Choosing a 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 (3^rd 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
You 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

Article by Gary Fulgham

May not be copied or reproduced without prior permission

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