I am new, many questions!

[PossumOpossum]

Hey there everyone I am Possum As my name may suggest I love possums. I saved one from drowning but she died a couple weeks later I'm assuming from being overstressed (she was too young to release back in the wild). Falling in love, I wanted to get another possum and raise it as a therapy animal but come to find out they are illegal in California where I'll be moving to.

So enough about possums! After looking into other exotic pets and trying to find a companion that I can raise as a therapy animal I came across Savannahs. They are beautiful and I've read a few stories about them being great therapy animals. So I have a few questions that I couldn't seem to find a clear answer on:

1. Do they trigger normal cat allergies?
2. Are they good with children? I have a five year old and wonder how their temperament with children can be
3. Are they legal to own in California?
4. What is this cat capable of learning in regards to training?

 

[Patti]

Hi Possum, welcome to the forum! In answer to your questions:

People can sometimes be more allergic, or less allergic to Savannahs than regular cats, sometimes the response is the same as with any other cat

As with any other breed, Savannah personalities are individual. Most Savannahs get along fine with children but earlier generations may be too intense to be around young children. The best way to know is to talk to the breeder if you find a kitten you are interested in, and see if it has been exposed to children.

Savannahs are legal in California, but as with anywhere else, you also need to check you local (county, city, and HOA if applicable) rules to see if they have restrictions against hybrids.

Cats in general are fairly easy to train if you know how. Savannahs are highly intelligent and are able to pick up on things pretty quickly with the right motivation. However, they are masters at training their humans to do their bigging!

 

[dice]

agree with everything Patti said.

Savannahs are exceptionally good with their bond mates, and very leery of strangers. Fair warning though, Kittens will be kittens, so, scratches, some nips, possibly a few drops of blood and new scar tissue, comes with the territory.

Savannahs are more aggressive, curious, inteligent and active, than your run of the mill generic house cat. They can open doors, drawers, cabinets, and mess up the programing of your dvr.

Training? hmm, well, it's more of the case of discovering what they are capable of, and understanding what they want you to do.!!!! Am of the firm belief, that the cat trains the human. Figuring out what they are trying to tell you is half the battle

Whether one takes care of 1 savannah, or 4 or 5..... it is a major commitment of time, love, and companionship. They do give one much pleasure, happiness and joy!!!! along with the yearning to see another day.

 

[Patti]

I have never met a Savannah that is aggressive ( except the rare mom with tiny babies) - however I have had several who are stubborn and persistent when trying to get their way...

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Agreed, Patti, aggressive is not a trait I associate with Savannahs.

 

[NikkiA]

1. Do they trigger normal cat allergies?
2. Are they good with children? I have a five year old and wonder how their temperament with children can be
3. Are they legal to own in California?
4. What is this cat capable of learning in regards to training?

1. I am very allergic to house cats. I adopted a kitty from the shelter, and our F5 boy simultaneously, and didn't know I was allergic, and got very sick. Our shelter kitten now lives with our Aunt. I take Claritin daily. Diablo gets a bath every other week. This helps enormously. Leeloo (our rescue) would not allow me to bathe her. With regular bathing, I am ok with diablo. I am not at all allergic to our f3 furball boy, Jarvis. No reaction at all. Our f4 boy, Mickey, sends me into sneezing fits, and episodes of scratching, if I don't give him a bath every Sunday. So he gets a bath every Sunday. Diablo and Mickey are good boys. They don't struggle with their baths, although they cry bloody murder.
2. Yes. All three of ours love kids. Endlessly patient.
3. That will depend on the municipality.
4. Diablo is a therapy pet. He goes to nursing homes with me and cheers people up. He knows, and routinely obeys, come, stay, up, sit, leave it, and let's go. He is quite bright.

 

[Patti]

Leeloo (our rescue)

Was she named after Leeloo from the Fifth Element?

 

[NikkiA]

Was she named after Leeloo from the Fifth Element?

Yes. She is a sweetie... Just one I am allergic to unfortunately.

 

[PossumOpossum]

I appreciate all the responses as this has helped a lot Sorry that it took so long to respond as I haven't been at my computer all weekend. Training a therapy pet is always something I wanted to do and I'm thinking the Savannah will be my go to. Would a decent size apartment be okay for one of them as long as I take them out frequently as they get bigger? Again, thank you all for helping me out with my questions!

 

[Patti]

I think an apartment would be fine, especially for a later generation Savannah. An F1 or F2 may feel a little 'crowded' - just remember, vertical space is more important to cats than the square foot of a floor plan.