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Need advise on acclamating F2 female Savannah
- Thread starter rampz
- Start date
Diane
Savannah Super Cat
I bought a F1 from a breeder almost 9 years ago...the kitten was 12 weeks old when we picked it up and seemed like it wasn't socialized, and it wasn't. When we got it home, it had a feral personality toward us, so we tried to work with it a few weeks with no change. After biting my husband 3 times, that was it...it went back...so that's my story. From now on I'll make sure the kitten is friendly from the start.
When you say "human bonding issues", does that mean that they are not properly socialized or that they just are not big on being held or petted? How old is the cat? And then what would your end goal with this cat be? Would you be okay if she only came around a bit (so tolerated your presence in the same room) or do you want her to become the lapcat she might have been if socialized well from the start (I don't know if the kitten did start out fine and something subsequently happened)?
rampz
Savannah Adult
I was told that the cat is not big on human contact and would rather associate with other cats or dogs vs people. Ofcourse, I would want some interaction with the beautiful cat after proper introduction and patients. Lap cat...if it is not possible, then it is what it is...but would want it to be comfertable in the same room as our family. Was wondering if at 3 years old, there would be hope and good chance to turn the behavior around for F2 female Savannah.
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There is always hope, but I think your chances of turning this cat into a pet that meets your needs are slim. We have seen miracles here, if you use the search function for "Ziggy" and/or "Chris Elliott" you'll read a story of a terrified, large male SV who turned into a lap cat with A LOT of time and effort. Not all stories have a happy ending. And in Ziggy's case, his attitude was due to his original owners' actions. Once he learned that not all humans were bad, he also learned how to trust. Chris was a special person with the patience and compassion necessary to work a miracle.
If the cat you're contemplating prefers animals over humans because she wasn't properly socialized or experienced a traumatic or scary event that turned her off, she may turn around given enough time and patience. If she is simply the type of cat who doesn't think humans are worth her time, then nothing you do will change that. If there isn't another pet in the household that she can take comfort in, it's anybody's guess how she would redirect her need for companionship. And even if there is another cat or dog in the house, you'd have to engage in the process of a proper introduction to that pet as well as attempting to overcome the challenge of a cat who doesn't necessarily tolerate human companionship.
I have an F2 male who is 7 yrs old and he prefers the other cats over us. It took 3 yrs of working with him at his pace to get him to tolerate being touched. I still can't pick him up and he won't sit in my lap but he shows his acceptance in other ways. He sleeps with us, engages in play, gives love eyes, and allows limited petting on his terms. Bottom line with him though is that he'd be perfectly content if we weren't around.
If this is your first Savannah, I recommend waiting for a cat that is more suitable for your household and needs. SVs are challenging to own when they don't have issues and she is a high gen SV which we would hesitate to recommend to first-time owners even as a kitten.
rampz
Savannah Adult
Thank WitchyWoman. I have a feeling that this beautiful special needs cat would not come around, especially when reading your post. I have owned and rehabilitated Bengal cats before and fell in love with the Savannahs. I will keep on looking for the right Savannah for us.
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It somewhat depends on what they mean by "not big on", can the cat still be approached or do they run from everyone? Will they happily come if you pick up a wand toy? Do they hang out where the humans do...
Is this cat spayed? Sometimes this can make a huge difference, hence if the cat is somewhat a retired breeding cat then there may be big progress ahead with the hormones gone.
I've seen slow but steady progress in many cats. One I rehomed as a 2 year old spayed F3 girl about 8 years ago. Recently I had an intermittent update on her. I got this cat as a 4 month old kitten and it was obvious she was not properly socialized. It was fear and distrust...I put a lot of effort into her but although she came to trust us more, it was very limited. She had been bought as a show/breeder. Showing was out, I tried once and just couldn't do it to her again. She had a disastrous first pregnancy (no fault of hers) and ended up spayed at the end of that. And then this lovely couple contacted me about purchasing a kitten. I really liked them but had no kittens, we talked about Millie and they were interested. I told them that she was to be a pretty ornament in all likelihood. That she would allow limited contact (there were a couple "safe" locations she would be pet at) and she loved to play but she would never be the pet most people expected. They met and loved her and took her home. It took years, but interestingly what broke the most ice was their having children. Although Millie still wasn't keen on being pet by the owners, the children can do anything they liked to her. And now apparently most days she's become the pet I said she never would be! She is happy being pet, she sleeps on their bed and she hangs out happily with them all. I strongly believe the key was patience, the ability to love her without pushing for more... I don't believe Millie is just like any other cat, she still has touchy days and taking her to the vet is still a production...but if you can allow YEARS not weeks or even months... anything is possible.
Agree with what the others have said. Sometimes a cat is just not interested in people, but I have found that this can change with time and patience, and the cat can learn to appreciate what us humans can offer (food, scritches, a warm lap, a fast wand toy). In addition, an intact female often sprays, so may be separated from humans for most of the day, which means she hasn't been given the opportunity to learn the benefits of human companionship. In many cases an adult breeder can and will eventually learn to bond with humans. The kicker is that there is no predicting this, and no guarantee, so it will always be a bit of a gamble.