i want to get a Bengal cat.. because I can't have a dog!?

Question

Do you have any experience with this breed? How big can they grow and generally speaking how do they behave? Can it be left to its own devices for upto 9 hours a day?

Answer 1

Energy Level: High.
Confident, alert, curious, intelligent and friendly. Bengals are known to be big talkers, communicating with their large, expressive eyes what they can't convey through meows and chirps.

Typically, any progeny off of the Leopard Cat will inherit at least some parental traits. As each generation moves away from the Leopard Cat heritage, some of those traits may be removed or lessoned to some degree. The Foundation Bengal is often leery of new situations because nature has instilled a cautious intelligence in their ancestors. They need a stable and secure environment and typically do not adapt to variations within their everyday life. The commitment to a Foundation Bengal must be considered to be life-long because while they may not bond to all people, if they do, it is usually passionately intense and breaking this bond can destroy the spirit of the cat. They are not your traditional pet cat and there needs to be a clear understanding of the environment and lifestyle one needs to achieve in order to form the trusting relationship that may be possible with them. The Foundation Bengal is not predisposed to being aggressive but when faced with an uncomfortable situation (often involving loud noises, quick movements, or strange people or situations), they typically show a shyness and look for a safe and quiet place. This may be any area of their home where they have chosen as a safe and secure environment, perhaps a separate room or a remote cat tree where they can be "alone", until they feel safe and secure. Every Foundation Bengal is different, with individual personalities and different reactions to every situation.

The Foundation Bengal is an intense feline with many aspects of the Asian Leopard Cat behavior that can make a fascinating addition to the appropriate home. However, those same idiosynchrocies can make life very uncomfortable for both owner and cat if the household is unprepared or unable to accept them on the Foundation Bengal’s terms. The closer the Foundation Bengal is to the Asian Leopard Cat, the stronger the instinctive behaviors and the less likely that they can be modified to fit the owner's expectations. A true Foundation Cat enthusiast does not expect the cat to change to fit the owner's lifestyle, but rather is willing to change their lifestyle to accept the behavior of the cat. In general, while SBT's adapt readily to new situations, new people and new places, Foundation Cats find it more difficult to do so and are much more easily stressed by those changes.

Hope This Helps

Answer 2

Hi there....Bengals are a very hyperactive cat as well as extremely vocal and loud cats much more than Siamese cats. They are interested in everything their owners are doing. Many love water and a few will take showers with their owners. They certainly enjoy affection however only on their own terms as they rarely like being held or are lap cats. However, some are an exception to this rule. Ideally, they may not be a good fit for young children, because children want to cuddle and Bengals are far from being such a cat.

Bengals should never be declawed as it leads to overcompensation with vicious biting since they have larger canine teeth than a typical domestic cat as well inappropriately soiling (urinating/defecating) around the home. Something we have witnessed too frequently with the rescues we take in. Many enjoy the company of another kitty or dog as they don't like to be without attention too long, however again there are few who are exceptions to this rule.

Bengals should never be allowed to roam freely outdoors as they are apt to be stolen and later sold sometimes for profit. However, they will take to leash training easily and it is the safest way to give them some of the outdoor enjoyment.

Many Bengals require a healthier diet of closer to raw as many suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)--loose stools syndrome. Royal Canin 27 is generally what Bengal breeders use to feed their cats since this is highly endorsed with The Int'l Cat Assoc (TICA). There are premium brands such as Innova EVO or Nature's Variety Prairie (see other diets listed below) that help easy the problem with IBS. Any of the cat foods that contains the ingredient corn, corn meal causes severe bowel distresses so it's best to choose cat food products that steer clear of these ingredients.

As a rescuer we always let new Bengal families know if in event there's a time in the future you are unable to keep your bengal perhaps to allergies, medical illness in the family or moving overseas, etc all responsible Bengal breeders WILL take their cats back (no questions asked) as it is their ethical agreement with TICA in the sale of the kittens. There are also Bengal rescuers located all over the world and we are also willing to help with rehoming if necessary. We try to keep Bengals from ending up in the shelters as many euthanize them quickly believing they are a wild cat and not safe as a pet, when in fact they are domesticated since they are four or more generations removed from their wild relative the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC).

Diets for Bengals:
Their diet should consist of very high protein rather than the usual commercial cat food, which contains corn, corn meal and preservative fillers... for example those would be: IAMS, Science Diet, Purina, Whiskas and many others...essentially, anything from the grocery store and pet stores. The reason being is that Bengals commonly suffer from lifelong Irritable Bowel Syndrome so if you live in a large metropolitan city look for a specialty pet store that carries premium cat food products such as California Natural, Innova EVO.