Two-year-old Jagger is an F6 Savannah cat who needs a special forever home.--Photo courtesy Carrie Renshaw
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Due to ongoing health issues, Medicine Hat resident Carrie Renshaw is on the hunt for the perfect new home for a very unique furry friend.
Two-year-old Jagger is a Savannah Cat, a companion animal that is a hybrid between the domestic cats more commonly seen in homes across the city, and a serval, a wild cat species native to Africa.
“They’re very intelligent animals. And they have to be kept busy, otherwise they get into things,” said Renshaw. “Because they’re very inquisitive. High energy, to be sure.”
Jagger is an “F6” Savannah, which means he is six generations removed from his wild ancestor. Because of this, while he retains the distinctive spotted coat, he is smaller and less overly wild than some of his ancestors. An F1, F2, or F3 Savannah cat cannot be claimed within Alberta.
Renshaw says that outside this distinctive appearance, Jagger acts largely like other cats, though he is more high-maintenance due to his energy levels and intelligence. The cat requires a lot of attention and direct playtime throughout the day for enrichment purposes.
Though this is currently helped by Renshaw’s dog, her growing health issues prevent her from being able to give Jagger the environment that would help him thrive.
“You couldn’t ask for a nicer cat,” said Renshaw. “He gets into mischief, of course, but he’s so loving, and so playful. Always purring. He’s just a great cat, but I just can’t give him what he needs, what I was giving to him before. It just breaks my heart so much, because I love this boy, and he gets along with my dog so well, but I want him to be somewhere that he gets what he needs.”
Renshaw explained that she got Jagger two years ago from a breeder, after picking him out from his kitten pictures. He came home with her at roughly the age of three months, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. She described how he waits for her to wake up every morning with equal affection as she does, or how he would employ distraction techniques to try to sneak out an open door.
While Renshaw has attempted to reach out to the breeder to return Jagger, as is common practice with many purebred animals, she explained that they have not been returning her calls. She has also had limited luck with rehoming sites, expressing concern that she would not know much about the conditions she would be sending Jagger into.
As it stands, she is searching for the perfect and forever home for her cat.
“This was supposed to be his forever home,” said Renshaw. “But I just can’t take care of him like he deserves anymore. I’m not in a rush to find somewhere for him, I just need to know that he’ll be with someone who will love him as much as I do.”
Jagger is noted to do well with dogs, but Renshaw adds that he does not do well with other cats or small children. Those interested in potentially taking in the exotic feline are encouraged to reach out via email to carrie.renshaw@shaw.ca.
