Input on waiting or not

[Starbuk]

I have been living with a 6 month old Siberian kitten for about two months:

Her health and stress levels are very important to me. She is affectionate and playful to the max. I've been considering a Savannah because I like their temperament and how they bond with their owners. I feed my kitty raw food and like the primal side of cats.

I've got two main concerns about getting another cat and I fully understand that I may have to wait before getting one, so please give me your opinions. I live alone and am in late 20s. First, current female kitty is a good size and I think is happy even though she has no buddies - I've read that having multiple cats can stress them out - how do I make sure she would handle it ok? Second, I live in a 650sqft condo which I own but will likely move in next year or two. Is this too small for a Savannah and two kitties to share?

Along with those two main points I'd like to hear which generation you all would recommend. Wanted F1 initially but with my circumstances I'm not sure that'd be best.

 

[WitchyWoman]

It's usually easier to introduce cats when they are younger. Whether they'll get along is impossible to know until the new cat is in the home. You can always talk to your breeder about choosing a kitten whose personality complements your Siberian's personality. If she is laid-back and mellow then a cat with an overly dominant personality may be a problem. But a cat with a dominant personality may not necessarily be an issue.

If you have sufficient space for 3 litter boxes, at least 2 cat trees, and can put up shelves or otherwise make sure the cats have plenty of vertical space, then they should be ok sharing 650 sq. ft.

The personality of the savannah is basically the same regardless of generation although the intensity of the higher gens (F1-F3) may be more than lower generations. I have a 8 month old F1 male who is a dream and a 6 yr old F6 who is a handful. With the rapidity with which the Savannah breed has progressed, I believe the lines are blurred when it comes to what is or is not characteristic of early gens versus later gens.

 

[Rafiki]

Hi Starbuk, welcome to the forum. Your Siberian is seriously cute. She has good taste in booze too apparently.

Have you spent quality time around a F1 Savannah? They are amazing, don't get me wrong. I still dream of having one but they are a handful both for the human and the non-human members of the family. IMHO, you would probably be better with a later generation. They still have the active social nature of all Savannahs but they aren't as persistent as the early generations. The first time I visited my breeder's house, I was rather shocked to see all the F1 modifications such as

• child proof locks on all cabinets PLUS bungie cords and wooden spoons to keep them shut
• locks on the top of the sliding doors because locks at the normal location were no longer sufficient and they figured out how to open normal swinging doors
• industrial screened doors (punched out metal instead of mesh) to prevent them from crashing thru them because a bird was taunting them from the other side

Not everyone that has F1s have to implement these safety measures but it does give you an idea of what you may have to do if yours is particularly inquisitive. Even something like a scouring sponge can be hazardous - they were cleaning up after a steak dinner and an F1 jumped up, snatched the sponge and gobbled it down before she could be stopped. Surgery was required.

As far as the space and timing are concerned... Introducing a kitten to another kitten is always easiest. Your current furkid is more likely to accept a new playmate now rather than 2 years from now when she is an adult and less likely to want to play. The condo is not large but my experience is that if you can provide a lot of vertical space with cat trees and cat shelves, this will compensate a lot for the lack of horizontal. But just remember that a bored savannah is a naughty savannah!

 

[Patti]

I agree with both of the above. Introducing kittens is usually far easier than introducing adults. Also - although with spaying this isn't as much of an issue - females tend to be more assertive (and sometimes downright bossy) so I would recommend considering a male Savannah to compliment your girl.

I also agree that in spite of the small space, if you can provide plenty of vertical space, and enrichment, a Savannah can do just fine in a smaller area. Having said that, an F1 will get bored quicker than a later generation so you would really need your condo stripped down to the bare essentials to Savannah-proof it (e.g., no paintings on the walls, no lamps that can be knocked over, no books that can be knocked off the shelves, no precious trinkets sitting about etc.) in order to make it safe for everyone around.

 

[Patti]

I have a 8 month old F1 male who is a dream

Hmmm, I think the almost daily entries in the Atticus diaries would belie this!

 

[NikkiA]

I have a 8 month old F1 male who is a dream

Hmmm, I think the almost daily entries in the Atticus diaries would belie this!

She didn't say what kind of dream

 

[WitchyWoman]

I have a 8 month old F1 male who is a dream

Hmmm, I think the almost daily entries in the Atticus diaries would belie this!

She didn't say what kind of dream

Hey hey hey, that's my baby you're talking about. He is an angel. In spite of a few oopsies, he has to date caused less damage than the other 3. And he has the best temperament and personality anyone could ask for. He's just clumsy.

 

[SV Dad]

... He's just clumsy.

Seriously? You expect us to buy this ......explanation?????
(I will, however, stipulate that he has an amazing personality!)

 

[Cate136]

starbuk - which generation are you looking at? Also although your kitties might get along fine with the proper introduction, moving is a concern. Some savannahs don't like change very much and the move might be stressful - not that its impossible or that you should necessarily wait until after you've moved to get a savannah, but just bear in mind that it might take your savannah some time to acclimate to the change in scenery! If he/she starts any bad behaviors (peeing outside litter box etc) just confine him/her to a bathroom until he/she is comfortable again
Truthfully the first thing you need to look for is a breeder you like that socializes their kittens really really well. Good luck!

 

[Starbuk]

Hi everyone some months have passed since I originally posted. I've listened to some of you and realized that an F1 may require too much attention. There are some adorable F3s just born that I'm considering, a male specifically.

My only worry now is that my current kitty will be upset about a newcomer. Overall would you say that cats are happier alone or with a friend? I have no doubts her personality will change and she will pay less attention to me, but that is ok as long as she is better off mentally. Otherwise I'm ok not getting another kitty.