Bengal cats

[ktj1891]

My retired parents are looking to get a Bengal cat.

Does anyone on here have one or can tell me a bit about them? I have also researched and seen that they are very energetic and vocal cats.

Most also suggest they keep them as indoor cats or in a catio or secured garden etc. Is this vital? We have two other cats already that roam free with a big field out the back of our house.

Thoughts greatly appreciated!

 

[meleeka]

A neighbour has one and there’s no way she’d be able to keep her as a house cat!

The cat is very sociable and just a lovely cat. She’s quite sensitive and will hide if she’s not happy about anything. She likes being out though and luckily there’s no roads near her house. She will make friends with anyone, even dogs and lives with other cats.

Somebody else on our road had one and used to walk it on a lead. That one was quite scatty and had a lot of energy.

 

[Shady]

Hopefully Mrs B will come on and post . She has 2 and possibly has the most experience of them on here.
Personally I agree with Meleeka and if there was one breed i'd not want to keep as a house cat it would be a Bengal . A large, interesting garden might be enough.
If your parents do decide on one I would also advise being very careful where they buy and not be tempted by a cheap one from Pets4homes. Find a LONG established breeder
If it's the dramatic markings that your parents like rather than the breed itself perhaps look at a really good British silver spotted or tabby. Or an Oriental( harder to get a clear spot or tabby now as sloppy breeding has 'shaded' the clarity , but not impossible)
The British are lazy and the Orientals, although very active, are devoted to their owners ,so a garden or patio would be ok.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

My cat is part Bengal and is essentially a dog. He loves people and is so friendly and sweet natured. I’d imagine people recommend keeping them inside as they are very valuable.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I like spotty cats and researched everything from British spotteds to Savannahs. I decided against the Savannah quite quickly! I did get an Egyptian Mau and then after the death of our Burmese we got another spotty, an Ocicat.

If they aren't stuck on having spots, I would actually recommend a Burmese as everyone I have ever known who's had a Burmese has adored them and misses them like crazy.

Here's the Mau, the Ocicat and the Burmese that we have/had.

 

[Carlosmum]

My son has a half Bengal, 7 mnth kitten. she is gorgeous. Very friendly, plays fetch., chatters alot but can be a bit 'rude' she is liable to climb legs or just jump onto someone when she feel like it and she is not one to keep her claws to herself. I agree with ownedbyaconnie she is essentially a dog. As yet she has not been allowed outside and will probably remain a house cat.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I want to pin people down by what they mean by 'dog like' when referring to cats. So often people say that and I just can't see it as the cats they use it as a description of are normally (in my eyes) the essence of feline.

It is normal for cats to enjoy their owners company. They like to follow and see what's going on and 'supervising' their owner is one of a cats favourite things to do... 'curiosity killed the cat' and all that.

ETA pic. I wanted to add this pic of Kasper 'helping' me do the horses during the snow we had last November. He has come to do the horses almost every day from when he was vaccinated as a kitten. All but the very worst weather does not put him off. His favourite job however is doing the electric fence.

 

[PurBee]

I want to pin people down by what they mean by 'dog like' when referring to cats. So often people say that and I just can't see it as the cats they use it as a description of are normally (in my eyes) the essence of feline.

It is normal for cats to enjoy their owners company. They like to follow and see what's going on and 'supervising' their owner is one of a cats favourite things to do... 'curiosity killed the cat' and all that.

ETA pic. I wanted to add this pic of Kasper 'helping' me do the horses during the snow we had last November. He has come to do the horses almost every day from when he was vaccinated as a kitten. All but the very worst weather does not put him off. His favourite job however is doing the electric fence.

When i click on pics to view only 1/3 or 1/2 the pic will load and show - anyone else get this? Not just this thread it happens on...my connection is fast...is it the pic server being dodgy?

 

[ktj1891]

100% want a Bengal. We already have a female maincoon and moggy white cat!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

When i click on pics to view only 1/3 or 1/2 the pic will load and show - anyone else get this? Not just this thread it happens on...my connection is fast...is it the pic server being dodgy?

The photo is quite big in its expanded form even though I did reduce it so that the forum could upload it. If I hover the cursor over the photo it has a + so that I can expand it, or if fully expanded a - shows which reduces it down to a size that fits the screen.

 

[PurBee]

The photo is quite big in its expanded form even though I did reduce it so that the forum could upload it. If I hover the cursor over the photo it has a + so that I can expand it, or if fully expanded a - shows which reduces it down to a size that fits the screen.

Ive just retried and theyre loading now. Maybe the sites server gets glitchy?
Im on a touchscreen so cant hover mouse...i click on pic for larger view.
Your cats are gorgeous!

I have a full black rescue male who follows me everywhere, goes for long walks with me and the dogs, he’s far more interested in human activities than the other 2.
However, once, the whole gang followed me on a walk, 2 dogs and 3 black cats wild mushroom hunting in the forest! All cats miaowing the whole way...scamping around...shooting up trees, running from the dogs, hiding in leaf piles...it was hilarious, and as always, during those special moments there isnt a camera to hand...

 

[EventingMum]

A friend has a pure Bengal and she loves to be outside, she was quite timid when younger but is better now and has recently struck up a real friendship with their labrador. We have a half Bengal yard cat who is a real character and gets up to all sorts of mischief, again he would hate to be confined indoors.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

We have a Bengal and he is huge part of our family and is also a huge personality. He’s not a house cat but we are lucky as we live in a quiet cul de sac which backs onto woods. He roams and we often don’t see him for a few days on a regular basis during the summer. He comes for walks when we go out with dogs and he comes to the allotment with me and hunts for mice. He is very vocal and has a huge range of sounds, from angry yowls to ‘love you’ chirrups. He’s not affectionate but will spend hours with my daughter in bed. He’s a fussy eater, only 1 brand of food with do (in the right flavour) and he’s not very pleasant to the neighbourhood cats. When we wanted another cat we were turned down by the local rescue because of him so we bought a farm kitten who ironically is a huge thug and puts him well in his place. He loves our dogs.

He’s cost a fortune in microchip reading cat flaps for all our neighbours....he was going into their houses terrorising their cats, and everyone locally knows him... as he visits his people on a regular basis. The new people next door told me a lovely story about their very young son who loved his new cat. They were very confused as they didn’t have a cat but the young boy was very sure he did have one that lived under his bed. Sure enough it was our cat sneaking in through an open window. The vets hate him, says on his notes that he is sod...he is but only with them when they stick things in him.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Ive just retried and theyre loading now. Maybe the sites server gets glitchy?
Im on a touchscreen so cant hover mouse...i click on pic for larger view.
Your cats are gorgeous!

I have a full black rescue male who follows me everywhere, goes for long walks with me and the dogs, he’s far more interested in human activities than the other 2.
However, once, the whole gang followed me on a walk, 2 dogs and 3 black cats wild mushroom hunting in the forest! All cats miaowing the whole way...scamping around...shooting up trees, running from the dogs, hiding in leaf piles...it was hilarious, and as always, during those special moments there isnt a camera to hand...

It sounds fun was had by all! I hope you found some mushrooms.

 

[tallyho!]

I have a female Bengal and she is really quiet, careful but definitely not a house cat! The males are more vocal. The best cat in personality though. Very loyal. Loves water and will happily join you in the shower or bath. Ultimate family cat.

when she was a kitten she did do random things like jump on your back/shoulder/head and grab your feet like she was going to kill it but I forgive her ?

well the whole dog thing... I have had other cats and dog and this one is def more dog as she plays with you, if you throw stuff she catches and brings back. She gets your attention and keeps and obeys orders.

my other normal cat ignores you and only turns up when it’s food time. Or sleeps.

 

[PurBee]

It sounds fun was had by all! I hope you found some mushrooms.

Im wishing i could train my gsd to sniff out black summer truffles around beech trees and ceps!

 

[Mrs B]

Hello! Well, yes we do have (as Shady says) 2 Bengals. They are hugely fun, full on, vocal and I wouldn't be without them despite what you may read below

Mr B and I have both had cats all our lives and would say we're quite experienced cat owners; of all sorts of mogs and breeds ... solving problems, making them happy and generally being used to acting as glorified staff

Our girls are 2 years apart from a very reputable breeder who socialises her cats very well. They are distantly related and for the first 2 or 3 years they adored each other. Now the younger (Pip) drives the older (Pads) out of the house at the drop of a mouse but we manage the situation as best we can!

Anyway - there isn't really a 'type' as far as we can see except that they do revert to the 'wild' bit at times which you need to take into account. For instance, I cannot get them fastened in a cage to take to the vets for their jabs. Particularly Pip, who will physically burst open the latched door of the cage in a panic by bending the metal gate. And her stress levels afterwards are off the chart.

So I have resorted to getting them jabbed at home, which is expensive :/

Pip thinks the world is going to happen to her.
Pads thinks she is going to happen to the world.

They are free range and I think it depends entirely whether you have one sort or the other. Pip would adapt to being a house cat well, but Pads would be very, very unhappy being kept in. She thinks Devon belongs to her. And bits of Dorset. And Somerset ...

I'd say treat them as any other cat. But be prepared for the fact that they ARE part wild.

PM me if you want to know anything else

Photo taken in the days when they loved each other ... Pip on the left and Pads on the right.

 

[cbmcts]

I have part bengal female who I got as a rescue at 6 years old. She is very loving, gentle and chatty until you try and pick her up or put her in a carrier, then all's fair in love and war. More than once I've had to reassure staff at the vets that the blood is mine not hers! She bullies the 55kg dog unmercifully. He doesn't have to do anything but if she's in a mood will have a pop at him, not allow him in through doors etc. When I'm out, they are seperated - for his sake!

She wouldn't like to be a house cat - not in summer anyway - and goes in and out the bathroom window most of the time. I have to pre warn visitors that they may have a cat fly over their head when they're on the loo. She's wary of strangers so doesn't visit other houses but defends her garden (and the ones each side of it) from other cats. Except for the thugginess with the dog and that she will growl at you if she has 'special' food , she's no different in behaviour to the cats I've had over the years, she very much paddles her own canoe, so to speak just like most cats.

 

[P3LH]

Everyone I know who’s had them go out has been off their neighbours Christmas card list pretty quick. From terrorising neighbourhood cats to commandeering entire neighbourhood houses.

I think they are lovely to look at but know I couldn’t cope with them. I looked into the breed around 15 years ago or so and knew then it wouldn’t work for me. I know many (generally bought for cosmetic reasons) and they vary a lot in temperament. One is downright aggressive. Others are quite pleasant but hit and miss about , as others have already mentioned, reverting wild a bit. One friend in particular can go weeks without seeing theirs (they live very remotely and he takes himself off hunting)

id also say from experience a Bengal come moggy offspring will be quite different to a pure bengals character and temperament. I actually had a friend who did some outcrossing from their snows to tabby colour point British shorthair to try and mellow the temperament a bit. It was hit and miss. I know of someone who bought a pair of bengal x Siamese and they were the most neurotic cats I’d ever known.

I do like the snow lynx spot bengals though, I believe that’s the right term for them.

 

[ozpoz]

We have a Bengal, very traumatised on arrival, hid and slunk around for weeks. He is adorable, friendly, vocal and fun. Also very intelligent and extremely beautiful, spotty like a snow leopard in colour. His coat is like silk velvet and the very fine hairs mean extra hoovering.
We have not yet worked out how he would cope with a vet appointment apart from a home visit. He is playful and sociable with the older ex stable cat. He doesn’t venture off the doorstep, and did not have a happy past, ending up severely underweight with the rspca.
His paws are enormous.and at times he looks like a mini leopard. Smitten, really. ?

 

[Snowy Celandine]

I've looked after Bengals both in the past and currently, and found them to be typically intelligent, playful and very vocal as well as being athletic, adventurous and beautiful. Burmese have always been my breed but I'd definitely consider a Bengal or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, a Ragdoll, having looked after one who was such a lovely chap. We might be getting a Sphynx or two into the cattery later in the year and I can't wait to see what they are like too. Honestly, owning a cattery is like working in a restaurant with constant access to the 'taster menu' ?