Kittens on a plane

[Brigitte Cowell]

I think it great if you can find a local breeder as it is the best case scenario when you can visit your kitten a few times while it is growing up to the age where you can bring it home. I love it when I can do that with a buyer!

So saying that, I don't in general agree to ship my kittens...in fact, in the 10 years I have been breeding, last December is the first time I shipped one of my kittens to a new home (in Germany, where my attempt to hand-deliver her didn't work out due to some paperwork delays). I don't like to ship, I've found that there are some times in my past when a kitten shipped to me was traumatized and so prefer to avoid the risk. The last kitten I bought I flew to NC to pick her up. I made it into a round trip with FL to visit a friend, and that made it even more fun. I have had people fly here to pick up kittens (and get a weekend in SF as bonus) and have flown with kittens to deliver them too. I think flying in cabin less traumatic, but I know that some breeders think cargo is easier on them. So it will depend on your view of the shipping process to decide what YOUR comfort level is...and decide from there what that means in terms of where your kitten might come from

 

[admin]

I think it great if you can find a local breeder as it is the best case scenario when you can visit your kitten a few times while it is growing up to the age where you can bring it home. I love it when I can do that with a buyer!

So saying that, I don't in general agree to ship my kittens...in fact, in the 10 years I have been breeding, last December is the first time I shipped one of my kittens to a new home (in Germany, where my attempt to hand-deliver her didn't work out due to some paperwork delays). I don't like to ship, I've found that there are some times in my past when a kitten shipped to me was traumatized and so prefer to avoid the risk. The last kitten I bought I flew to NC to pick her up. I made it into a round trip with FL to visit a friend, and that made it even more fun. I have had people fly here to pick up kittens (and get a weekend in SF as bonus) and have flown with kittens to deliver them too. I think flying in cabin less traumatic, but I know that some breeders think cargo is easier on them. So it will depend on your view of the shipping process to decide what YOUR comfort level is...and decide from there what that means in terms of where your kitten might come from

I agree with the shipping aspect, B...I have not shipped any of my kittens, but then again, I have only had one litter. Agenor went to Europe, but they came and picked him up and carried him on and I heard he had a blast

I prefer local homes or homes where I do not have to ship - or...if someone flies in to get a kitten, I don't mind that...but if I don't have to, I do not want to ship via cargo.

 

[coraljunk]

Where are you located again and what generation are you looking for?

I own the forum, so am around quite a bit and Trish is an admin as well...but there are many breeders who participate here

I live in Vancouver Washington. I haven't decided which generation I want yet. There seems to be so much more variety than there was just a few years ago. I've seen f6s that i'd swear were f3s. I figured I would pick my breeder first and then work with them to see what would be best for my family. I know that if I picked the kitten before the breeder I would fall in love with it and have a hard time making decisions that weren't based on my emotions. There's also my husband to consider. I wont get a kitten until he decides to investigate on his own and realize he wants one too. Which may happen in an hour, or never. I know I don't want earlier than f3 for my first SV. I am not interested in breeding or showing.

For now I've got savannahs on the brain and I can't seem to shake it. So i'm using my time to learn and prepare. I'm also enjoying all the stories and pictures of other peoples SV's. I wish there was a "Here's this weird thing my cat did today" thread that everybody used everyday, because I can't get enough of their antics.

 

[WitchyWoman]

I live in Vancouver Washington. I haven't decided which generation I want yet.

For now I've got savannahs on the brain and I can't seem to shake it. So i'm using my time to learn and prepare. I'm also enjoying all the stories and pictures of other peoples SV's. I wish there was a "Here's this weird thing my cat did today" thread that everybody used everyday, because I can't get enough of their antics.

You wanna see weird things....come for a visit. I'm in southern Oregon. Spend a day or two with my 3 to get a taste of the SV life. Although now that it's hot, they lay around most of the day looking like month old road kill but if you visit between midnight & 3 a.m. you'll see & hear lots of weird stuff. I'm always amazed how such stealthy predators can sound like a herd of Clydesdales running through the house. And then there's all the banging, zinging, whapping sounds with no evidence of anything broken. Then there's the more frightening silence when we wake up to find that a hurricane went through the house.

I remember what it was like to have savannahs on the brain. Now I have them sleeping on my head. Seriously, don't get too caught up in which generation to choose. As I've said before, my F6 is my challenge. He is sweet as sugar, but sassy & full of brimstone. A true troublemaker who is always the instigator in mayhem. My F2s, one of which is high %, are easy going and easily duped by the F6.

Have fun with your research. The really hard part comes when you have decided to get an SV and are waiting those excruciating 12 weeks for your kitten to come home.

 

[Becki]

[quote="Deborah, post: 48870, member: I'm always amazed how such stealthy predators can sound like a herd of Clydesdales running through the house. "[/quote]
Yes! Please someone explain this! I only have one as I am currently in the throes of the excruciating waiting for our second to be big enough to come home. That one sounds like a herd of elephants as she stampedes, I can hardly wait to see what happens with a racing duo!

 

[WitchyWoman]

Another SV mystery is their obsessive fixation with gravity. I've had DSHs that knocked things down by accident but my SVs (as with so many others here) like to watch things fall. Paw bats at the object, cat head tilts to watch it fall. Ohhh, that was interesting, let's see if it works again, & again & again....Newton would have loved SVs.

 

[coraljunk]

You wanna see weird things....come for a visit. I'm in southern Oregon. Spend a day or two with my 3 to get a taste of the SV life. Although now that it's hot, they lay around most of the day looking like month old road kill but if you visit between midnight & 3 a.m. you'll see & hear lots of weird stuff.

I can leave in an hour! I figure with coffee and bathroom breaks I can make it there shortly after midnight. That would allow me about 90 minutes of prime time kitty observation before I'd have to turn around and have the car back in time for the husband to go to work. Okay, just kidding.

But for future reference I feel it fair to warn you that if I'm given the opportunity to drive 5 hours just to see some savannahs for 20 minutes, on a weekend, I will take it! The DH and I spend most weekends in the car exploring with no destination in mind anyways. And I've never seen one in person.

I bet if the DH actually got to interact with a savannah we'd have a deposit down on a kitten within a month.

 

[SV Dad]

I can hardly wait to see what happens with a racing duo!

Careful what you wish for..............................

 

[WitchyWoman]

But for future reference I feel it fair to warn you that if I'm given the opportunity to drive 5 hours just to see some savannahs for 20 minutes, on a weekend, I will take it! The DH and I spend most weekends in the car exploring with no destination in mind anyways. And I've never seen one in person.

I bet if the DH actually got to interact with a savannah we'd have a deposit down on a kitten within a month.

All of this could work to your advantage. Come for a 4-day weekend. Visit the cats & Crater Lake (which I consider to be one of the most beautiful places on the planet). And just to sweeten the pot, the breeder of my F6 just happens to be 2 hrs north of me. Soooo, if your hubby gets the SV itch, you can pop in on your way home and pick up a kitten. Or I can let you have my F6 for a $1.

 

[coraljunk]

Have we ever actually seen what goes on with a kitten in cargo? I wonder if I could put a GoPro in there....

Hypothetical situation,..
If you were my breeder, and I mailed you a GoPro, would you put it in with the kitten and turn it on?
Is there a reason you wouldn't be willing to do this?
Do you know if the airlines have any restrictions against this?
Would you "accidentally" forget to turn it on?
Would you find this request inappropriate or offensive?

I've yet to find a cattery with a webcam or something similar and I'm wondering why. Any ideas? My guess on this one is cats are unpredictable and there are animal rights people hunting for a scrap of anything they can use as a weapon, including normal cat behavior that can look violent or dangerous. Any other reasons?