Savannah cats, legality in Ireland?

Wibbs

seamus wrote: »

In this way you wouldn't necessarily have to domesticate an animal in your own lifetime so long as your offspring and neighbours were following the same rules.

True. I suspect there was some planning involved though. After all the same animals would have been around our ancestors, particularly Neanderthals, but they didnt have dogs. We were the first.

Gave us a huge advantage too. IMHO way more than is given credit for. We have the smallest noses of all hominids. Why need a big one, if you have Fido with you? Great for Fido as well. Wolves are masters of tracking, finding and running down prey, but contrary to popular belief aren't that successful taking down big prey. Cue his new monkey mate with the spears and big sticks. They'll also look after our family if we're not around and we'll do the same for their pups. We both have a similar and adaptable diet and they'll chow down on vermin reducing disease(wolves in the wild eat a lot of rodents) Marriage made in evolutionary heaven and a major leg up over Neanderthals. Ditto for cats later on. They covered the vermin base and protected our grain stockpiles when we get to farming. Most of all both animals add massively to our social lives. So beyond the obvious care and love, I think we should every so often give our cats and dogs a tummy rub and a little treat just for helping us out in the distant past. We wouldnt be the same without them.

The proof of the pudding is the world today. Wolves are under pressure worldwide, as are wild(non feral) cat populations, yet Fido and Tibbles are happily ensconced in huge numbers in front of our fires well fed and keeping us happy(and that they do). If Neanderthals had won out? We wouldnt have this forum, or it would have been a subforum of Food and Drink

morganafay wrote: »

I agree they shouldn't be left roam, because they'll probably get stolen or at least would be more of a danger to other animals.

But I also think they shouldn't be kept in a house all the time, because they are very playful and more wild than a normal cat, so some sort of outdoor enclosure/aviary that they can have access to from the house would be a good idea for them.

Like the Sweeper said not for newbies and the savannah cats just sound like a very bad idea fullstop, even to moggy experts like her, however attractive a proposition they may be to the unaware.

The Sweeper

I'd equate Savannah cats with wolf hybrids, and bengal cats with huskies and malamutes, if you want a comparison of the sort of maintenance they require and the sort of ownership. That's the only way I can really think of it.

Bengal cats are very popular in Australia. There are a lot of registered breeders, and a lot of unregistered breeders. There are also a huge number of surrendered bengals. People buy them for their appearance, then cannot maintain them. They surrender unsocialised cats to the pounds at a year old or less, and they're put down.

The bengals available to the home buyer, if put out of the house to roam, are destructive to wildlife but they won't do much to the feral cat gene pool because they're very domestic in terms of their interbreeding themselves.

If you live in a cool country and want a large cat, get a maine coon - coonies are very interactive and like to play with water and be mischevious too.

Coriolanus

Thanks bunches for all the replies (good and bad :P) folks! I actually thought I'd have trouble getting anyone at all to reply!
I'm at work, so can't read in depth, I'll post later.

Discodog

The Sweeper wrote: »

if not admonished consistently for bad behaviour.

It's a pity that this remark spoilt a good post. Reward good behaviour don't admonish bad.

The OP asked about legality. I will be surprised if the forthcoming Animal Welfare Bill does not introduce extremely stringent conditions for keeping certain wild animals & hybrids.

The Serval is Cites listed.

Our man in Havana

At present you can own any animal so long as it is not endangered. If you have the cites papers you can own a lion if you want.

I doubt the animal welfare bill will make any changes to the status quo.

The Sweeper

Discodog wrote: »

It's a pity that this remark spoilt a good post. Reward good behaviour don't admonish bad.

If you ignore bad behaviour in your cat, especially in exotics, they will simply persist. By 'admonish' I mean you react to bad behaviour, when you catch them in the act, with a sharp noise, or a clap of your hands. You can't simply ignore them as they tear up your rugs, rag your carpet, climb into the toilet to scatter water everywhere, get up on your counters, climb your curtains, stalk you and pounce on your feet, steal your laundry (esp socks) or chew any electrical wire they find.

If you ignore them while they do those things, they'll just keep on doing them. You have to be consistent with it too, because they'll continue to misbehave long past the point where a dog would have learned it's not supposed to do something.

If you show a dog that you don't want it to do something, the first thing it will do is stop the activity.

If you show a cat that you don't want it to do something, the first thing it will do is stop the activity while you're watching.

johndoe99

Nevore wrote: »

Couple of issues, linked but not inseperable.

First, anyone know anything about the legality of importing Savannah cats, or other exotic hybrids? I've absolutely fallen in love with Savannahs in particular and would love to eventually get one. I know they cost a bundle in the States, so this isn't an immediate goal anyway, never mind what kind of hurdles other than money might have to be hurdled.

If they aren't proscribed, does anyone know who to approach about specifically importing a cat? Presumably you have to sign them up for a quarantine period, get them their shots and an inspection by an irish vet etc.

No idea where to start at all basically!
Thanks if anyone can help at all.

Have a look at this website:

Savannah Cats being sold in Louth:
http://www.muamat.com/classifieds/973/posts/8_Pets_Animals/89_Cats_Kittens/5131662_Nice_home_raised_Savannah_cats_ready_to_go_home.html

morganafay

johndoe99 wrote: »

Have a look at this website:

Savannah Cats being sold in Louth:
http://www.muamat.com/classifieds/973/posts/8_Pets_Animals/89_Cats_Kittens/5131662_Nice_home_raised_Savannah_cats_ready_to_go_home.html

I'd be really wary of ads like that. If they say they'll deliver them then don't trust them! Don't pay anything til you get the cat.

Discodog

The Sweeper wrote: »

If you show a cat that you don't want it to do something, the first thing it will do is stop the activity while you're watching.

So it is pretty pointless unless you are watching it 24/7.

It is likely that the AWB will closely mirror the Scottish AWB. If so it will be impossible to keep a wild animal without a license.

Noffles

Fantastic looking animals.... would be a class animal to own, as long as you can give it the caring, time and money that it would require it would be very rewarding... Would love one but I would imagine it would instantly kill off our own 6 cats... shame.

The Sweeper

Discodog wrote: »

So it is pretty pointless unless you are watching it 24/7.

That's just ridiculous.

It is extremely important to consistenty praise good behaviour and persistently correct bad behaviour from your cat. It's more difficult than with a dog, but it DOES work. However, you have to keep it up, all of the time, because some cats will never quite stop doing the things they wanted to do, even though they know you don't want them to do it.

Moreso with exotics, because they're like 'concentrated catness'. They're also usually extremely bright - similar to the oriental breeds.

I don't get your approach - are you suggesting that you simply do nothing at all and sit and watch the cat reduce a kitchen roll that's its stolen from the counter to confetti on your living room floor in about 30 seconds?

Sundew

The Sweeper wrote: »

If you live in a cool country and want a large cat, get a maine coon - coonies are very interactive and like to play with water and be mischevious too.

Have a "coonie" and they are one very cool,intelligent and funny cat as well as being huge!!!
Don't talk to me about water,constantly mopping up water all day long as he likes to paw his water bowl constantly and dump his toys in the bowl.
My "coonie" is also trained to use the human toilet. Wonder can you train savannagh cats to do that???

Cherry Blossom

In Scotland

http://www.gayzette-bengals.co.uk/

tallus

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

In Scotland

http://www.gayzette-bengals.co.uk/

Gorgeous looking animals.