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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Picture: From the web

Savannah cats are a cross between a domestic cat and a serval. I'd never heard of them till yesterday. Unbeknown to me, I met a young one at a Harringay neighbour's. At the time I thought it was just a cute young cat with great markings. It was only afterwards that I learned what it was. Whilst the cat's owner assured me that it was completely safe, you can bet your bottom dollar that I'd have been a lot less ready to have it chomping on my hand had I known it was half wild African cat genes.

Very attractive cat, though. So if any of you cat-crazy Harringaeites fancy the latest in cat fashion accessories and you have a sheckle or two to spare (serval sheckles in fact!), then a savannah cat may just be your kind of moggy.

Tags for Forum Posts: bengal cat

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Here's the real deal...

This is Paul's cat, the actual cat I met yesterday.

Thanks for adding the video, Paul.

Her name is Mir. Named after the Russian Space Station...

My Savannah is now nine months old and about the size of your average domestic cat. No big deal you might say but she only becomes an adult after three years. So that's two years and three months before she stops growing.

I have until now incorrectly assumed that this cat is a Bengal cat breed due to other conversations I have seen on HOL. This breed of cat has been discussed a couple of times before on HOL by different people.

http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/bengal-cat?commentId=84...

http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/cats-in-the-hood

I'm sorry to say that a cat, of this breed, has caused us ongoing problems since we moved into our flat 2 and half years ago. (I don't think that it is your cat, Paul, that has caused us problems because you say she is only 9 months old and the one I know has visited for 2 years plus. I realise that your cat could well be very different to the cat that I describe).

The cat I am talking about has smashed through 3 cat flaps of ours now to get into our kitchen to attack our cats (the last 2 cat flaps cost £80 as they were meant to be the strongest), it stares through the windows at our cats when they are in the living room which stresses them, it regularly fights with our cats when it is in our garden, it has cut their faces on many occasions (requiring antibiotics from the vets) and one of our cats has had a blocked bladder due to the stress of the cat smashing its way into the kitchen (again requiring treatment from the vet and for me to take a day of annnual leave from work to care for my cat). The cat also patrols the streets howling at all hours of the day and night (my husband had to get up to shoo it away one night when it had been howling outside our window for hours). I assumed it's howling is a means of it defending its territory.

Sorry to be so critical but I feel very strongly about whether the cat that we have problems with should be allowed out given that it is so aggressive. In my opinion this cat is particularly aggressive towards other cats because it is crossed with a wild cat breed. Two vets have also agreed with me on this. I have wondered whether this cat breed might be less suited to an urban environment where there are so many other cats for it to fight with.

Another option is that it is this cat that is a particularly aggresive rather than the breed...

By way of a footnote, I do know that Paul's pet is a house cat.

For now yes, but he did say it had some growing to do. Having shelled out thousands of pounds for my cats over the years (Siamese) through fights with other more ferral animals I must say, I don't think Paul has made a popular choice.

If you want something that looks similar but is much more the kind of cat I prefer, try an Egyptian Mau. What will happen when breeding programmes really get going and people will use these animals to terrorise their neighbours? Oh I know, we'll all need to get one. Nice.

John, do know of the Russian Blue? (actually, blending shades of grey)

IMO, this is amongst the most beautiful - and good natured - of cats.

Sorry John but I think you should do a little research because Savannah cats are not aggressive, even the big ones, are always kept indoors and are much more balanced than most cat breeds which have been crossed  over and over again. This is because the Savannah is a hybrid. As for an explosion of the population owning one, I doubt it simply because of the rarity and the price. Ask Hugh about mine. Was she aggressive Hugh or nervous with so many strangers present? You might get licked to death.

I think the rarity and the price is exactly why people around here will want one!

OK, you know what you're doing and I'm sure you'll be responsible but my point was not that they were aggressive with humans or dogs but other cats. If you're keeping her indoors or on a leash then of course there won't be a problem for other cat owners. but I guarantee you that should you walk her around here you will be stopped and asked fervently "Where can I get one?". Mastifs are so last year man. Good luck, I could be accused of being envious too.

You could always come and visit John. Mir loves people! And I don't mean to eat.

I'm sorry to hear of your experience with what sounds like a very nasty cat indeed Sally. However, it will not be a Savannah as you cannot let them out except on a leash. More likely to be a Bengal. Savannah cats are not aggressive at all. The opposite in fact. The main reason to keep them indoors is that they are likely to be stolen or harmed by humans mistaking them for a wild animal.

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