You certainly wouldn’t want to adopt a cat, if you are not willing to invest your free time into establishing a strong bond with the pet. You might be thinking that the ‘wilder’ cats, like the Savannah cats, are a lot more independent, but that’s not quite true.
Savannahs require plenty of attention. They’re more active than other domestic cats – you would have to play with them a few times per day; moreover, they tend to be quite affectionate – you can’t leave the beauties alone for too long as they will become destructive and sad.
Do Savannah Cats Need Lots of Attention?
Savannahs are extremely active and they do require quite a lot of attention in terms of emotional investment and company. The cat won’t be happy if you leave it alone for extended periods of time.
You should also be willing to invest plenty of time in training the beautiful creature and playing with it.
Read: Bengal vs Savannah Cats: Everything You Should Know
How Much Attention Do Savannah Cats Need?
If a Savannah gets bored, it will become destructive and unhappy.
A 15-minute play session per day should be enough for a regular domestic cat, but your Savannah would require much more than that.
Do Savannah Cats Like to Cuddle?
Savannahs are often very affectionate and they would be glad to curl up next to the person whom they love.
Do bear in mind, however, that the number of cuddles would depend on the cat’s mood, character, and even its filial generation.
Read: Do Cats and Rabbits Get Along?
Are Savannah Cats Hard to Take Care of?
When it comes to upkeep, Savannah cats are low-maintenance felines. It will be easy for you to take care of the cat’s coat, for example, as it is quite short and rarely needs brushing.
What would require much more effort and attention is keeping the cat entertained. Savannahs are highly active and they don’t like to be bored, so make sure to provide enough mental and physical stimulation.
Are Savannah Cats Hyper?
In general, Savannahs are considered to be quite ‘hyper’. They have high levels of energy and can demand a lot of attention.
If not trained well and if left alone for too long, the cats can become destructive and let their energy out by destroying the furniture, clothes, and wallpaper.
How Do I Keep My Savannah Cat Entertained?
These active cats adore remote-control toys that allow the cat to exercise and stimulate its hunting side.
Interactive toys involving beams of light, feathers, balls, and your cat’s favorite treats are also a great option for this intelligent breed.
Read: Do Cats Care If You Cry?
How Do You Play with a Savannah Cat?
Play sessions with a cat wand are an old classic that your Savannah cat is going to love. A typical session should last at least 10 minutes (however, 30 minutes might be better).
Tip: play with your cat for half an hour before bedtime to make sure that the Savannah spends all its energy and falls asleep with you.
How Do You Stimulate a Savannah Cat?
Savannahs would also appreciate a cat shelf or a cat tree as these felines are incredible jumpers.
You can also go for a cat wheel – your Savannah will be able to enjoy it (along with the shelf and tree) even when you are away.
Do You Have to Walk Savannah Cats?
Actually, Savannah cats are one of those breeds that enjoy being walked on a leash. This is a safe way to let your precious pet explore the great outdoors and it is definitely quite the entertainment for the animal.
Do bear in mind that you would have to spend some time training the cat. Moreover, you might want to opt for a harness (even though Savannahs can sometimes act dog-like, their necks are not able to handle the pressure that you would use while leash-walking a dog).
How Many Hours Do Savannah Cats Sleep?
Savannahs can sleep anywhere between 15 and 20 hours per day. Even though these cats can be hyperactive, they still do need a lot of sleep, just like any other cat breed.
Read: Do Cats and Ferrets Get Along?
Do Savannah Cats Sleep at Night?
Savannahs can sleep next to their favorite human at night. However, if they didn’t get a chance to exercise during the day, they might end up being active throughout the night.
Are Savannah Cats Easy to Train?
Training a pet is definitely not easy, but the good news is that Savannah cats are trainable.
Remember that it is always easier to train a kitten rather than an adult cat. However, training adults is also possible, if you have enough time and patience.
Hint: some Savannah owners prefer to use a clicker when training their pets.
Are Savannah Cats Social?
Savannahs are definitely social pets. Especially, if they have been taught to be around people and animals from a very young age.
These cats are also quite affectionate and loyal and they might even meet you at the door when you come back home.
Are Savannah Cats Good with Dogs?
The character of a Savannah cat is quite dog-like – they can be trained to walk on a leash, they like playing with water, and they can be incredibly loyal.
Savannahs can become an amazing companion to a dog, especially, if the latter is bigger than the cat. In fact, these felines like to play quite rough and other domestic cats or smaller dogs might get hurt during the play session (bigger dogs, however, can become good friends with a Savannah).
Read: How Do Cats Choose Who to Sleep With?
Do Savannah Cats Run Away?
If your Savannah cat is used to living inside, it might run away as soon as you let it go outside without a leash.
This can happen, if the cat gets scared by a loud noise or if its hunting instincts take over for a moment.
Fact: Savannahs are amongst the fastest domestic cat breeds – you won’t be able to catch the animal if it runs away.
Are Savannah Cats Smart?
Savannahs are highly intelligent animals (just like the majority of cat breeds that originated in Africa).
These cats are observant and curious. They can be trained to do quite a few different things, they love food puzzles and stimulating games, and they can figure out how to open doors and drawers.
Do Savannah Cats Spray?
Just like other domestic cats, Savannahs can start spraying to mark their territory. This will, most likely, stop being a problem, once you spay or neuter the cat, but there can be exceptions.
What Is the Difference between an F1 and F5 Savannah Cat?
Both F1 and F5 are filial designations that indicate how close the Savannah cat is to an African serval.
F1 means that either the father or the mother of the cat was a wild Serval, while an F5 cat is only about 11-12% Serval.
Are F1 Savannah Cats Good with Kids?
Even F1 Savannah cats are friendly and affectionate pets. However, it is generally recommended to adopt an early-generation Savannah only if your child is over 4 years old.
That is because such cats will demand a lot of attention and they tend to bond with one or two people and be more aloof with children and strangers.