Growing Kitty Week Four

Week Four 

Week four has loads of growth. We are growing in size, our senses are completely developed, and we can walk with our tail up!

All Our Senses

During week four, kitten's senses are said to be completely developed. Their eye sight is now as good as their mothers so they can see the world around them. Bright lights do not tend to bother them as much as they venture around to new places.  They can also hear much better which means they do not get startled as easily and can detect a playful sibling about to pounce. Sense of smell is such an important part of a cat's life and during this week they can smell what's cookin' on the stove... well in our case what's cookin' in the bowl. 

Up Up and Away 

Kittens ears are now fully upright big and tall. They can play and pounce a bit more gracefully now while holding their own tail up! During the fourth week, the kittens are usually weighing in at around a pound but expect a big growth spurt. Their teeth are coming in nicely and will start using them more and more every day.  Momma's are starting to leave their kittens for longer periods of time. They are learning to groom themselves but mom always comes in to add the final touches.  You can also introduce a small bowl of water for them to play in..... I mean drink from. Kittens are very curious at this age, they are busy exploring and working out the details of their surroundings.  

Play with Me

Again, during these weeks, it is extremely important to socialize and interact with the kittens. This is when they learn that this big giant thing, we call humans, is nice and fun not frightening. Laying or sitting on the floor with them is a great way for them to come to you on their terms. It builds their confidence around each other, you, and new fun toys. By the end of the play date you end up being this super awesome kitty jungle gym and the kittens can't get enough!

Have you ever experienced being a kitty jungle gym?

Until Our Next Cat Convo

-Amanda

Growing Kitty Week Three

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Welcome to Week Three

Week three is full of exciting things and a big leap for the kittens. In week three we can hear, smell, walk, play, and potty on our own! 

Potty Time

In week three mom get a little "me" time. Their work with the kittens is becoming easier and easier by the day especially when it comes to potty training. Kittens digestive systems are developed now and this allows them to defecate on their own. Now, mom still helps out when needed especially in the grooming department. Mom shows the babies everything they need to know and that's including bath time. By watching their mom groom herself, and their litter-mates the kittens pick up on this activity which teaches them how to clean and groom themselves. At this time, you should start introducing the kittens to their litter box. You should ALWAYS use a non-clumping, natural litter when they are kittens. Think about it... Since mom is teaching them to clean up after themselves, they know that after being in the potty box they need to clean up, including their paws. Now, if you have a clumping litter + kittens cleaning their paws = clumped litter in their bellies! This is NOT something you want your kitten to go through, it is much easier to get a natural litter like pine pellets or non-clumping clay to keep your kitty happy and healthy. 

Can You Hear Me?

Kittens ears are now standing in the upright position and their ear canals will be completely open. Your kittens are hearing new things for the first time and they may get startled by loud noises since their hearing is yet to be fully developed. Try and keep it down a notch so the kittens feel comfortable in their environment. 

Let's Play

The little fur monsters are now starting to move about and play with their litter-mates. Their movements are still wobbly and aren't completely stable but this will improve throughout the week. This is the time to start socializing. Starting at week three, to week seven, is the most crucial time for socialization. It is recommended that you play with all the kittens for a few hours out of the day to ensure they are getting the most out of that human interaction. The babies LOVE toys so get stocked up and play with them as much as possible. Although kittens still cannot retract their claws, you never want to use your hands to play. They don't stay little forever! This will teach them the bad habit that your hands are toys, and as they grow its not so fun for you anymore. Toys are for playing, hands are for feeding and petting. At week three they can even start to purr so don't be surprised if you hear a little something when settling down after playtime. 

Changing Appearances

Kittens bodies are also changing a bit at this time. If you notice your kittens beginning  to chew on things you may consider some plastic chew toys. Their teeth are coming in and the chewing helps ease the discomfort. You can also tell the gender of the kitten at this time, so if you do not know how to tell GOOGLE it. HAHA just kidding. The males will have what would look more like a colon ( : ) they have a hole instead of a slit and it is farther away from the rectum. Most male kittens will not have visible testicles this young but that doesn't mean they won't. The females will have more of an upside-down colon ( ; ), sorry I can't figure out how to make it upside down but you get the idea. Their vaginal opening is more of a long slit rather than a hole and its much closer to the rectum. But for real... if you can't figure out just google it.

Another thing that changes is their fur, especially in Savannahs. The kittens go through what we call the "Fluffy" Stage. All kittens fur will get fuller and fill in but Savannahs they get really fluffy and their spots are disguised and often have a grayish color on the tips of the fur. We believe they get this trait from the Serval. In the wild, Serval kittens develop much like the domestic cats and at week three they start to roam and play about. Their coat changes to that fluffy grayish color to disguise them from nearby predators while playing outside the den. When the kittens are about six months old their mothers have taught them how to hunt on their own and can protect themselves from nearby danger. During this time, their coat loses the fluff and becomes more pronounced again. Savannahs are very similar in this aspect. 

Do you have any special techniques to help socialize your kitten?

Until Our Next Cat Convo

- Amanda

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Growing Kitty Week Two

Quick tid-bit from me

Hey all! Sorry I have been a bit behind. I am sure most of you do not know but unfortunately, I suffer from an autoimmune disorder. It seems like once you get diagnosed with one they just keep on coming. Anyways, I have been down the last few weeks and have been trying to recover. I started some new things and I am feeling much better so hopefully I can get back on track! Plus, I have all my kitties that take care of me!

Thanks for bearing with me.              #snapchat ;)

-Amanda

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Week Two

This week is week two and big things are happening. Ears, eyes and nose, oh my! The developmental changes in week two are significant and we are here to tell you all about it. 

Look at me grow

At week two the kittens grow at an amazing rate of around 10 grams per day. This is a lot for its tiny little body so it needs plenty of milk, sleep, and lovin's. Momma kitties need a ton of nourishment at this time to help support not only her nutritional needs but her kittens as well. She should be fed a high-quality food to ensure she is getting the most out of her food so those babies can keep growing.

Sniff, Wiggle, Sniff, Sniff

Kittens are starting to smell new and interesting things. Since their sense of smell is only a little on the working side, they will get hissy with unfamiliar smells as well as sounds. They are starting to recognize who their siblings are and interact with them more and more. Even an occasional hissy fit over their favorite nipple. 

Bright eyed and bushy tailed 

Hey mom, can you see my eyes? At about 10 days old the kittens eyes will start to open. Some will open sooner than others and maybe only one at a time. By the end of week two their eyes are typically wide open and can start to see objects, although still very blurry. During this time, their eyes are extremely sensitive so keep those bright lights away and let them adjust in a dim environment. Did you know that all kittens are born with blue eyes? Since their eyes are still developing they acquire that blue color. By about a month old their eyes should start changing to their permanent eye color and continue to develop until they are around 9 months old.  

What eye color does your kitten have?

Until Our Next Cat Convo

-Amanda

Growing Kitty Week One

Week One

We all know there are several stages a kitten goes through in the first few weeks of life but why are these stages so important and what happens during this time? In the next few blog posts I am going to explain the developmental changes a kitten goes through week by week until they are ready for their forever home.

Hello World!

From the time the kittens are born mom is hard at work. She is cleaning, feeding and keeping her tiny tots warm. Throughout this week she is very protective of her young and if bothered too much she will try to relocate them to a more peaceful location. During this time, we do not interfere to ensure mom's stress level stays low and she feels cozy and comfortable in her nesting area.

Puttin' On the Ounces

Kittens, when welcomed to this world, typically weigh a whopping 3-4 ounces. Of course, as far as Savannahs go, the higher the generation the bigger the kittens. In this week, the kittens will typically double in size to about 6-8 ounces which is a lot for their tiny little bodies. Within about 2-3 days their umbilical cord will detach and they are ready for takeoff.

Help Mom

When born, kittens are completely helpless and solely rely on their mothers to care for them. Their eyes are tightly shut making it a bit hard to see and their ears are folded so they cannot hear a thing. They react to their mothers body heat for comfort and rely on their  faint sense of smell to find their favorite nipple at feeding time. 

Happy and Healthy

In the first 24-48 hours of arrival the kittens will receive colostrum from their mothers. This is a very vitamin and nutrient rich milk that is crucial to the kittens development. Given the mother has had her vaccinations, this milk allows the kittens to receive the mothers immunity to harmful diseases until they are old enough for their first set of shots.

Potty Time

Another thing kittens are incapable of at this stage is controlling their bowels. Mom will lick their bellies to aid in digestion as well as their bottoms to help stimulate them to defecate. Kittens also can not regulate their own body temperature so mom always stays near to be sure they are all snuggled up.

A Whole Lot of Shut Eye

In order to for kittens to grow and develop as fast as they do, they need plenty of beauty rest. Kittens spend 90 percent of their time sleeping while the other 10 percent they are chowing down. Other than snoozing, fighting their littermates for a nipple is their top priority but Mom always makes sure there is plenty to go around.

What first week experiences do you have?

Until Our Next Cat Convo

- Amanda 

Spot Me Out

Do you know how to tell the Difference?

When clients and friends come to our cattery they are astonished at how I can tell them all apart. Well the answer for me is easy but not everyone knows what to look for in order to identify each and every one, so let me give you some tips. 

The Distinct Differences

There is one thing about the Savannah Cat that never EVER changes, its spots! Each cat has their own unique spotted pattern which I call their "Fingerprint" You can always look at the cats and tell them apart by the spots. Main ways that I describe these patterns are if they have a flower pattern, a line of spots, lots of small spots, large distinct spots, clusters of spots, etc. Sometimes it is very hard to tell them apart but once you really sit and look at the pattern you will find something that sticks out to you so you can determine if that's your cat. 

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Another thing I tend to recognize is the pattern of lines on their face and around their eyes. Me being a girly girl and former hair dresser I have fun names for this. ;) The lines on the side of their face are sometimes black, orange, bold, or broken, I call this their "mascara" The cats also often have markings in between this "mascara" that can be dark or light, more bold than not or also spotted, this is their "blush". Then we come to the "eye liner" this is the part around their eyes that is often a very light or bright white in color. If you move down their necks they have bands around their necks..... take a guess at what this is called.... yup, their "necklace" The "necklace around their necks are often what I call broken which is where they do not completely come together. At times, they have multiple "necklaces" and most often in different shades of black and gold. 

The Maturing Differences 

Just like humans, all kittens are born with blue eyes. A very common question we are always asked is if their eyes will stay blue. Sometimes they will but most often they change to a green, gold or hazel color.  Kittens eyes do take time to develop and their quality of vision always comes before the color change. Kittens eyes typically will change their color between 3-6 months of age. Most of the time the kittens will be in their new home at this age so it is very hard for us to give a precise answer. 

Another thing that can happen is that the color of their noses can change. From my experience, we have had kittens born with pink noses that end up with a dark outer rim and sometimes born with this dark outer rim and turn mostly black. They say that cat noses can change with temperature, mood, blood pressure and that the lighter the cats nose the more you can see it change. But as far as our little hybrid kittens go, I think it is just part of their maturing process.

Figuring It All Out

Now that I have given you some of my helpful tips on how I like to discern the differences between our kitties why don't you go have a look. See if there is anything that stands out to you or helps you decipher your cats "Fingerprint" 

Tell us your helpful tips or show off your cat's beautiful features on our social media pages!

UNTIL OUR NEXT CAT CONVO

-Amanda

Sleepy Kitty

Our cats and their napping habits.

As a mommy to several kitties I am always catching them in the most unusual slumber. Some of them in the obvious places like; in the warmth of the sun, on the fluffy sofa, in their cozy bed, in our cozy bed, and my most favorite is in my lap.  But sometimes you look for them for twenty minutes but they are nowhere to be found because they have a secret bunker where they can slip into that deep sleep with no disruption.

Types of Sleep

Did you know that cats also go into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep just like humans? Most of the time when cats are sleeping they are not in that deep, fabulous, no care in the world sleep but more of that, I'm asleep but not really asleep because I can freakin' hear everything that is going on and no one will be quiet sleep. They stay in this state of sleep for around 15 - 20 minutes while momentarily falling into REM sleep for about 5 minutes at a time. If you ever notice your cat sleeping but slightly shift their radar's or taking a slight peek around this is when they are in the "Dozing" stage of sleep. If your kitty has their eyes tightly shut or using their personal fluffy sleep mask this is when they are in the "DO NOT BOTHER ME I AM ACTUALLY ASLEEP!" stage.

Why so long?

Cats can sleep anywhere from 15-20 hours a day depending on their age filling their fluffy fuel tanks. Cats release an obscene amount energy when hunting their prey, or in our instance, their secret stash of catnip so they need all the rest they can get. Kittens and older cats require more sleep than the average aged cat. Kittens sleep more because their precious little bodies are growing and older cats have had their time of prime and have decided life is much easier when you slow down.

Getting Adjusted

Most cats are dawn dwellers but being as adaptive as they are, they easily adjust to our hectic schedules. They enjoy their human time therefore making time in their day for us. But if you are having kitty soft paws in your face at 4:00 in the mother lovin' morning then try having some extra play time during the day especially before bed time. You may also give them a small snack before bed because they also like to go to bed on a full belly.  FUN FACT: We have a friend that as soon as he has eaten he is ready for bed before we even leave the table. We always tease him and tell him his eyelids are attached to his stomach. The more he eats, the fuller he gets and pulls his eyelids down, it’s pretty comical. But kitties do have a method to their madness when it comes to their sleeping habits.  Hunt, Eat, Clean, Sleep, Repeat!

Caution

If your fur child is sleeping more or less than usual you might want to consult with your veterinarian. There may be an underlying medical problem that needs addressed. Always take note of unusual habits your cats may have. If there is something different or concerning contact your breeder for advice or of course your veterinarian is always there to help. 

Whether in my lap or in their bed I always enjoy watching the cats sleep. You can actually distinguish when they slip in and out of that deep sleep. You can see their paws twitch and nose wiggle while in the land of catnip or their radars activate to be sure no danger is near.

We are always finding our kitties in the most peculiar places and positions. 

Tell us about some of your favorite sleepy kitty stories or share your photos with us on our social media sites!

Until Our Next Cat Convo 

- Amanda

Exercise your Pet

Keep that kitty movin'

As most of you Savannah lovers know the Savannah breed is very active, playful and somewhat destructive at times. Keeping your kitties engaged in playtime, walking, and dates with other furry friends can really reduce the possibility of bad behaviors. 

Discouraging Bad Cat Behaviors With Exercise & Training

Given this propensity for extra propulsion and playfulness, this could also be a gateway for more destructive behavior patterns if not trained properly and given plenty of exercise. Similar to toddlers and young children, parents will often attempt to “tire them out” as a pathway to a less naughty kid and the same is true for our four-legged friends.

More Fun With Less Damage Done

Also given more activity, many cats tend to be less destructive with fewer bad behavioral habits. But some of this comes along with training that also discourages rough housing and other aggressive behaviors that could potentially put them at risk for injuring themselves, other animals, you, friends or family members.

When it comes to playtime and exercise routines, it’s important to remember how we interact with them is just as important as participating in the process itself. For example, encouraging them to attack hands and feet will send a message that this behavior is acceptable. This could cause an unsuspecting child, visiting friend or relative to be swatted, scratched or bitten when they may be simply trying to interact with your cat.

Put Them On A Leash, Capeesh?

Savannah cats are also very intelligent and many pet owners will often choose to train them to walk on a leash, which is actually much easier than you might think. You should first introduce them to the concept of wearing a harness since they’ll be much easier to control using this type of a device. It also greatly reduces the risk of them choking or slipping out of a collar while you’re out and about.

For some more information and suggestions about exercising with your pet, check out the infographic below. With more activity, playful exercise and given the proper training, you and your cat will be much happier and healthier in the long run! 

 What fun things does your cat do for exercise?

Until Our Next Cat Convo

-Amanda

- We would like to give a special shout out to Jenn Johnson for helping us put together this weeks blog post!

Cool Cats

Okay, So let’s talk about cats getting in the fridge!

Our F4 Cleo, aka Miss Cleopatra The Mischievous, is always ending up in our refrigerator. I'm not so sure what it is in there that she even thinks is remotely interesting. Oh yes I do… food! But this is the problem, every time she gets in there she isn't even looking for food. She hops up there, turns around with the most innocent eyes and looks at me. I'm like....... really?!? I always ask her what it is that she is so desperately seeking after but I just get that pitiful look. The only thing she does in there is get cat hair all over the place so then I have to have a deep clean party of the fridge. I mean, at our house cat hair is a condiment but we really don’t need it chilled.

During the holidays I was doing some baking and apparently she had decided to sneak up there. I didn’t realize it and turned and shut the darn door. Luckily since I was baking, I was constantly getting back in to the fridge because lets be real, I am super scatter brained….Just before the Cleo incident I put the milk in the pantry, but that’s besides the point.  Anyways, I opened the door and there sat a bright eyed and slightly cooled Cleo. If she could talk, which obviously she can, she would have been cussing me up and down because we know how much cats love the cold. But, she is the one that got up there and thought she was going to find a magical pot of cat nip or something. But in all reality all she got was a cool and very refreshing fridge session.

Hesitant but curious she still ends up in the fridge. But one thing is for certain, she is sure I am paying attention so her kitty fluff butt doesn't get stuck in there again.

How often do your kitties venture into the world of refreshing fridge sessions?

Until Our Next Cat Convo,

-Amanda