Savannah cats are very different from any other cat that you might choose to bring into your home. These cats are the result of breeding between domestic cats and a wild African serval cat. Since part of their genetics will come from an undomesticated animal, they can be more of a handful than other breeds. Here are some of the things to know when trying to raise a Savannah kitten.
Generation
If you are bringing a Savannah kitten into your home, it is vital that you know what generation they come from. F1 Savannah kittens will have a serval cat as a parent while F4 Savannah kittens will only have a great, great-grandparent who was a serval cat. The latter will obviously have a lot more of a domesticated heritage, so even if they look like a serval cat they might not act like one. Likewise, an F1 kitten will be a lot wilder, and might even be feral compared to an F3 or F4 kitten.
Vet Visits
A Savannah kitten might be classed as an exotic pet depending on where you live, so you need to make sure that you find a vet that is willing to work with it. What’s more, just as you would get coverage and protection for a regular cat from providers like Petsure, you will also need to look into finding insurance that will cover exotic cats. Vet bills can quickly become expensive, so ensuring that you have pet insurance will help you manage some of the many costs that can come with caring for this animal.
Diet
Luckily, Savannah cats have the same diet as domestic cats so you should not have to deviate too much from what you typically feed an ordinary cat. It is recommended that you feed your cat a combination of dry and wet food. They might also enjoy certain raw or cooked meats. Make sure any food that you do give them is free from cereals as this is a cat that is more suited to a wholly protein diet. Remember to give them a good supply of fresh water to drink from too.
Energy Levels
Regardless of the generation that you are adopting, you should be aware that Savannah cats have a lot more energy than their domesticated cousins. Therefore, if you want to get this type of cat, you need to make sure that you are spending enough time with them to make sure that they are exercised and burning up all of that energy. Toys that can simulate hunting, such as those on the end of a string, can be a great choice here.
Playfulness
Since these are wild animals, you do need to ensure that you properly socialise them from a young age. They generally work quite well with other pets, but you need to make sure that you have them spend time with other pets as soon as possible. Even if you don’t have other pets, make sure that they are handled by many different people as they can cope with. If it looks like they are showing signs of distress when you introduce them to new people, you should consider keeping them more isolated.
A Savannah kitten can be a great addition to your home, but you have to be aware that they can be slightly different to raise than other cats. Do your duty as a pet owner, and make sure that you know how to properly care for your cat. If you can do so, you should hopefully be able to give your kitten a very long and happy life.
