Bengal Cat problem

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

We have a neutered male bengal cat that is nearly a year old. As we live in a quiet cul de sac backing onto woods he is an outdoor cat. Everyone locally knows him as he comes with us when we walk the dogs and is very friendly. However, we have had our first complaint about him.

He is so friendly (and confident) that he is going into other houses and is taunting and generally terrifying the other neighbourhood cats. He even taunts dogs as they walk past the house on their leads. He lives with a lab and a springer so is very dog friendly but the elderly couple across the road have an equally elderly terrier and he is going into their house and is 'duffing up' the poor dog and has pulled a load of lights down from their conservatory roof. I have suggested that they 'shoot' him with a powerful water pistol which I can supply but does anyone have any other suggestions as to how we can train him where is out of bounds? Or is there something that I can buy our neighbours that will prevent him from going to their house?

To give you an idea of his personality he has even been seen playing with the local fox. Thank you in advance.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

no idea how to solve it as I know little about cats apart from them being free spirits. he sounds hilarious though. the neighbourhood thug lol Better watch, he'll be getting an asbo! x

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Funnily enough his breeder called him Asbo! She obviously knew what she had bred.

 

[gracey]

oh lol, the joys of a Bengal, I so miss mine.. erm I never found a way to 'cure' mine, he would go into everyone and anyone's house and make himself right at home, several of my neighbours used to go up to bed and discover they had a snoring cat, that had beat them to it, ..he would climb into bed, under covers and the first they would know is when he would attack their toes for waking him up! .. he also wound the neighbourhood dogs up, (and our own dog) and he was the king of cats .. but after all that .. I have no idea what you can do .. try the water shooting thing on him first yourself, cos I will bet he makes it into a game

how does he get into the neighbours house? .. sorry I can't think of anything much, maybe try lemon and orange peel around the door/window .. but I doubt it xx

 

[AmyMay]

One bucket of water should deter him.

 

[catxx]

What a naughty kitty!

I would go with the water trick first. Maybe ask your neighbours to ensure they don't leave food out that might tempt him in.

There was a rangy looking mog that used to live near my mum (it's, fortunately, passed away now) - it wasn't Bengal but had that look and had been rescued from Dubai and brought over to the UK. It was friendly to people, but would savagely attack other cats - it caused my mum's cat to have several stitches (which his owners paid for). He was so cheeky he would haul open my mum's cat flap even though it was one of those magnet activated ones. She got him by the scruff when she found him in her kitchen, poured a pan of cold water over him, but that STILL didn't deter him! His owners ended up putting him on hormone tablets to try and calm his destruction of the neighbourhood.

 

[ecrozier]

Well ours used to get right into a full bath and play with the water coming out of the hose - so I'm not sure water will deter him!!
I'm afraid ours was also the same and we never cured him, we lost him at 3 (as in he just never came home one day!) god knows who he moved in with!!

 

[Antw23uk]

Super soaker should do the trick. We brought one for our neighbours when we first moved in and i caught them chasing the cat out of the garden with a stick I told them in no uncertain terms if i caught them doing it again I would rip there heads off and then with a broad smile i handed them the super soaker and said "here, use this instead" (with rules i might add)

I believe they used it once and he got the message

 

[_GG_]

Well, if he came into my house, I'd be bringing him back to you in a pretty bad mood tbh.

It all sounds harmless and innocent, but in truth, it really isn't funny. It isn't your neighbours responsibility to shoo him away, shoot him with a water pistol or fit anything around their house to deter him, even if you supply it.

If he came into my house, he might escape unharmed, but got knows what damage would be done with my four dogs in the house, wound up by a cat, especially one actively taunting them.

I've had a cat some and crap on my kitchen floor before now...I run a baking business as a part time thing out of my house, so this is disgusting to me and i ended up having to fit mesh to my windows so that I could let fresh air in without risking a cat coming in.

It sounds like you have some very patient neighbours, but honestly, I think you need to be looking more at what you can do and less at what your neighbours can do...he isn't their responsibiltiy.

Is it just me that sees it this way? Don't get me wrong, I love cats, but this is the reason I won't have them. I'd be constantly worried and constantly feeling guilty if an animal of mine was doing that.

Bengals are beautiful though!

 

[_GG_]

What a naughty kitty!

I would go with the water trick first. Maybe ask your neighbours to ensure they don't leave food out that might tempt him in.

There was a rangy looking mog that used to live near my mum (it's, fortunately, passed away now) - it wasn't Bengal but had that look and had been rescued from Dubai and brought over to the UK. It was friendly to people, but would savagely attack other cats - it caused my mum's cat to have several stitches (which his owners paid for). He was so cheeky he would haul open my mum's cat flap even though it was one of those magnet activated ones. She got him by the scruff when she found him in her kitchen, poured a pan of cold water over him, but that STILL didn't deter him! His owners ended up putting him on hormone tablets to try and calm his destruction of the neighbourhood.

I understand food may tempt a cat in...but people shouldn't have to change the way they do things because of someone elses pet.

 

[MagicMelon]

We never let our Bengals out of our garden, mainly because their so enquisitive that they'd probably end up getting into the post mans van or something. If I'm honest, I think you need to keep your cat in your garden full stop. Just because you've only had one complaint, I bet more people are irritated by your cat if its always getting into their houses or duffing up their pets! I dont think you should expect your elderly neighbours to use a water pistol on your cat, and also why should they have something put in their garden to keep it out? Its really up to you to do so, you could probably still take it for walks with the dogs or something but otherwise, I think you should fence your garden so it stays in and doesn't keep upsetting everyone elses pets! NOBODY likes their pet being beaten up! The last place we lived, there was a thug of a cat that used to roam the neighbourhood beating cats up, even though my cats stayed in my garden, this brute would always pay mine a visit beating them up - NOT impressed, really peed me off.

Now we have to put up with our neighbours free-range dog coming over to our place - we're having to go to the expense of putting up a large fence to section off a piece of our large garden purely to keep our cats safe from it! And I'm forever picking up dog crap out of the front garden where it stops off which drives me nuts especially as I dont let my dog "go" there as my son likes to play on that lawn!

 

[_GG_]

We never let our Bengals out of our garden, mainly because their so enquisitive that they'd probably end up getting into the post mans van or something. If I'm honest, I think you need to keep your cat in your garden full stop. Just because you've only had one complaint, I bet more people are irritated by your cat if its always getting into their houses or duffing up their pets! I dont think you should expect your elderly neighbours to use a water pistol on your cat, and also why should they have something put in their garden to keep it out? Its really up to you to do so, you could probably still take it for walks with the dogs or something but otherwise, I think you should fence your garden so it stays in and doesn't keep upsetting everyone elses pets! NOBODY likes their pet being beaten up! The last place we lived, there was a thug of a cat that used to roam the neighbourhood beating cats up, even though my cats stayed in my garden, this brute would always pay mine a visit beating them up - NOT impressed, really peed me off.

Now we have to put up with our neighbours free-range dog coming over to our place - we're having to go to the expense of putting up a large fence to section off a piece of our large garden purely to keep our cats safe from it! And I'm forever picking up dog crap out of the front garden where it stops off which drives me nuts especially as I dont let my dog "go" there as my son likes to play on that lawn!

How bl00dy annoying...why won't your neighbours keep their dog under control.

We have so many dogs around us that when we walk our four, we keep hold of all the full poo bags and put them in our own bin just so that all our neighbours see that we pick up after them as so many people don't. For some reason, having four dogs seems to make people automatically assume it is us that leaves crap all over the pavements. If a cat gets in our garden, it runs out pretty quickly when it sees the dogs...but if a dog ran in, god help it.

Why can't people just be responsible for the animals they have chosen to have.

OP, I understand this thread IS you trying to be responsible, but I think MagicMelon has made a very good point above.

 

[MagicMelon]

How bl00dy annoying...why won't your neighbours keep their dog under control.

Who knows. Guess they think it enjoys its free-range time, problem is its actually dangerous. Its run out in front of my car a few times, and even twice in front of my OH on his motorbike... I have said to the neighbours in as tactful a way as possible, but I dont want to fall out with them either as they're perfectly nice people. Just wish they'd fence their garden (its unfenced yet they wonder why it runs off).

 

[Suelin]

Years ago I had a siamese with this kind of attitude. He was hell bent on duffing up this elderly whippet, even if they were out on a walk. The whippet owner came to ask what she should do and I suggested cold water. He soon decided that he didn't like being wet and gave it up. They can be so naughty at times.

Our cat used to nick stuff from other people's kitchens as well. Sausages, any type of meaty shopping and christmas was a nightmare. He stole large bits of everyone else's turkey!!

 

[MagicMelon]

Years ago I had a siamese with this kind of attitude. He was hell bent on duffing up this elderly whippet, even if they were out on a walk. The whippet owner came to ask what she should do and I suggested cold water. He soon decided that he didn't like being wet and gave it up. They can be so naughty at times.

Our cat used to nick stuff from other people's kitchens as well. Sausages, any type of meaty shopping and christmas was a nightmare. He stole large bits of everyone else's turkey!!

So...why didnt you do something to stop that?!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Well, if he came into my house, I'd be bringing him back to you in a pretty bad mood tbh.

It all sounds harmless and innocent, but in truth, it really isn't funny. It isn't your neighbours responsibility to shoo him away, shoot him with a water pistol or fit anything around their house to deter him, even if you supply it.

If he came into my house, he might escape unharmed, but got knows what damage would be done with my four dogs in the house, wound up by a cat, especially one actively taunting them.

I've had a cat some and crap on my kitchen floor before now...I run a baking business as a part time thing out of my house, so this is disgusting to me and i ended up having to fit mesh to my windows so that I could let fresh air in without risking a cat coming in.

It sounds like you have some very patient neighbours, but honestly, I think you need to be looking more at what you can do and less at what your neighbours can do...he isn't their responsibiltiy.

Is it just me that sees it this way? Don't get me wrong, I love cats, but this is the reason I won't have them. I'd be constantly worried and constantly feeling guilty if an animal of mine was doing that.

Bengals are beautiful though!

Have to say I agree with this: Bengals are known for their "issues" and the fact that they will dominate the whole cat population in the area, and, it would appear, the dogs as well.

If he came near our place then with our two terriers I suspect he'd soon find himself in slices, BUT we don't need this sort of unpleasantness.

BUT I do feel very sorry for your neighbours. I'm reluctant to suggest this OP, but am daring to suggest that there might come a time when you might have to think about either confining your Bengal by erecting some sort of secure fencing/area in your garden (wonder whether something like an aviary, fenced all round, would suffice?), OR the other option is to think about rehoming him. This is preciisely why Cats Protection have such a problem finding a suitable homing situation for a Bengal.

I do not think its OK that your cat continues to make itself a nuisance to everyone else in the area. Sorry, but I don't think that's on. The situation needs sorting, and only you can sort it.

 

[Suelin]

So...why didnt you do something to stop that?!

Quite how I was supposed to stop him was beyond me. To begin with I never knew where the stuff came from. Most of our neighbours houses seemed to have cat flaps in the doors and he was a free ranging cat, to the extent that he started to investigate the shop across the road and try to snitch the sweets!!! The shop owners, with my blessing, did the cold water treatment, and the problem over there stopped. As far as private houses went I lived on quite a big estate at the time so it was impossible to know where he was going at all hours of the day and night. It might have been good if we could have expanded on this "talent" to include him bringing in fivers but he never did.

What nobody realised at the time was that part of the estate belonged to him as far as he was concerned. He was quite a character.

 

[MagicMelon]

As far as private houses went I lived on quite a big estate at the time so it was impossible to know where he was going at all hours of the day and night.

I think as an animal owner you should ALWAYS know where your animal is! I know where mine are all the time! We let our cats out (or will be again once fence erected) only when we are home so I can keep an eye on them. You should FENCE your garden if your cat wonders, pretty simple. You hopefully wouldnt let your dog wonder free-range around the estate so why would you allow your cat to, especially when you know its causing problems?

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite - I don't think Bengals are known for their "issues". The only issues they have are caused as usual, by people. I've read on Bengal forums some tear apart furniture or leap on people as if hunting them etc. but I believe this is probably due to a very bored cat who is probably kept in a tiny flat, not suited to a Bengal. I've never had any problems with mine. They have huge personalities but certainly cause no problems whatsoever.

 

[E13]

I don't know where my cats go half the time, they have done what they liked for many years now and I don't see the problem with that. Causing a nuisance may be a different matter, but in relation to wandering cats, that is nature's way! Cats are wild animals.

*disclaimer* this is not in relation to a cat visiting other houses and causing trouble.

 

[Suelin]

I think as an animal owner you should ALWAYS know where your animal is! I know where mine are all the time! We let our cats out (or will be again once fence erected) only when we are home so I can keep an eye on them. You should FENCE your garden if your cat wonders, pretty simple. You hopefully wouldnt let your dog wonder free-range around the estate so why would you allow your cat to, especially when you know its causing problems?

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite - I don't think Bengals are known for their "issues". The only issues they have are caused as usual, by people. I've read on Bengal forums some tear apart furniture or leap on people as if hunting them etc. but I believe this is probably due to a very bored cat who is probably kept in a tiny flat, not suited to a Bengal. I've never had any problems with mine. They have huge personalities but certainly cause no problems whatsoever.

Well there you have it MM. I have never been perfect, and at my age I doubt I will now. There is, however, real hope for you. Good luck with it.

 

[_GG_]

in relation to wandering cats, that is nature's way! Cats are wild animals.

There is only one type of cat native to this country and it is hardly ever seen, let alone numbering in the millions.

Cats are not wild. They are semi domesticated.

Also, if you own one, it is your property and it absolutely should be your business what your property gets up to.

If you don't know what it is doing, how do you know it is not being a nuisance?

If it wanders, how are people to know who to complain to about any nuisance?

Buy an animal and take responsibility for it, do not leave other people to have to deal with it.

 

[_GG_]

Last post wasn't all directed at you by the way...general statements at the end and my opinion of course. But also law where property is concerned.

 

[E13]

There is only one type of cat native to this country and it is hardly ever seen, let alone numbering in the millions.

Cats are not wild. They are semi domesticated.

Also, if you own one, it is your property and it absolutely should be your business what your property gets up to.

If you don't know what it is doing, how do you know it is not being a nuisance?

If it wanders, how are people to know who to complain to about any nuisance?

Buy an animal and take responsibility for it, do not leave other people to have to deal with it.

Well, yes I was exaggerating a bit with the wild thing but cats aren't controlled by law as dogs are, if a cat does something you are not legally responsible (afraid I don't know the ins and outs but I do know this IS the case). This isn't an excuse, just the 'official' stance.

I know my cats, I can read every nuance and emotion, and it's really unlikely that they are a nuisance, especially as they are older now. I live in the country and the majority of their wandering will be through the fields. But this is my personal opinion about my own family members.

I just think it's difficult to control a cat's behaviour. They are not dogs and their lifestyle is different, and keeping them like a dog isn't fair. I completely agree that it's not fair for people to have to put up with unwanted behaviour from someone else's cat. What I'm saying is, that aside, cats should be allowed to do their own thing.
The OP is on about getting into trouble and irritating neighbours, which is an aside from the above. And yes, that is not on, and should be rectified. It just isn't a hard and fast rule that you should know the whereabouts of every cat at all times and no cat should ever wander. It depends on the situation.

I hope I'm making sense this late at night!

 

[Moomin1]

Well, if he came into my house, I'd be bringing him back to you in a pretty bad mood tbh.

It all sounds harmless and innocent, but in truth, it really isn't funny. It isn't your neighbours responsibility to shoo him away, shoot him with a water pistol or fit anything around their house to deter him, even if you supply it.

If he came into my house, he might escape unharmed, but got knows what damage would be done with my four dogs in the house, wound up by a cat, especially one actively taunting them.

I've had a cat some and crap on my kitchen floor before now...I run a baking business as a part time thing out of my house, so this is disgusting to me and i ended up having to fit mesh to my windows so that I could let fresh air in without risking a cat coming in.

It sounds like you have some very patient neighbours, but honestly, I think you need to be looking more at what you can do and less at what your neighbours can do...he isn't their responsibiltiy.

Is it just me that sees it this way? Don't get me wrong, I love cats, but this is the reason I won't have them. I'd be constantly worried and constantly feeling guilty if an animal of mine was doing that.

Bengals are beautiful though!

Errr, is OP not ASKING what they can do to prevent this situation.

You sound pretty unrealistic, and yes, I think you may well be looking at this situation very differently to others.

Have you ever owned a cat?

 

[Moomin1]

So...why didnt you do something to stop that?!

What were they meant to do exactly?

 

[Moomin1]

Well, yes I was exaggerating a bit with the wild thing but cats aren't controlled by law as dogs are, if a cat does something you are not legally responsible (afraid I don't know the ins and outs but I do know this IS the case). This isn't an excuse, just the 'official' stance.

I know my cats, I can read every nuance and emotion, and it's really unlikely that they are a nuisance, especially as they are older now. I live in the country and the majority of their wandering will be through the fields. But this is my personal opinion about my own family members.

I just think it's difficult to control a cat's behaviour. They are not dogs and their lifestyle is different, and keeping them like a dog isn't fair. I completely agree that it's not fair for people to have to put up with unwanted behaviour from someone else's cat. What I'm saying is, that aside, cats should be allowed to do their own thing.
The OP is on about getting into trouble and irritating neighbours, which is an aside from the above. And yes, that is not on, and should be rectified. It just isn't a hard and fast rule that you should know the whereabouts of every cat at all times and no cat should ever wander. It depends on the situation.

I hope I'm making sense this late at night!

Yes, by law you are completely right, and by common sense too!

 

[Moomin1]

I think as an animal owner you should ALWAYS know where your animal is! I know where mine are all the time! We let our cats out (or will be again once fence erected) only when we are home so I can keep an eye on them. You should FENCE your garden if your cat wonders, pretty simple. You hopefully wouldnt let your dog wonder free-range around the estate so why would you allow your cat to, especially when you know its causing problems?

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite - I don't think Bengals are known for their "issues". The only issues they have are caused as usual, by people. I've read on Bengal forums some tear apart furniture or leap on people as if hunting them etc. but I believe this is probably due to a very bored cat who is probably kept in a tiny flat, not suited to a Bengal. I've never had any problems with mine. They have huge personalities but certainly cause no problems whatsoever.

Bored cats that are kept in tiny flats? A bit like some cats who would like to go further than the garden fence, you mean?

 

[Luci07]

Have dogs so cats are a no go for me. However I had always thought Bengals were different from your normal household cats? is this why it has been suggested that OP could keep him in the garden? as I can't see what would keep a cat in...or I would ask my neighbour to stop hers coming in and pooing on the gravel part of my driveway!

 

[_GG_]

Errr, is OP not ASKING what they can do to prevent this situation.

You sound pretty unrealistic, and yes, I think you may well be looking at this situation very differently to others.

Have you ever owned a cat?

Rescued a few as a kid but not owned them no. Yes, the OP was asking what to do to prevent the situation...but more what others can do to prevent a cat they don't own bothering them and their animals. I'd like to think the OP or any cat owner, as with any animal owner would first think what they can do to prevent something. It just seemed the onus was being put on others to deal with it when in reality, is it fair that they should have to?

Not sure why you felt the need to shout but hey ho...yes, we all have different views.

 

[MagicMelon]

Bored cats that are kept in tiny flats? A bit like some cats who would like to go further than the garden fence, you mean?

My cats are damn happy thanks. They have no behaviour problems whatsoever, a stressed cat soon lets it be known. We have a large house and about an acre of garden - I think my cats are happy with that... they look really stressed in my signature don't they?! I was actually told by the breeders of my Bengals to NEVER let them out of the house because they'd run off, so they actually probably have it a lot better than others.