Choosing a Savannah Cat Breeder
As with all
important decisions, finding a happy and healthy Savannah
kitten will require a person to do his/her homework when it
comes to looking for a breeder and bringing your new fur baby
home. Learning as much as you can before finding a breeder is
very important. You should become familiar with
characteristics, grooming requirements, personality, breed
standard etc. You will be able to ask the right questions with
some knowledge of the breed. You are about to embark upon a
relationship that may span fifteen to twenty years.
You will want
your new savannah to be a happy and healthy kitten. Here are
some tips on picking a good breeder. You will of course want
to ask lots of questions, but don’t be surprised if the
breeder asks you just as many. He or she will be anxious that
the home their kittens go to is suitable.
Choosing an ethical,
reputable breeder is a very important part of getting a happy,
healthy well socialized kitten. You can start by making a list
of breeders to contact. You can find a savannah breeder at cat
shows, on social networks or a website by searching the
internet. You can also check a breed directory on the internet
like
Savannah Cats R Us.
Do some research on their
reputations! Check cat groups on Facebook and Yahoo, checking
with friends, and vets are all good sources to start with. If
you get a bad review, cross that breeder off your list, then
go on to the next.
A reputable
breeder will be registered with a cat registry; you are more
likely to get a healthy, well-socialized kitten with pure
bloodlines. Kittens should be raised around all the daily
activities of people, in their bedrooms, kitchen, around TVs,
etc… Kittens that are isolated are not as well socialized and
may be fearful. These kittens will be much harder to socialize
as they age. Ask if they have their cattery is registered.
They will also have their cats registered with the same
registry. Also ask if both parents are registered. You can
look up the registry and call them and see if any complaints
have been filed on their cattery. They should also abide by a
code of ethics and not sell to wholesalers and pet shops. If
any of the above is applicable, then cross off the list and
move on.
Here are a few standard things a breeder should
and should not do:
Savannah kittens
should not be able to leave until 12 weeks of age
They have their
first 2 vaccinations (3rd one is done at 16 weeks
by new owner)
They have been
routinely wormed
Provide a health
guarantee via a written and signed contract. The contract
should guarantee health for a period of time as well as a
genetic problem that may crop up at a later time with an
indoor only policy. There should also be a written policy that
if you must give up your kitten for some unknown reason, that
it goes back to the breeder.
Not let you take
home a kitten that has any signs of illness of any kind, no
matter how small
Give you
registration papers, even if the papers follow after the
spay/neuter of the kitten
Require you to
spay/neuter the kitten if not done so previously
Want your
information, or questions you, about various situations of
your life. These kittens should be like family to the breeder
and they should want to know about you as well. Remember, you
aren’t just buying a new car
Provide you with
multiple references
The above list
is by no means exhaustive. Ask lots of questions. There is NO
such thing as a stupid question when you are buying a savannah
kitten.
Points
of interest:
There are many
variables on pricing kittens. Type, bloodlines, markings,
color, sex, the breeder and size can all influence prices
Your new family
member should be kept indoors, be neutered/spayed and have
places to climb as well as scratching post to allow natural
behavior will ensure a long, happy and healthy life
A breeder should
love their cats, be knowledgeable about the breed and
committed to producing healthy, well-socialized kittens
Savannahs require
a high quality diet that is free of grains, by-products and
meat meal
The breed is new
so there is still a lot of variation in the appearance but it
improves all the time
Savannahs are more
social than the normal domestic cats that people are used to
seeing and they are often compared to dogs. They can be
trained to walk on a leash and play fetch
They do not sleep
as much as other breeds of cats
They are known for
their love of water and jumping abilities
May not be
copied or reproduced without prior permission
Article by Gary
Fulgham
Jungletouch@comcast.net
