Here's an odd one

[Jacq]

Why, B, do the stud jowls take up the skin slack?

 

[Per Lausund]

Well, they fill out and use their muscles to avoid you getting a good grip (I suppose also so they don´t look stupid in a fight; a proud male would find it difficult to accept being dragged along by the scruff of his neck by another). The scruffing grip is what the males use to calm the girlies so they can be mated. It also works when humans do it (the grip, not when mating), I found it very helpful in the clinic.
Do not ever accept vicious (biting) behaviour from your cat (and yes, it´s a CAT thing), answer back and WIN! They will accept that and behave.

p

 

[Per Lausund]

I would scruff him firmly and hld him to the ground for a few seconds. That's what his mamma would have done, and it really does work. DO NOT allow that behavior, ever.

I second that!
p

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Why, B, do the stud jowls take up the skin slack?

I think so yes.... the jowls when they get well-developed but also the neck seems to thicken too in some and so there's just not much loose skin to get hold of anymore.

I think it reverses somewhat on neuter. I saw a pic of Kash recently and although it wasn't the best picture it looked like he'd lost his stud jowls

 

[Jacq]

Wow. Hormones are amazing things

 

[Jeni]

Personally, I don't think it is the Serval in him or the "wild" coming out in him. It is a domestic cat behavior, as Deborah has pointed out. Domestic cats can behave erratically and I do believe we do our breed a huge disservice to label behaviors as "wild" in origin. We have to fight anti-hybrid legislation all the time, and stories like this just give the Animal Rights Extremists ammunition!

I know this thread is months old but I had to comment here. I have literally grown up with DSH cats my entire life and just recently bought my first Savannah. My DSHs exhibited the behavior being discussed in this thread WAY more than my Savannah. The last DSH we had (and she died at the ripe old age of 19) literally would NOT let anyone touch her but me. And even with me, she would get that "look" in her eyes and go for whatever body part was nearest to her and clamp down hard at really random times! I usually could tell when it was coming by the look in her eye but she did manage to get me numerous times.

As for my Savannah, the only time teeth or claws come out are when we are playing. And it's usually MY fault for getting my hands in the way! A quick "no" and a little scruff to the neck stops it immediately with her. She is the most loving little girl in the world. Once she's been scruffed, she comes right back to you purring loudly as if to say "Sorry Mom! Still love me?".

 

[rickbmore]

My f3 female is extremely bonded with me. Way more than my other savannahs. She is extremely sweet and playful but she got in the habit of every night when I was sound asleep violently attacking my feet. she would pounce and bite and claw. Not the normal playing, she was doing damage. I had to keep my feet wrapped tight under a blanket to protect them haha. I wasn't sure what to do. one night she woke me up by attacking my feet and i just grabbed her up and stuck her on her scratching post where she went to town. 3 nights doing that and she has never attacked me again. Maybe i just got lucky but it worked perfectly for me.

 

[admin]

Very good advice.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[J.B.]

I have to comment as well. Occasionally Titus will get that wide eyed, shaky, 'i'm about to go postal on you' look. He wants to wrestle and will grab my hands and try to bite and bunny kick them into submission. I do not encourage him biting, but its so random i seldom have a squirt bottle handy and i think the reaction time is too slow to enforce discipline. I've also tried scruffing him, but he has SO much skin he can actually turn around mid scruff and try to get your hand(the vet found this out..). Scruffing works when he's getting into other things, but not when he gets into his battle mood. If i scruff, he will retreat for a moment to plan his retaliatory battle plan. I've tried yelping, ignoring him(but he follows me), putting him in time out(i don't think he understands why though), but he still has his occasional fits. Any other suggestions??

 

[SV Dad]

Occasionally Titus will get that wide eyed, shaky, 'i'm about to go postal on you' look. He wants to wrestle and will grab my hands and try to bite and bunny kick them into submission.

This is known as a savannah moment. All of mine get the "look" and then go psycho for a spell. Unfortunately, it is more common than you think. Must be something in the serval past.............