Smitten with a kitten

[Moggieslegacy]

Thanks for the more knowledgeable input on his markings! I would be very happy if the Bengal part of his heritage was just an incorrect guess!

He seems really really smart. I made a low hanging mobile for him to play with using a suspended paper towel tube with 2 strips of cloth threaded through so there was 4 hanging bits, 2 that seemed to move independently of his actions. He loved it for about 15 minutes. Then he pulled out both strips of cloth, and carried both of them to me in the kitchen to play with me. So I put them back in. And he did it again and now won't go near the thing. He clearly likes intelligence on the end of his strings. I am getting very good at kitten games.

 

[WitchyWoman]

Thanks for the more knowledgeable input on his markings! I would be very happy if the Bengal part of his heritage was just an incorrect guess!

He seems really really smart. I made a low hanging mobile for him to play with using a suspended paper towel tube with 2 strips of cloth threaded through so there was 4 hanging bits, 2 that seemed to move independently of his actions. He loved it for about 15 minutes. Then he pulled out both strips of cloth, and carried both of them to me in the kitchen to play with me. So I put them back in. And he did it again and now won't go near the thing. He clearly likes intelligence on the end of his strings. I am getting very good at kitten games.

Trixie pet products (available on Amazon) has a good selection of brain teaser toys like this one that you can hide treats or kibble in. Pet Stages Tower of Tracks is another good option And the ripple rug is a hit with a lot of SVs The rug is a simple thing but it is one of the few toys that all of my cats have kept an interest in, along with the Tower of Tracks, for more than a year. Play tunnels (for human kids) are a hit too. Throw a sheet over part of it and they're in hidey hole heaven All available from Amazon to help you get a bit of a break from the cat who is training you so well to comply with all his wishes

 

[Moggieslegacy]

Thanks for the toy suggestions! I may need them all! So far his favorite is brown paper bags and a small cardboard cracker box, both with a head sized holes in the bottom and a slippery floor when he pounces into them.

 

[WitchyWoman]

Is there common problems with Savannah / DSH crosses? How do chuckelhead cats behave? I want to try and divert any problems before they happen!

Chuckleheads turn on faucets and sometimes flood rooms; turn on light switches; drag comforters and blankets from bedrooms to parts of the house where the cat feels they are more aesthetically pleasing; knock things over for the fun of it; jump in the toilet before you get a chance to flush it; take showers with you; pee in the sink when the water is running because it's more hygienic; tear down curtains and shades for a better view; soak toys in water dishes and drop them on your head in the middle of the night and so much more....

I'm unaware of any physical problems with SV/DSH crosses.

Is there some obvious non- f7 Savannah features he has?
My eyes roll back in my head when I read about genetics in cats so I'm hoping one of our breeder members responds to your other questions. As far as F7 features -- all breeders are striving to breed cats that look like a serval -- simply put, long lean bodies, long legs, large cupped ears on top of the head, hooded eyes, nice distinct spots, puffy nose. You can see the variety in the pics here http://www.savannahcatchat.com/threads/f6-f7-f8-savannahs.273/ These traits are desired regardless of filial generation.

Part of why I would like to know, is I live in a rural area with an orchard and large garden where most people have cat doors and cats come and go as they please. The neighborhood cats are generally fine doing this, though there has been one aggressive cat in the neighborhood recently. I know in some places the idea of cats being allowed outside is very controversial, but it isn't here so long as they are neutered and don't go looking for trouble with other cats., and they play an important role in rodent control. We also have newly introduced non indigenous rabbits that are destroying peoples orchards by stripping trees of bark. He won't be going outside until he is fully vaccinated, neutered, bigger and older, and the way I introduce him to his job on my very small farm will be slow and partly limited by what tendencies for trouble he may have, and if he has any that are stronger than those of an average house cat. Seems like having a job as rodent catcher might be a good fit for a part Savannah cat. But I will do what I have to to ensure he has a good life here even if it turns out it isn't.

The difference in SVs/Bengals vs DSH's is that they tend to be more focused. Coupled with their curiosity, when let outdoors this can lead them to wander far away from home and become lost. As your cat matures and starts to look more unusual than your average DSH, people may notice and be tempted to take him to sell/breed because some folks are just jerks. You're obviously free to do what you want with your cat, but those of us who have been here awhile have seen too many tragic endings for those whose SVs have either escaped the house or have been allowed to roam free outside.

 

[Moggieslegacy]

The chucklehead behavior is what alarmed me reading about Bengals! So far he seems to be a quick learner as to what is off limits. And he isn't doing anything that unusual. He is just a time suck because he is so cute and sociable. And he looks a really a lot more like a regular tabby than a serval!!! He is long though. Already as long as my hand and lower arm when he stretches out, not including his tail. And I am tall and long myself.

 

[Rafiki]

The chucklehead behavior is what alarmed me reading about Bengals!

Most people that have both savannahs and bengals find the bengals better behaved.

 

[Moggieslegacy]

Oh... oh oh...I hope I can work this out with this kitten then... Assuming his Mom is f 7 SV, probably he is dilute enough hopefully he won't be too Savannahy! But he does seem more attached and interactive, like a puppy, than other kittens I remember. And he already has used the cupboard door handle to open a cupboard. No cat I have had has ever even thought of doing that!

 

[WitchyWoman]

Oh... oh oh...I hope I can work this out with this kitten then... Assuming his Mom is f 7 SV, probably he is dilute enough hopefully he won't be too Savannahy! But he does seem more attached and interactive, like a puppy, than other kittens I remember. And he already has used the cupboard door handle to open a cupboard. No cat I have had has ever even thought of doing that!

I have childproof locks on most of my cabinets and toilet lid locks on all the toilets. One thing we can surmise so far -- his looks may be diluted by his mixed ancestry but his personality sounds 100% SV. You sound as though you are hesitant about taking on a SV for life. They can be challenging at times but the love you get is worth it.

 

[Moggieslegacy]

I don't feel hesitant now, but I did when I was first told about him not being a regular tabby cat and I read a bit about Bengals. I have been a lot more careful to always supervise him, and make sure he is somewhere with no hazards if I can't. The entrance to my work shop is blocked when I am not in that part of the house. And I am gradually savannah proofing everything in case of the worst, so I can feel more relaxed. One way he is not at all SV or Bengal is he hates, I mean absolutely hates getting the bottom of his paws wet. Never seen any cat that disgusted by a bit of water on the floor!

 

[Moggieslegacy]

It is stuff like this that makes me wonder about him... Tonight we were playing doing the evening run and chase over all the furniture and he was quite full of crazy kitten, when thinking I could mix up the game a bit I grabbed a cat sized laying down Steiffe plush tiger I have had since I was a kid and tapped it on the side of the chair where we were playing. It ha been sitting beside the chair since he has been here and he never noticed it before. I thought he would bop it with his paw like he bops the stuffed sock and fake mouse on the string. But he startled a bit, his eyes got big, he looked and looked,backed away, his skinny little tail puffed, his back arched like a Halloween cat, he made funny noises and he hissed at it and sort of jumped at it or attacked it repeatedly. I think he was playing but nothing has made him react like that. I wanted to get a video of his reaction so I moved into better light and he followed. While filming I moved the stuffy a bit and he repeatedly jumped on it and bit it with his totally different body posture of a wagging puffy tail, ears back, back arched bouncing on 4 stiff legs. I was just amazed he would so obviously recognize the stuffy as feline. My last cat certainly never related to it any different than any other inanimate object in the house. The lighting is so bad you can only see what is going on if you watch it in a dark room.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByDQ9QuQRArsVHJnTFlUV0NnMlU

Is this aggression, play, is he desperately lonely? He clearly sees this as another cat...????