Would you pay $4500-5500 for one kitten?

[LDS Jock]

Maybe it is just because I don't have that kind of money, but I can't believe anyone would. Yes, these are cute kittens.


But $4500 worth of cute? They have both been sold too. http://www.asaalah.com/Savannah%20Kittens.html

They are Savannah cats, the cross breed between domestic cats and the Serval cat from Africa. I have mixed feelings on this happening at all. From reading about it on the breeders websites, it is breeding a 40 pound Serval to a normal 8-10 pound domestic cat. The cats have difficulty giving birth to the kittens due to the larger than normal size. Also the gestation period is longer. Plus, the cat and Serval must be raised together or it will eat the cat instead of mating with it. :cry: Does this seem wrong to anyone else?

[Lorien]

1. You can find them for less

especially if they are F2s or F3s, which make the better pets (if crossed with something other than a Bengal). I've never heard of a serval killing a domestic cat-I know people who keep about 20 servals in a sanctuary, and none of them have tried to hurt their domestic cats (clouded leopards and the big cats will kill domestic cats, though). If I had loads of money and the room, I might-especially since they are supposed to be very intelligent and live about five years longer, on average, then a regular domestic cat. However, I'm hoping to get a nice rescue kitty next time around. Maybe someday...

[LDS Jock]

2. ok, I don't know it first hand, just what I read online

which of course is worth what I paid for it. I do find them beautiful, but not enough to pay that kind of money. I did see some for only $2500. Knock it down to $250 and I'd think about it.

[yellowdogintexas]

3. Go back in the link and read "available Adults"...the retired studs

and queens are available for under $250.

One was spayed due to a postpartum infection, the others were retired from breeding ..they sure are beautiful!!!!!!!

Already neutered/spayed too.

[Lorien]

6. The ASPCA charges $150 for their cats too

mostly this is to discourage people who want cats for some ugly purpose from adopting one. That's one problem I have with Freecycle; they offer pets. I worry about who is taking those animals, and what they are doing with them. I've voiced this concern to the administrators at our Freecycle, but they often say "well, some people can't afford $150 for a pet" then they shouldn't have one, because vet bills will be far more expensive than that! (What do you want to bet that those cats and dogs aren't fixed, either)?

[LDS Jock]

11. you make an important point

There is no such thing as a "free" pet. If someone isn't willing to pay $150 for a rescue pet, or from wherever, you can bet they aren't willing to pay for visits to the vet, having the pet fixed, food, bathing and flea control, and a host of other expenses. Pets from ASPCA or other places are up-to-date on health care and fixed and in good health, or they aren't adopted out. The adoption fee is really quite a bargin when you think about it.

[fudge stripe cookays]

17. Our Freecycle chapter

does NOT offer pets here around Dallas. That makes me feel good.

FSC

[LDS Jock]

7. but that makes a less dramatic title

:P

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Yes. It does seem very wrong...and what of the offspring? How can

we know what will become of them...how they will do? Why must man screw around with everything he touches!!!

[Lorien]

5. Well, given that people are willing to spend that much

on a kitten, I expect the offspring will be treated better than most cats in America.

Actually, man wasn't the first to "screw around" with serval/ domestic cat crosses. Servals have been kept in small villages in Africa as semi-domesticated pets for hundreds-if not thousands-of years. They've mixed with domesticated cats from time to time all along. Lynx and bobcat also breed with domestic cats occasionally; in fact, Maine Coons are said to maintain DNA markers from their lynx and bobcat forefathers, which bred with ships cats from Norway and France in the 17th century (thus the large size and heavy boning). It was the fact that the serval was nearly domesticated and already breeding with other cat species in Africa that lead to the Savannah breed here in the US.

A bigger issue is spaying/ neutering all pets-including purebreds that aren't chosen early on for breeding programs. I just discovered that a feral cat in my neighborhood is unneutered, so I'll be taking him in to be fixed as soon as I can catch him!

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Cool. Thanks for the info.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. NO! If you are looking for a cute kitten,

They are available everyday at shelters and adoption clinics. IMO, kittens are the cutest baby animals!
:loveya:

And I agree, this does sound like some sort of perversion, a cruel experiment! Poor cats! Yikes!
:scared:

on edit: I should have typed "NO!" and not "Yes!" Oops!:-)

And I wouldn't spend that kind of money, especially when there are so many adorable kittens needing homes out there. And I agree that this doesn't sound like a great idea for a pet.:crazy:

[underseasurveyor]

12. Agreed......period.

I couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money either for a kitten or puppy even if I could afford to. Imagine what rescue shelters and sanctuaries could do with large donations instead:thumbsup: That equates to a lotta full tummies:-) that previously may have been not so full:-(

There are so many breeds of cats and dogs out there already. How many do we need? Are we (humans) never satisfied with the choices we currently have so we have to "create" more?:wtf: Already there is something for everyone and I don't think it's a responsible thing to do, matter of fact I think it's selfish of us (humans in general not the you's n me's of the world Rhiannon;-) ) to intentionally create more breeds for mere pleasures, whims and money. Adding yet :sigh: :-( more unwanted suffering pets to an already huge problem further takes this problem in the opposite direction of where we should be going.

Accidental breeds like Maine Coons are one thing (I've always wanted one so bad but I'll find a rescue someday if it's meant to be) but breeding intentionally for designer pets, it just shouldn't be done IMHO.

[demnan]

10. I don't think it's a good idea

and no I wouldn't pay that for them. I don't believe in crossing domestic and wild animals - I think that gives people a false sense that that animal is truly domestic, when it isn't.

And I agree with others, I think there are plenty of adorable pets needing adoption, even pedigree cats.

[meow2u3]

13. Savannahs are an aggression risk IMO

Just as wolf hybrids can be dangerous to children, the Savannah (serval hybrid) can also be unpredicatable.
I'm afraid these kitties might end up either euthanized or relegated to an exotic animal sanctuary.

[kslib]

14. If I had that kind of money...

I'd pay $150 for a kitten, or better yet an adult or senior cat, from the Humane Society. Then, I'd get my new pet the best in indoor and outdoor furniture and enclosures if I didn't already have them. Then, I'd donate the rest to the shelter or rescue group, or perhaps fund the spay/neutering of some ferals, or maybe even set up a small endowment at my local vet hospital for people who can't afford emergency vet care, and feel wonderful about helping the unwanted or "underfunded" pets.

However, if you feel very strongly about wanting a purebred cat (or dog, for that matter), there are always rescue group cats or retired breeders to adopt! Often, people forget about the wonderful pets that retired breeders/show cats can make!

[Lorien]

15. I use to be very militant about the shelter issue

until I actually attended a cat show-the reason I went to the show in the first place is because I read that they were a good place to find healthy adoptable pets (many breeders do pet rescues, and their homes tend to be a healthier environment for the animals than many shelters are-less chance of "kennel cough" and FIV). As it turns out, most breeders DO give significant donations to animal shelters. There were multiple fund raisers going on at the cat show for both shelters and trap/neuter/release programs, and about 70% of the cats and kittens brought to the show by the SPCA for the adoption hall were, in fact, adopted out (one rescue group only had three cats left by the last day of the event). Purebreds account for less than 10% of all cats owned in the US, and some natural breeds, like the Turkish Angora, are extremely rare and only recently were rescued from extinction.

I tried unsuccessfully to adopt a Turkish Angora before finally purchasing one. I bought her for the same reason many people buy a particular dog breed; I wanted a pet with specific personality traits. Like purebred dogs, purebred cats have rather predictable personality traits which allow the potential owner to be well matched with their new pet from the beginning. An older person would be better off with a Persian or a Lhasa ahpso than a Siamese of border collie,and a Siberian forest cat is the only breed that is hypoallergenic, for instance. I've owned seven rescue cats, and I'm sure I'll own more in the future, but my two purebreds give me some sense of security because I know that certain genetic illnesses (ones that killed two other cats of mine) have been kept out of their bloodlines. While some other illness may kill my pets, at least I know that I won't be broken hearted and spending another $7,000 fighting an unwinnable battle with Oberon and Puck over those particular illnesses.

As far as hybrids go; some species should not, IMO, be used in such programs. While crossing domestic cats with wild relatives CAN result in a healthier, pet with a longer average lifespan (20 years for most hybrids), many wild species have personality traits that are incompatible with domestication-but not all. Servals, caracals, and bobcats are all generally fairly mellow animals, and as I noted earlier, servals are semi-domesticated already in Africa and bobcats contributed to the Maine Coon breed. Leopard cats (used in bengal breeding programs) and jungle cats (used in breeding chausies) have less predictable personalities, and thus shouldn't be used for such programs (IMO). Ocelots, for example, are more aggressive than most big cats, so they are right out! Responsible owners of hybrids can serve a purpose, though; to educate people about the intrinsic worth of wildlife. Americans are conditioned by pest control companies and sportsmen to believe that all wildlife is dangerous. When people have a first hand experience with wild or semi-wild animals, they are more likely to feel compassion for them, and thus work to preserve their habitats and ensure their survival. When I was a child, a neighbor of ours had a pet red fox, and to this day fox coats horrify me! A trip to Big Cat rescue in Tampa (www.bigcatrescue.com ) will certainly make anyone else feel the same way when seeing a lynx jacket or tiger rug.

Bottom line; no matter where your pet comes from, we should all encourage responsible pet ownership which includes spaying and neutering, and we should all drop a dollar or more in the bucket when offered the opportunity to save an animal's life. I support the right of responsible breeders to continue offering pets to the public because I know those same people are usually far more active in also helping to find homes for homeless pets than the majority of pet owners in this country. If they were not, I'm sure I would feel differently.

[kslib]

16. Good thoughts.

I struggled (and still do) a lot with purebred v. shelter when I first got Bubba. I went with shelter because I couldn't stand the thought of buying a cat when I could rescue one. I also thought that a moggie would be healthier (like mutts are). Well, I was really wrong about that, Bubba costs me about $1000 a year in just "routine" maintenance. He has some as yet unidentified food allergy which I'm currently doing food trials for, although his sores are still unhealed (although smaller and no new ones, which is a vast improvement!) and the antibiotics are starting to make him sick to his stomach. He also has chronic constipation, and about twice a year has to go in for an enema and subcutaneous fluids. None of this is hampering his quality of life. He's still playful and loving. He still enjoys bug and bird watching, he just hates getting his pills. So much for a healthier cat!

Before picking him, I really wanted to adopt a Maine Coon. I love the breed, but had heard that they had hip dysplasia, and knew I would probably have to pony up the $1500 in one shot someday. Now I know that that isn't necessarily true if you buy from a reputable breeder.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Bubba, and my other rescue, Gracie, but once Bubba gives up the good fight :cry: Which is really painful to think about, I will probably look into the Maine Coon route. I don't know, I'll probably struggle with it then too.

So hard!

[Lorien]

18. I'm so sorry to hear about Bubba

I know exactly haw you feel. I went deeply into debt myself trying to save Peewee and Jasper (both rescues). There was nothing I wouldn't do for my furkids! Have you tried "pill pockets" when giving Bubba his meds? I use them daily for the kitties vitamins, and all three love them.

I know about the struggle; I went to every shelter in town before settling on trying to find a healthy purebred (purebred cats tend to have fewer health issues than purebred dogs because most haven't been "overbred" for certain traits-in fact, the goal of most breeders is to create a pet WITHOUT a future of serious health issues) I had no plans to purchase a cat (other than the traditional $150 adoption fee), but I consider the $600 I spent on each of my cats a bargain, simply because I can review the health records of all those who came before them. My idea of a perfect world for pets would be one in which ALL pets came from breeders who had carefully eradicated HCM, hereditary blood diseases and cancers, deafness and hip dysplasia. Every owner would be carefully interviewed and would sign contracts to agree to yearly vet visits, spaying and neutering, and would agree to return the pet to the breeder if they could no longer care for it (as most responsible breeders require). Then, perhaps, we wouldn't see the heartbreaking suffering of so many unwanted pets in this country, and so much animal cruelty and neglect!

One can dream. *sigh*

[AlienGirl]

19. There aren't pregnancy problems when Savannahs are bred to Savannahs

The F1 females (I believe) are fertile, as are F2 and later males.

These cats do seem to be well-adjusted; the serval lines were semi-domestic anyway, and servals, for the most part, have a human-compatible personality. ("Dog-like" is how most people put it.)

That said...I'd rather rescue than support breeders.

Tucker

[regnaD kciN]

20. I'd pay $1200 for a pair of Traditional Siamese...

...but it seems that, every time we have an "opening" at our house (due to the passing of one of our older cats), an abandoned or neglected stray will just sort of "turn up" at our door.

This has happened time after time. I was never all that surprised when it happened at our old apartment, as asshol...I mean renters there would often move to "no-pets" complexes and just leave their pet behind to try to find a new owner. (Most of them seemed to eventually find us.)

But, when we moved to a house in a exurban development, I figured that those days were behind us. Not so fast -- one of our neighbors was a renter family who kept cats but never bothered neutering them, or doing much else other than putting a food dish on the porch. Three of their second-generation litters made their way to our door, and have never left (although the asshol...I mean renters did).