Pet Lovers

[Love4cats]

I would appreciate any info from anyone who has had experiance owning a Savanah cat. I am a big kitty lover and have three kitties. I own rental property and over the last five years have decided to allow renter's to own a cat as long as the cat has been spayed or nuetered. I had a couple come by today and look at one of my apts. They are going to be getting a 12 week old Savanah. I would love to know more about the Savanahs personality and the care they require, do they train to a little box and scratching post easy?TIA

[NickNack1]

I just Googled them.  Wikipedia has a good article.  Scroll down to the Temperament section.  Also, Animal Planet has a video about them.  Lots of websites came up.  Most cats have no trouble using the litter box.  They want to be clean.  Scratching posts are a different story.  They may like it or they may not.  Is it your furniture in the house or the renter's?

[betteb]

Ok I'm going to try to give you the major points here about this beautiful, exotic kitty. It's really going to depend on how the cat has been socialized as to how it behaves.

A Savannah cat is a cross between a domestic cat and the serval, a medium-sized, large-eared wild African cat.

The Savannahs' tall and slim build gives them the appearance of greater size than their actual weight. Size is very dependent on generation and sex, with F1 hybrid male cats usually being the largest.

F1 and F2 generations are usually the largest, due to the stronger genetic influence of the African serval ancestor. Most first generation (F1 Savannah Cats) will possess many or all of exotic looking traits, while these traits often diminish in later generations. Male Savannahs tend to be larger than females.

Early-generation Savannahs can weigh 14-25 pounds (6.3-11.3 kg), with the most weight usually attributed to the F1 or F2 neutered males due to genetics. Later-generation Savannahs are usually between 7 and 15 lbs (6.8 kg). Because of the random factors in Savannah genetics, size can vary significantly, even in one litter.

The cats are commonly compared to dogs in their loyalty, and they will follow their owners around the house like a canine. They can also be trained to walk on a leash and to fetch.

Some Savannahs are reported to be very social and friendly with new people and other cats and dogs, while others may run and hide or revert to hissing and growling when seeing a stranger. Exposure to other people and pets is most likely the key factor in sociability as Savannah kittens grow up.

An often-noted trait of the Savannah is its jumping ability. They are known to jump on top of doors, refrigerators and high cabinets. Some Savannahs can leap about 8 feet (2.5 m) high from a standing position. Savannahs are very inquisitive. They often learn how to open doors and cupboards, and anyone buying a Savannah will likely need to take special precautions to prevent the cat from getting into trouble.

Many Savannah cats do not fear water, and will play or even immerse themselves in water. Some owners even shower with their Savannah cats.[5] Presenting a water bowl to a Savannah may also prove a challenge, as some will promptly begin to "bat" all the water out of the bowl until it is empty, using their front paws.

Another quirk Savannahs have is to fluff out the base of their tails in a greeting gesture. This is not to be confused with the fluffing of fur along the back and full length of the tail in fear. Savannahs will also often flick or wag their tails in excitement or pleasure.

Vocally, Savannahs may either chirp like their serval fathers, meow like their domestic mothers, both chirp and meow, or sometimes produce sounds which are a mixture of the two. Chirping is observed more often in earlier generations. Savannahs may also "hiss"—a serval-like hiss quite different from a domestic cat's hiss, sounding more like a very loud snake. It can be alarming to humans not acquainted to such a sound coming from a cat.

There are three basic factors that affect the nature of the Savannah cat behavior: lineage, generation and socialization. These three factors follow the nature vs nurture argument with nature being breed lines combined with generation and nurture being social upbringing. As of 2014 the Savannah breed development is still in its infancy and most Savannah cats have a very broad range of behaviors.

Typical Savanah the cat on the right is full grown at 20lb

Savanah kittens, 4 weeksServal cat, the wild granddaddy of the Savanah at home in Tanzania

[betteb]

I guess I kinda gave you a book, LOL, sorry, but I love me some kitties

[nomless]

In some states, they are illegal. This page shows their status in each state.  

[Adelina]

They sound like they are highly domesticated cats, and if loyalty is a main trait, I would think they would be easily trained by their owners.

[nomless]

The link t0 the page doesn't show up and it won't let me edit.   Here's the link to thevpoage that shows legal status in each state.

http://www.serengetisavannahs.com/legal_states.html

[betteb]

---

@Adelina wrote:

They sound like they are highly domesticated cats, and if loyalty is a main trait, I would think they would be easily trained by their owners.

---

They are beautiful IMO. I'd love to have one, but then I just love cats. I have to watch it or I would truly become "the crazy cat lady".

Miss Kitty says you don't have to be a Savanah to be loyal like a dog. She follows me wherever I go in the house and when I sit, she sits, on me or within 2 feet of me. She loves her meowmie

[denisemb]

We owned two bengal cats (we lost them to kidney and heart disease wayyy too soon), which are a cross between a domestic cat and Asian Leopard Cat.  Slightly smaller than Savannahs, they share the same love for high places, crazy active, and high intelligence.  (Had to change all our interior door latches to knobs, because clever kitties learned to jump up and open the door.)

Our 1st was an F3 (only 3 generations removed from the ALC) and he required a special diet.  We later adopted his great grandma from the same breeder as a companion.  (Millie was a retired breeder with a pedigree as long as your arm.)  Both were charming, fastidious in their litter habits and sociable.  Would greet everyone at the door.  Whether this was a result of breeding and/or early sociability, I can't say.   Neither cat ever displayed ANY kind of undesirable behavior (biting, scratching, etc.). 

I would be a little concerned about a kitten IF it were left alone all day.  My husband was retired, so he had to wear our little guy out playing all day when he was young. Who knows what he would have gotten into if he was bored??  LOL

All in all, I don't think you have anything to be concerned about insofar as comparing them to "normal" cats.

If you go to youtube and search for Magic the Savannah Cat (who is an F1, BTW) you can see how charming these "wild" creatures can be.

[Love4cats]

Thank you all for your quick responses. The tenants bring thier own furniture.

This kittens parents are between 29 and 32 pounds so he will probably be a big boy.

They want to train the kitty to use the toilet instead of a little box but, will also have a little box. They have read alot about it and feel it will be easy. I really love my kittys and kiss on thier little noses but, don't think I would want to share a toilet with them.

I do have carpeting in my apts and wood trim of course so I am hoping the kitty will take to a scratching post.

I am totally against declawing so I was very pleased when they told me that they were not planning on declawing the kitty. I feel it is a very cruel.

I live in Maine and checked and it is legal to own a Savanah in Maine. The rental is on 5 acres of land and the tenants want to train the kitty on a leash so it gets some exercise.

My biggest concern is that the kitty might start spraying in the apt but I don't think it will if they get it neutered while still young. I don't think they are anymore prone to spraying than any other breed of cat. I have had several tenants over the past 5 years with kittys and have not yet had any issues with cats spraying or any cat urine odors.

I did some research on them and they are very smart and they are gorgeous.