving them viable alternatives too (like the perch where they can observe from).

 

[Cinamon]

Awesome advice Brigitte...I have wrap around counters with an elevated breakfast bar that opens to the dining/living room area of the house from the kitchen. I was thinking of putting some sort of cat nest or tree there so they can watch. I have no problem with being firm & persistent, and know it needs to happen early so they don't develop habits.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Yes, "start as you mean to go on" with those kinds of things. Don't allow anything in the kitten that you won't find cute in the adult cat.... so no playing with the kitten with your hands. Even if it is cute that this tiny furry thing is swatting at your fingers and leaping at your hand, it won't be so cute when they are swatting when a larger kitty. So always use wand toys to have distance between your body and theirs when playing.

And if you find the kitten is so exuberant that when they want your attention and you are busy cooking dinner, they might decide it is fun to make runs to leap onto the counter and then away before you can push them off...just to get your attention...so then know you need to have a vigorous play session to wear off a bit of their excess energy before you start cooking. Play lots, give them their dinner and then start cooking your own may be the routine that works best. It does in our household