Where should breakable objects go when a Savannah discovers vertical zoomies?

I’ve learned the hard way-anything fragile needs to be in a closed cabinet or behind glass doors. My Savannah once cleared a shelf I thought was safe, about six feet up, during a vertical zoomie session. She used the wall for a springboard and knocked off a ceramic vase I’d had for years. Now, I keep breakables in a china cabinet with latches, or I store them in rooms she doesn’t access during her high-energy times. Don’t trust open shelves, even high ones-they’ll climb like a mountain goat.

Secure them inside heavy furniture that can't be tipped, not just on high shelves. A Savannah's vertical jump can easily reach seven feet from a standstill, and they often use walls or furniture as springboards to gain extra height. I've seen owners lose pieces placed on top of tall bookcases because the cat launched from an adjacent shelf. Instead, put breakables in a low, sturdy china cabinet with locking doors, or store them in a room with a solid door that stays closed during active periods. Vertical zoomies aren't about height-they're about trajectory and leverage.

Put breakables inside deep, lidded display boxes or glass domes anchored to shelves with museum putty. Many people forget that Savannahs will push items from the side or hook them with a paw, not just knock them off straight on. I had a client who lost a crystal bowl that was safely in the center of a high shelf, because her cat batted it from underneath while hanging upside down off the edge. Securing items directly to the surface, rather than just placing them high up, stops the cat from using leverage or gravity to send them flying.

After a long pause, I’d say the real trick is to stop thinking in terms of height altogether. A Savannah doesn’t just jump up-they ricochet off walls, the backs of sofas, even the refrigerator door, creating unpredictable arcs. I keep my own fragile pieces inside a solid wood cabinet with doors that click shut, not on open shelves. But more importantly, I anchor anything that can’t be enclosed-like a tall vase on a sideboard-to the surface using a thin strip of museum gel, and I place it flush against a wall, not near a ledge. Even then, I accept that no spot is truly safe during a zoomie, so I also move the truly precious things into a room with a closed door for the hour of madness.

Inside latched cabinets or locked rooms. A Savannah's zoomies transform any shelf into a launchpad. My favorite vase now lives behind a childproof lock.