Savannah Car Ride Experience

[Louie'sDad]

Please relate how your SV takes to the experience of riding in your car. The following would be very helpful:

1. Generation and/or % Serval
2. Age of cat
3. Rides caged or free
4. If free, where does he like to stay in one area, or does he roam
5. Do you have to keep him tethered
6. Do you leave windows closed/convertible top open or closed
7. Does passing traffic/noise disturb him
8. Does radio disturb him
9. Other pertinent information

 

[Kristin]

Zeddie goes on road trips with me.

1. She is an F4...not sure the serval %
2. She is about 1 1/2...born May 19 2012
3. Rides free otherwise she cries and cries and cries
4. She sits in a) my lap b) the "cat seat" c) the back seat...sometimes she looks out the window but usually she sleeps the majority of the way
5. She is on a leash and harness, and I am holding the leash. If there is traffic I am holding her
6. Windows all closed
7. Some loud trucks make her look but otherwise no...although she isn't a fan of the windshield wipers
8. Radio is fine unless its raining and she is freaked out about the windshield wipers

 

[NikkiA]

We have three boys, so here is the behavior of each and the breakdown:
Diablo
1. Generation and/or % Serval - F5
2. Age of cat - two years old
3. Rides caged or free- rides caged at all times.
4. If free, where does he like to stay in one area, or does he roam. Rides caged because he WILL roam, and it is illegal in NJ to drive with him without him secured. . . and he can get out of the harness that straps to the seatbelt.
5. Do you have to keep him tethered- If I let him ride in the car without being in the crate, yes, I would have to tether him. I have tried this. It did not work well.
6. Do you leave windows closed/convertible top open or closed- depends on the day. I never leave it open more than 2" because he will put his front paws up and try to stick his head out, and this behavior at home is followed by a jump.
7. Does passing traffic/noise disturb him- nope
8. Does radio disturb him- not really.
9. Other pertinent information- Diablo does not like riding in the car. He does like the car when it is stopped. He makes a fuss regardless of whether he is loose, in his carrier, being held on one of our laps, or tethered in the back seat. He can get out of the tether. He rides in the car 2-3 times per month, 1/2 hour each way, because the nursing homes we visit for therapy pet are far. He whines the entire way there, and the entire way home. If I could walk him there I would. But he is a talker and he whines pretty consistently regardless.



Jarvis
1. Generation and/or % Serval - F3
2. Age of cat - one year old
3. Rides caged or free- rides caged at all times.
4. If free, where does he like to stay in one area, or does he roam. He has never ridden free. He is frightened easily, and will scratch when he gets scared, so we prefer not to take the chance.
5. Do you have to keep him tethered- not applicable.
6. Do you leave windows closed/convertible top open or closed- closed
7. Does passing traffic/noise disturb him- it makes him jumpy.
8. Does radio disturb him- It can make him jumpy. I either leave it off or very low.
9. Other pertinent information- Jarvis doesn't like riding in a car. He doesn't like leaving the house. He is easily scared.



Mickey
1. Generation and/or % Serval - F4
2. Age of cat - one year old
3. Rides caged or free- rides caged at all times.
4. If free, where does he like to stay in one area, or does he roam. not applicable.
5. Do you have to keep him tethered- I don't know- I have never tried to drive with him loose.
6. Do you leave windows closed/convertible top open or closed- closed.
7. Does passing traffic/noise disturb him- nope
8. Does radio disturb him- nope.
9. Other pertinent information- Mickey is pretty confident, but the great outdoors makes him jumpy, and the only time he gets in the car is to go to the vet, so he doesn't love it. I would not take him for a ride loose simply because I am risk adverse.

 

[Gryphoak]

Calyx only took one car ride to feel comfortable. When we go out and he is scared, he looks for my red car and leaps towards it like it is a safety net for him.

1. F1, 50%
2. Just under 7 mos
3. Sits in a pet booster seat in the back.
4. Tethered but not always necessary. He likes his booster seat.
6. Windows closed
7. Does not like passing traffic, loves to watch greenery going by though.
8. He does not seem to be bothered by music
9. He gets a lot of attention when people look inside and see him! They are not used to a cat sitting in the back seat uncaged.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

1. Generation and/or % Serval
I've taken everything from 62.5% F1 and further...
2. Age of cat
From kitten through adult
3. Rides caged or free
I put in crates, since reading news stories of pets going through windshields I've preferred to keep them safe
4. If free, where does he like to stay in one area, or does he roam
The few times I've had them free they roam continually, AND usually fixate on getting to the only place they are not allowed...by my feet and the brake pedal!
5. Do you have to keep him tethered
If not in a crate, yes.
6. Do you leave windows closed/convertible top open or closed
Windows closed...
7. Does passing traffic/noise disturb him
I don't find that it does especially
8. Does radio disturb him
I don't think so, they hear music etc at home so it isn't that different.
9. Other pertinent information

 

[VioletFae]

1. F6
2. 6 months old
3. she has been caged and free, but more times caged
4. If free, Vivi roams around a lot. She gets content in one spot for a minute or so, then starts roaming again. She did manage to get up on my dashboard for a bit (yikeees!) and down by the pedals, so I quickly learned that the leash was necessary. I think she likes riding free though- at least she doesn't cry (yell) constantly like when she's caged.
5. Yes, tethered is a must
6. Windows closed at all times
7. Passing noise does not bother her
8. Radio does seem to make her a bit jumpy
9. Hoping to get her more used to car rides Any tips?

 

[AThompson2203]

1. F1
2. 6 months
3. Rides caged mostly but will put him on lap every once and a while
4. I don't let him roam because I worry. But when he's on my lap he stays there
5. I have his cat jacket on him
6. Windows closed!!!
7. He's super intrigued by everything outside. Super loud noises make him look
8. Radio is fine for him
9. He loves the car and purrs and kneads while intently looking out the window to explore every movement. He will put his paws up on the window while on my lap.

My 2 year old f1 DESPISES car rides. He stays in his crate. Poor guy.

 

[Louie'sDad]

Louie

1. Generation and/or % Serval......... 59% F1
2. Age of cat............11 months
3. Rides caged or free........free
4. If free, where does he like to stay in one area, or does he roam...........the first few times he roamed, spent time on my lap and turning on the wipers and 4 way flashers, back seats and rear footwells. For the last few months he quickly nestles in the drivers' footwell, curls up and stays there, either in a torpor or sedated state. I occasionally extend my hand to scratch his nose, ears or to pet him. He eats it up.
5. Do you have to keep him tethered........at first, but no longer
6. Do you leave windows closed/convertible top open or closed........sometimes open and convertible top down. He is always in a spot where I can grab him in an emergency.
7. Does passing traffic/noise disturb him..........at first, but no longer
8. Does radio disturb him..............at first, but no longer
9. Other pertinent information..........I started him at about 5 months, and at first, the starter would spook him, but no longer. He "seems" to enjoy riding in the car, although I don't know whether it's indifference or hypnosis. He is quiet and still the whole time. If he settles too close to the brake pedal, a gentle shove keeps him planted in a safe spot. He knows when I'm getting close to home because he'll rise and get his face at the drivers' window, while I'm holding him fast.

 

[Dantes]

Please relate how your SV takes to the experience of riding in your car. The following would be very helpful:

1. Generation and/or % Serval: F3C
2. Age of cat: 1 year 10 months
3. Rides caged or free Rides in this:

His walking jacket clips into it, and it clips into my car seat and is held down by the seat belt. I originally bought it thinking he could take bike rides with me, but maybe when he's older.
4. If free, where does he like to stay in one area, or does he roam
My car is a 2-seater so I'm afraid of allowing him to roam free. Maybe if there was someone else in the car with us I would try, but we'd be stuffed in there. He does not like to be caged.
5. Do you have to keep him tethered
See above.
6. Do you leave windows closed/convertible top open or closed
I can open windows or target top because he is clipped to his seat
7. Does passing traffic/noise disturb him
Big trucks definitely scare him
8. Does radio disturb him
As long as it's not loud he's fine
9. Other pertinent information
Im not sure he "likes" riding in the car but mostly he curls up in his seat and snoozes. Sometimes he pops his head up and looks out the window. He's very sensitive on hot days and must have the windows open even if it's only a little warm out. To get him used to being in the car, I sit in there with him when it's not moving, or take very slow short rides with him talking to him the whole time.

 

[Christina_]

1. Generation and/or % Serval F5
2. Age of cat 1 year, 3 months
3. Rides caged or free free
4. If free, where does he like to stay in one area, or does he roam She will roam from the front seat to the back and all around. It depends on what is the most interesting at the moment. We only take her with us when there are 2 people in the car. Her usualy spot ends up being the passengers lap.
5. Do you have to keep him tethered No
6. Do you leave windows closed/convertible top open or closed We will crack the sunroof or the windows, but never more than her head could fit through.
7. Does passing traffic/noise disturb him No it doesn't. She loves looking at people in cars beside us when we're stopped at a red light, etc.
8. Does radio disturb him No
9. Other pertinent information She will talk a bit when we first get in the car or when she sees something she likes. After about 5 minutes she quiets down. We bring her soft carrier with us all the time so she has a "safe" spot incase she gets spooked. Side note - Car washes are not a good idea.
We personally picked her up from the breeder in Surrey, BC (near Vancouver) and drove her home to Kelowna (4 hour drive). She slept half of the way in her carrier and the rest in my lap. Ever since then she's loved car rides.