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Vacations with Savannah?

HappyS

Savannah Super Cat
I'm not planning to travel anytime soon after getting our kittens (maybe when they're around 2 years old or more) but I've been wondering what other Savannah cat owners do when you go on a trip or vacation away from home. Say it's for 3-5 days...

Do you leave them at home with a house sitter who will feed them and play with them twice a day?

Do you leave them home to play amongst themselves? I've been told you can just leave enough food and leave them for a weekend but 3-5 seems like a lot.

Take them with you? I see a lot of pet friendly hotels but say if you were going to visit the Grand Canyon from the East Coast, you can't really leave them alone in the hotel room (potential damages) and not sure if they would enjoy a long road trip or flight. Assuming you wouldn't be able to actually eat in most restaurants during the trip and possibly not be allowed into a lot of the sights you went to see as no pets allowed.

Or... Never go on a trip and stay home with your Savannahs?

What do you do?
 

admin

Paige
Staff member
I haven't been on vacation since I have had my savannahs , but have been away for the weekends at shows with Zuri, so Taj stayed home. My friends came twice a day to feed, scoop and play. I would never leave them alone for the weekend, but that is just me.

They mainly like to be in their own homes, so I will get a petsitter and also have my friends come in to visit. But it all depends...for instance, Taj takes medication 3X week. I will need to find someone who can give him his meds, although he is relatively easy...in the past, I would have boarded at my vet, so I knew he got his meds, but neither of my savannahs is very good about being caged, and raise heck at the vet, the few times they have had to stay.

As for road trips, if you want to take them, get them used to car rides now, while they are little ;)
 

HappyS

Savannah Super Cat
Thanks for the reply!

That gives another option: boarding at the vet. I assumed that they may get too agitated similarly to what you mentioned and do not want to leave them caged.

I currently do not feel comfortable about the idea of leaving them alone for the weekend but if I hear from many that their Savannahs are okay with it, we may try gradually. Like coming back in the wee hours of the morning seeing how they coped without us for a couple hours off schedule.

We will definitely try car training them young! I'd hate for them to go crazy in the car or think it's only ever for going to get shots! I wonder how easy it is to go on road trips (non cat show related) it is.
 

admin

Paige
Staff member
I don't know many savannah cat owners that leave their cats alone for the weekend...I doubt you will hear much of that. There is just too much they can get into when left alone. We do often tell people that if you will be gone 10-12 hours a day, the Savannah may not be the cat for you, so...
 

HappyS

Savannah Super Cat
Hmm, I have a couple cat lover co-workers who tell me constantly that but perhaps regular cats are okay but not Savannahs? Not sure. We don't plan it as we are constantly home due to work schedules but I'd feel safer to know our best options.

I'm curious, at the cat shows if you went out to dinner say with other breeders what did you do with Zuri? Possibly leave her in the hotel room with free roam with no fear that she may find the curtains her scratching post or tv wires a good snack? :) An hour or two at most leaving her alone?
 

admin

Paige
Staff member
Zuri stays in the hotel room for a few hours...she does not chew wires, so I don't have to worry about that...if I was worried, I would crate her in the room while I was gone.
 

Julie

Savannah Super Cat
I'm odd we have left ours home for weekends. We go to the shore with friends one with major cat allergies.

We leave Thursday or Friday and come back Monday. We do have someone check to make sure they are okay daily, but our boys seem to do fine, but honestly no way in hell they would do a kennel. My boys wouldn't take it, they'd get mean fast. They don't do strangers or vets at all, I wouldn't stress them out and tortue them with that.

If we can take them with, we do. Whip loved the beach as a kitten, but its just not always an option.
 

admin

Paige
Staff member
But you have someone checking on them, which is different than leaving them alone...I have friends that come in and check on them as well.
 
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