I need help!

[Nitro]

Congrats on the new kitty!

The coat seems too thick to be a Bengal/Bengal outcross like the Toyger - if it was Bengal, as you're likely aware, the coat is usually silky smooth. It seems like he does have larger tear ducts, a touch of ocelli, and larger paws (though it's hard to identify it from the current pics), so he might have some SV blood. But if you're planning on living in any state that outlaws SV's, I think it's best you not consider what type of cat it is (well..especially when you visit a vet) and just call it your special striped tabby.

 

[admin]

Just for a little update. Tanessa sent me a picture of the back of him and he's got the Ocelli that are common in SV's. Not super prominent like in an F1 or F2, I'd say probably more like an F3-to F4 SV. His fur does seem a little bit long which I think might be throwing some people off, but that certainly can be a result of his outcrossings. I'm not a breeder and still new to the SV game, but I did do 3 years of on again off again research before I finally decided on ownership, and what I think might be the case with this kitten is that he might be an F4ish but not an F4C, probably like an F4B which might give him more of the dominant traits of the domesticated cat blood. But his ears are very similar to the ears on Shelby, my F3B. Hopefully she'll chime in and post a pic so you guys can see what I mean.

Scott, just to let you know - Savannahs are not the only cats with Ocelli...

 

[tanessa]

on these type of cats, do all markings show right away, or do they developer over time? My sister told me he has "little fuzzies" which will go away, soon I hope! Hahabut she said it should allow his mark I g to open up and actually stand out a little more and let his color come through that is barley peaking throughnow. He is funny though.. he literally wags his tail like a dog, he holds it down low, and moves the end of it around, even while lounging around. It is pretty cute,though I t makes him look aggressive. I believe Ido have some work to do with him though... the people that must have previously owned him, had no discipline for him. He chews at your hand like a piece of meat, when he thinks he is playing, or when mad he attacks it. Yet, he usually keeps his claws retracted, just those horrible teeth! Also, he begs for food, and jumps on the tables and stuff... he does like to cuddle,pur and sit when I tell him to if I am giving him a treat (most of the time) anyhow, I needs to break him of those bad habits quickly. I think the fact that he is very interested in getting in the water is awesome also! He does this little chirpy type noises too..? Almost like abrand new kitten just learning to meow..?Also, I just found out that apparently he is crossed with Main Coon.. is that a possibility? That is what the previous owner said Iguess... this is some of the.information Scott thought I should share with everyone, that I have not. Here is the picture I showed him as well.

 

[Medesha]

Thanks, Paige! I know the Serval is a very distinct cat so maybe that's why you can tell more easily, because you'd see distinct features that are extremely Serval-like and wouldn't exist in any other breed?

Every time I see a post like this I think I just get that knee jerk reaction, trying to "type" a kitty that doesn't have papers for most breeds is kinda useless because they don't have a "Serval is unique" feature. I think Toygers are also similar to Ragdolls in that Toygers are a mix of kitties that just happen to look like tigers but aren't anything specific? Again, I don't know much about them, just what I read when Medesha posted pics of her little baby. Sure, I'd say this kitten looks like a Toyger to my untrained and naive eye, but would that make him one?

Well generally with Toygers, the standard is a bright orangey coat with black stripes/elongated/broken rosettes, a stocky, compact body, a long ringed tail- they're also working on snow toygers! They breed mackerel tabbys with bengals. Most mackerel tabbys don't have as clear a contrast between the base color of their coat and their striping.

So long as you can't disprove the cat's breed, you can think whatever you like, though I imagine that the chances of the kitty being a savannah are small given the... rarity of the breed and the prevalence of early neuter/spaying.

I've only seen one case of where the cat's breed was unknown, but it was marked quite clearly in appearance and temperament- it was on that show My Cat From Hell, and they thought the cat was a bengal/manx mix and if they were wrong about it I would have gladly eaten... well I don't wear hats but something highly indigestible.

EDIT: Oh, the post that mentioned the world's biggest, softest baby, Erra, happened a few days ago. Sorry for the necropost.

 

[DocMac]

This s a learning experience for most of us, so keep em coming.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Riverridgefarm-com.webs.com
Riverridgesavannahs@yahoo.com

 

[Patti]

Most kittens go through a fuzzy stage which once they shed you can see their pattern better.

It sounds like he may be teething, but chewing on humans is not really an acceptable chew toy. You should look for an acceptable alternative such as a thick braided rope or a rubber toy (look in the dog section of the pet store). Rawhide is NOT a good chew toy as they can swallow pieces, and once wet it will expand in the stomach and can cause an intestinal blockage.

There are a couple of ways to stop the biting. You can start by yelping loudly (like a kitten would if hurt) when he does it - I often find that's all that is necessary to teach a kitten not to hurt with his teeth. If that doesn't help you can scruff him and say 'NO' loudly each time he bites. Worst case scenario, put your finger down his throat and gag him every time he bites - sounds horrible, but in most cases works very effectively.

Chirping is a distinctively Savannah trait so you may be right that he has some Savannah in him. Maine Coons have been used for years to breed Savannahs.

 

[tanessa]

Thank you Patti, I will definitely give those ideas a shot. When he tries to bite at me, I usually grab one of his toys, though, they are not rubber or rope, and I will tap at his nose. He bites hard, punctures my skin and draws blood. Also, I notice he gets on the table and counter tops, either trying to eat the food (table food) or searching for some. Any suggestions for that number? Oh, someone mentioned something about his feet being large. They are, they are VERY large. Almost looks a little abnormal. Hah but I figured he would grow into them. I'm not sure that my three year old daughter is having too great of an influence on him either though.. she is in the stage of not listening and I just don't think she wants to listen about how to properly treat him.

 

[Patti]

Keeping him off the counters may be a bit more hard. I use a squirt bottle with water and a shot of vinegar in it (hard stream, not a spritz). The problem is, even if he learns to respect the squirt bottle when in your hand, it won't necessarily keep him off the counters when you're not looking. People have used scat mats and/or motion activated deterrents such as Ssscat with varying results.

Large feet usually result in a large cat when he is an adult

 

[ScottKelly911]

Scott, just to let you know - Savannahs are not the only cats with Ocelli...

Hiya Paige, yeah I know there are several other cat breeds that it's somewhat common to have Ocelli, but I thought it was a good piece to the puzzle when combined with other SVish features lead to a definitive or at least hypothetical answer. I know without a pedigree or a blood test, it's impossible to know for sure. I think the fur is definitely indicative of the Maine Coon outcrossing as well as some of the other physical features. Like any mystery novel or movie, half the fun is putting together the clues and trying to figure it out before the big payoff in the end As Patti just proved with her advice, regardless of any cat breed, this forum offers EXCELLENT knowledge and is a fantastic resource for owners of all cat breeds

 

[ScottKelly911]

Oh and just to add, I have a feeling that the kitty in question, (BTW, have we learned his name?) may be a B or even possibly an A and not a C making the ID even more difficult. Lets say it's a later gen, the serval blood may have already been diluted with say Bengal, then diluted again with Maine Coon. So I could easily see like a F3B female being bred (either accidentally or on purpose) with a Maine Coon and getting a cat that has some Savannah traits while having many traits of the other two outcrossings traits as well. I think the best thing that could happen in determining the true identity would be for Tanessa to somehow find out from the breeder more about the kitten. I understand the hesitation she may feel about inquiring, but as someone suggested earlier, there are certainly tactful ways to go about finding more out, like saying "I absolutely love this kitty and just wanted to find out more about it" etc.