New Savannah daddy...F1 Portia (4 yrs) & F2B Kaya (8 weeks)

[John Hemmerly]

Razi fluffs his tail at the base and along his back when he is happy.

That is what our baby Kaya (F2B) does....adorable!

 

[John Hemmerly]

I love happy fluffy tail & the raised ridge of fur down the back. All 3 of mine get fluffy & ridged when they're excited, happy, curious. Juba also goes up on his tippy toes -- imagine a ridged fluffy-tailed cat prancing around on tippy toes. And he wonders why we laugh at him.

When that fluffy tail is combined with other indicators of fear or aggression is when you have to take a time out.

Hey Deborah & Jacq...

Ha! Kaya, our 8 week old F2B does that exact same thing....we call her Tiny Dancer because she arches her back, tail erect and fluffed like a skunk and crab walks on her tippy toes....we literally laugh out loud watching her play....she has provided hours of entertainment....and therapy in our hectic lives...the sideways crab walk is the cutest thing I have ever seen...does anybody else's Savannah's do this? I think Tiny Dancer is the purrrfect nickname....more to come later on Portia's (F1) breakthroughs last night...I fed her raw chicken last night directly from my hand....HUGE baby steps...if that makes any sense...plus, she hung out in the living room with me last night most of the night and napped in her 7 foot cat tree....excited!

John

 

[WitchyWoman]

Way to go John & Portia I think you're making fantastic progress. There are folks here who have had a tougher time and way longer adjustment period -- just search for LauraW's posts. Heck, it took me 2 yrs to get my Maliik to stop giving me the stink eye just for living and to stop getting soaked in cat spit every single day from the force of his hisses.

 

[Jacq]

Fantastic progress John! Some cats will do anything for chicken!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

The sideways crab walk is a kitty's way of trying to make themselves seem bigger to the other cat...kittens often do this in play

I think Portia is well on her way to settling in, you are obviously doing a great job giving her the space she needs (and the chicken too! LOL!) to decide on her own that you are good humans and she can trust you

 

[John Hemmerly]

Fantastic progress John! Some cats will do anything for chicken!

I know....I love it....I will give her anything to make her happy!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

It's worth going the extra mile for the kitty especially in this initial period where you are trying to make friends. Of course, I tend to give them what they want all the time... my kitties are pretty darn spoiled! I've had friends laugh over the variety of foods that get served at kitty dinner time... each has a particular like and I try to please them all

 

[John Hemmerly]

Way to go John & Portia I think you're making fantastic progress. There are folks here who have had a tougher time and way longer adjustment period -- just search for LauraW's posts. Heck, it took me 2 yrs to get my Maliik to stop giving me the stink eye just for living and to stop getting soaked in cat spit every single day from the force of his hisses.

Thanks Deborah....I really feel good about it...we will do whatever it takes to make her happy and to earn her trust...I know the loving, sweet cat is in there...at the breeder she craved attention. She would fall on my feet and rub all over me...I would scratch her ears and face...kiss her face a hundred times and she would just purr with her eyes closed....I will bring that cat out of her....I will take everybody's advice and stay patient....she is worth th wait...she is the most beautiful cat I have ever seen...my wife Tamara literally cried watching her walk thru our living room...cried from happiness...more progress to come

J

 

[John Hemmerly]

The sideways crab walk is a kitty's way of trying to make themselves seem bigger to the other cat...kittens often do this in play

I think Portia is well on her way to settling in, you are obviously doing a great job giving her the space she needs (and the chicken too! LOL!) to decide on her own that you are good humans and she can trust you

It is the cutest thing...she does think she is much bigger than she is....a lot of attitude in a little package! Thank you Brigitte for the support on Portia....I will keep it up..day by day....

 

[John Hemmerly]

It's worth going the extra mile for the kitty especially in this initial period where you are trying to make friends. Of course, I tend to give them what they want all the time... my kitties are pretty darn spoiled! I've had friends laugh over the variety of foods that get served at kitty dinner time... each has a particular like and I try to please them all

Hey Brigitte....

You and me both....again, I struggle with who owns who....I love watching them eat...I am the worst when it comes to spoiling...I DO every DON'T when in comes to cats...Savannahs in particular. They lay on my dinner table...knock food off of my plate that they want to inspect (I know it's gross to most people)...I speak in a language that is completely made up that ONLY they understand...my wife and friends thinkl I have lost my mind....I don't care....the cats know what I am saying...lol!