Savannahs have a wild ancestor, the serval. This does not mean that you have chosen a wild animal for a pet. Apart from perfect health, good blood lines and a magnificent appearance, our cattery’s most important goal is to produce well socialized kittens.
Experience has taught me that socialization is of subordinate importance to many Savannah breeders. An unsocialized Savannah cat can cause problematic and even dangerous situations in your house.
Because of stress the cat might do its business everywhere except in the litter tray and it can attack and wound people. If the certain cat has been bought for the purpose of breeding, in future it will be impossible to check the health of the kittens on a daily basis. The mother cat will never tolerate the removal of her kittens from her nest.
A well socialized kitten is used to physical contact with adults and children from early age on. This does not mean that all kittens will love to sit on your lap, but they need to become sweet pets who like to be petted and that can be picked up when needed, for example to go to the vet. Also, the kittens have to be used to loud noises such as the vacuum cleaner, enthusiastic children, music and television.
When my two small children are with the cats, an adult is always present to check the behavior of both children and the cats. Teach the children from the start what is and what is not allowed with the cat; how to hold it, how to play safely with the cat and how you can see when the cat is happy or angry. Adults and children must treat pets with respect at all times. Especially the high generation Savannahs have, apart from a bigger body, bigger nails and teeth. A great toy to play with Savannahs is a rod, so the chance the cat scratches the child by accident in his play, is very minimal.
If you reserve a specific kitten and you want it to be used to walking on a lead, this is possible.
Socialization also takes place through the mother cat, sibling kittens and other cats the kitten grows up with.
