Top This- My Savannah...

[Brigitte Cowell]

Some cats do need a companion kitty... while others are perfectly okay with being an only kitty. It's really something for you to know as you live with her, but a kitty companion might cut down on some of the Savandalism... although our SVs really are active curious kitties so a certain amount of incidents are inevitable

 

[WitchyWoman]

It feels like a year already, but she's only 6 months old.[/quote]
ROFL. Susan, sounds like it would have been easier (and cheaper) to get her a cat companion. But she's still a wee babe and testing the boundaries of everything. She'll soon learn what those boundaries are and if she's a typical savannah, she'll also ignore them as she chooses.

 

[xumi's mom]

Some cats do need a companion kitty... while others are perfectly okay with being an only kitty. It's really something for you to know as you live with her, but a kitty companion might cut down on some of the Savandalism... although our SVs really are active curious kitties so a certain amount of incidents are inevitable

I have thought about getting another cat, but I would have to be sure it was a good match, in terms of temperament and energy. I would hate the idea of bringing another cat into the family only to have to rehome it if things didn't work out. I have NEVER given a furbaby away! The other dilemma is that while it would make sense to get another cat while she's still a kitten, perhaps getting a second kitten so they can grow up together, I am working on behavioral modifications with her now (play aggression, biting). I don't know if another cat would make things worse.

In reading my post, I realize it sounds worse than it probably is at this point. A lot of the "destruction" was early on, and reduced by my own behavior modification, learning what changes I had to make to our living arrangements to accomodate Xumi, and not expecting her to accomodate us

 

[xumi's mom]

It feels like a year already, but she's only 6 months old.

ROFL. Susan, sounds like it would have been easier (and cheaper) to get her a cat companion. But she's still a wee babe and testing the boundaries of everything. She'll soon learn what those boundaries are and if she's a typical savannah, she'll also ignore them as she chooses.[/quote]

LOL! Wee babe, indeed. 11 pounds at 6 months. And yes, she ignores me as she sees fit. She also has selective hearing. I swear when I got her I thought she was deaf. I'm still not sure sure she knows her name. But miraculously, she recognizes "treat" and "dinner".

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I don't think you need to necessarily get another kitten while she is a kitten...but definitely it is easier to introduce another kitten rather than an adult at any stage. Because you have a female, I'd probably suggest a male kitten when you get to that point, as that would be the easiest match. But in most cases, if you do the introduction fine then all goes well. As you say though, you need to match energy and temperament... so choose either a high-energy breed kitten like another Savannah or a very patient breed kitten that will deal well with the challenge of living with a Savannah