Skittish and Nervous F6 SBT

[moondiamond]

OMG he is so adorable. I am totally in love! We have been doing just as you said Brigitte! Just sitting on the floor and still allowing him to come to us. Just being patient with him and letting him come on his terms. It's a night and day difference from the first couple days he was home with us though. He has so much energy and is such a sap for petting and belly rubs! He rolls around like crazy, nudging everything, kneads with his paws, and purrs SO loudly! He's super playful too, last night I found him in the laundry room - he had stolen one of my bras of all things LOL! Was running around with it by the strap and beating it up on the floor. I didn't have the heart to take it away from him! He also ran full throttle at his bowl of water and it flew all up the wall and all over our fireplace mantle. Crazy little guy! He is so fast and energetic now. I will try to take some photos but he is not easy to get a picture of haha, they all come out blurry because he doesn't sit still!!!

 

[Patti]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Savannahs - your life is about to change forever...

 

[moondiamond]

Just wated to share a few more photos as per some requests on this thread!



He's really becoming a purring, headbutting, nudging machine. Seems to love the camera too!

 

[Patti]

He is a stunningly handsome boy!

 

[moondiamond]

My friends and family have been coming to visit him (we're trying to keep it at a minimum and ask them to respect his space so as not to startle him - he's been doing very well with visitors though) and all of them are just stunned at what a pretty little cat he is He is so handsome and sweet I just cannot believe I get to live with this little angel every day!

One more question for you guys - Dex is doing better each day, comes out when you call him now and when we are at home with us, he will stay out with us and no longer hides! Loves to play and interact with us. But he still will not sleep with us As soon as it's time for bed for me and hubby, Dex retreats to his couch den (finds his way up inside of the framing which is extremely nerve wracking and the reason why no one is allowed to sit on the couch anymore - LOL). I just wish he would sleep even near us. I know that cats have their own personalities and some just like their space which is totally fine, but it just makes me sad that he might be lonely sleeping by himself. I have set out a box for him with a bed and blanket and one of those little kitty igloos thinking he may like to go in there if he likes an enclosed sleeping space. But he seems to just want to be way up inside the couch

 

[WitchyWoman]

Try putting a covered cat crate or cardboard box in your room with a soft blanket or cat bed inside. He obviously feels safer tucked away and giving him a hidey hole in the room near your bed may help get him accustomed to being closer to you at night. He will probably start exploring the bed as his confidence continues to grow. Then you'll have the pleasure of having your sleep interrupted by a cat pouncing on your feet and dropping toys on your forehead. At that point, you'll likely be wishing he'd go back to sleeping inside the couch

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I'm quite worried by the thought of him getting injured by being inside the couch because someone sat there unaware? Have you tried to see how you could block access to that? It might make him more likely to investigate your bed for sleeping too, when he doesn't have that "safe place" to go to...

I do think that will change with time though, he's already come a long way!

 

[Patti]

I would be worried about the couch as well. Have you tried closing the door to your bedroom so that he can't get out at night, or does that just freak him out?

 

[moondiamond]

Hubby inspected the couch and the space Dex goes in is surrounded by very strong, sturdy framing - he has tried to reassure me that it is safe for Dexter and it won't collapse or anything like that. I still don't like it at all but he has been spending less time in there now at least. We bought him a huge 6.5 foot tall cat tree the week before we got him, and there's a little covered house on it that he is starting to like sleeping in thankfully!!! I put his blankets in there to make it like a nice cozy nest and he seems to like it in there now.

We tried locking him in the bedroom but he just slept under the bed on his cat bed which I felt bad about also because it just didn't seem very cozy for him. I just want him to be warm and comfortable at night so I wish he would stay with us

 

[Patti]

Give him time, he may yet come to realize that the most cozy place to sleep is in bed with you