Bengal cats

[Kushina]

Was thinking about getting two kittens, but I work full time 7-4 M-F, and the cats would be home alone. I havn't had any pets other than chickens, hens and chicks when I was < 8. So I was wondering what kind of experience do I need to have these two ? People keep saying you need to be a highly experienced cat owner to have Bengal cats ?

 

[evident]

don't get bengal cats if you want low maintenance ones. trust me on that. they haven't been domesticated as long as some other breeds and are still closely related to their wild cousins from africa.

I'd focus more on breeds that have been bred for their personality and closeness to humans... for example I have two ragdolls that are low energy, sleep all day long and hang out with me when i come home from work. also maine coons are pretty domesticated as well. my raggies are the first pets i've ever owned in my life and they've been nothing but awesome. I found the trick with cats is was when I first got them was to spend a ton of time with them, get them used to stuff you want them to do, for example, brushing, clipping nails, giving baths (my cats still hate baths but they won't cut me up when i'm giving it to them). I got them used to using scratching posts and not messing up the furniture.

so yeah, as a first time pet owner who works 8-10 hours a day, i highly recommend the ragdoll breed. or adopt!

 

[mmntech]

Most of my knowledge about Bengals is from my listening to Anthony Cumia talk about his little Beavis on the radio. And he mocks Stern for his newfound cat love.

They're adorable, and look like little leopards. However, they are a lot of work due to their "wild" tendencies and high energy. They require a lot of exercise and training. Bengals are also a very expensive pure breed to buy. Think a couple grand each, IIRC.

Also, since you're off to work for 8 hours per day, I assume there'll be nobody there looking after them. That's not a breed you want having the complete run of the house. Plus cats don't like to be left alone.

I don't know much about cats, but seems like the best breed to get are those MaineCoons. A couple friends of mine have them. They possess higher than average intelligence (easier to train), are more docile/affectionate, and can be left alone a bit longer. Especially in pairs.

 

[WilliamM2]

I wouldn't get any particular breed. Go to a shelter and adopt a kitten, why pay for a pet and encourage the breeders, when there are already so many unwanted animals?

Every cat I have brought home from the shelter over the years has been friendly, and never any problems leaving them home alone while at work. Although when they are kittens, you will want to restrict them to one small room when you are not around.

 

[highland145]

However, in recent years, a novel early-onset autosomal recessive disorder was described in this breed. This disease appears to be an early-onset primary photoreceptor disorder, leading to blindness within the first year of age

..

 

[Denly]

Never have a Bengal but highly experienced cat owner here. My advise is get 2 big DSH boys. Boys are easy going, just as sweet and they will keep themself busy by fighting all day long.

Girls are more emotional and please do not get two girls.

And don't cheap out of food.

 

[SlowSpyder]

I owned a bengal cant for about five years. He was a friend's, she went off to college, I watched him, after some years he was mine. I had to give him to a friend when I got married, as the (ex)wife was allergic to cats. Anyway, my experience with him was great. As cats go (I'm a dog person) he was very friendly, never any problems leaving him alone in my home when I went to work or even overnight. He was rather clingy, though. That is, where you went, he generally went. And certainly no chance for ever sitting down or going to bed without him right there. But, that isn't a bad thing. So anyway, my experience with a bengal is limited to just one cat, but I have nothing but good things to say about the bengal cat I had for a while.

*edit - Wanted to add, mine was 16lbs, he was pretty big for a cat. Not fat either, just a big cat.

 

[SamQuint]

I watch that show My Cat From Hell sometimes and they have had a couple of episodes that featured Bengals.

The main thing is that you really need to play and exercise them a lot in order to keep them happy. Otherwise they get bored and start behaving badly. The "cure" on the show is always to spend time with them by playing to wear them out so that they are less likely to take out their aggression in bad ways like tearing up your furniture.

 

[alkemyst]

There are different levels of bengals from F1 and one (first cross to more removed generations). Usually pets start around F4, but they are still more wild than a normal cat and stronger especially their bites.

If you don't socialize them properly (most throw a cat in their house and do nothing else, then wonder why it runs everytime it sees them).

Spots and Stripes Rescue is on Facebook, I captured Cinderella which was a F3? Bengal that a house sitter let out by accident. I had a cat colony in the area and knew sooner or later that even Bengals get hungry.

 

[NoTine42]

I watch that show My Cat From Hell sometimes and they have had a couple of episodes that featured Bengals.

The main thing is that you really need to play and exercise them a lot in order to keep them happy. Otherwise they get bored and start behaving badly. The "cure" on the show is always to spend time with them by playing to wear them out so that they are less likely to take out their aggression in bad ways like tearing up your furniture.

Yep, one of those episodes, they were told to take it on daily walks (wearing a harness and leash) around the block so it understood its "territory".

They are beautiful creatures (and I'm not a cat person) almost looks like a cat I'd enjoy... but a lot more work (like some dog breeds) than I could properly handle.

 

[Kushina]

I like them, I'm not really a cat person but most dogs have too much energy for me, I think the Bengals fit my personality well. I haven't lived with them but looking at the Bengals that Linus has on it LinusCatTips channel on YouTube I really like them.

I'd be getting two new borns, or as soon as the breeder says its safe for me to take them. Preferably siblings, would it still be bad to leave them alone during the day ?

 

[fstime]

Extremely high energy, need a lot of exercise, need attention, cannot feed them cheap food, usually attach only to their owner and are wary of strangers, can act like a wild animal at times, cost around $1200.

 

[HumblePie]

I own a Bengal, bought one for my wife awhile back.

Bengals are one of the "hot" breeds right now and breeders charge a pretty penny for them. Not all the breeders take time to socialize them well either so do your research before you buy as most breeders won't sell the cat before they reach 12 weeks of age. Of which it starts to get harder to socialize the cat after that time frame and get them to really bond with you.

That being said, the cat adores my wife and couldn't give two shits about me. Which is fine. He is a good cat except he is a bit more "aloof" than my other cats. He does like to chase the other cats we have around is certainly a lot rougher without being as cuddly. Still, that is not something everyone will experience with Bengal. Our we got cheaper because the breeder didn't have anything younger than 18 weeks old. So he was pretty set in his ways by that point.

If you get one from a reputable breeder, that is doing an F4 or preferably later gen bengal, and they are willing to let one go by week 8 so you can socialize them yourself I doubt you'll have any problems with a bengal.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Never have a Bengal but highly experienced cat owner here. My advise is get 2 big DSH boys. Boys are easy going, just as sweet and they will keep themself busy by fighting all day long.

Girls are more emotional and please do not get two girls.

And don't cheap out of food.

Totally agreed. While I think Bengals are beautiful, there are plenty of plain old DSH cats that I find just as much so, and there are millions of them sitting in shelters waiting to be adopted.

A few years ago I adopted littermate tomcats, Lenny and Carl, and they have been a pleasure - they are really best buds.

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[OILFIELDTRASH]

A real man would get a bobcat.

 

[Gibsons]

I want a toyger (bengal sub breed), but I have a ~9 month old from the shelter, and she's pretty neat.
toyger, white variety

 

[zinfamous]

Don't get a bengal.

 

[Gooberlx2]

IMO, getting two cats (preferably litter mates) is always better than one. The increased maintenance and cost is negligible, and they'll be able to entertain each other all day while you work.

I've had bengals. They're great pets and act just like any other cat, if maybe a little more rambunctious/energetic and talkative than most breeds. SBT/F4 or later generations should be perfectly fine from a domestication standpoint. At that point they shouldn't be going around marking everything or being destructive, if that's what everyone else is concerned about.

That said, well bred bengals from responsible breeders should likely run about $1000 - $1500. So, you're looking at $2000 to $3000 for two cats, plus cost of initial shots and spay/neuter. For probably under $100, you can play with and find a perfect pair of kittens from the local shelter, complete with most shots and spay/neuter all done.

 

[nageov3t]

I've got 2 male bengal cats... my boyfriend's roommate and her sister both bought cats from the same litter 2 years ago. about 6 months after that, the roommate's sister had to give up the cat because her older cat didn't react well, so my boyfriend took him in.

when my boyfriend moved in with me, we took both brothers in because his roommate was moving to a place that didn't allow pets.

tbh, they pretty much keep each other occupied and entertained. I play with them, but more often than not they're just not that into it; their preferred interactions with me are sleeping on my chest, stabbing me with their claws in the morning, and occasionally whining to be carried around the house.

they are very active cats, though. while they're not outright destructive (outside of the one couch arm that they insist on clawing up), they leave a trail of ruin in their wake when they "play" together (aka: run all over the house chasing eachother with their claws out)

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I wouldn't get any particular breed. Go to a shelter and adopt a kitten, why pay for a pet and encourage the breeders, when there are already so many unwanted animals?

Every cat I have brought home from the shelter over the years has been friendly, and never any problems leaving them home alone while at work. Although when they are kittens, you will want to restrict them to one small room when you are not around.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
this, this, this, a billion times THIS

 

[Ruptga]

I know dick about Bengals, but I'm gonna step in to say that I see people say stuff like this

I wouldn't get any particular breed. Go to a shelter and adopt a kitten, why pay for a pet and encourage the breeders, when there are already so many unwanted animals?

all the time, and it makes no sense. Breeders do not cause overpopulation, fertile feral animals do. Every breeder in the world could be shot tomorrow and ten years from now we'd still have more cats and dogs than we know what to do with.

Going to the pound can save a lot of money versus buying a specialty breed, and it can be simpler, but there aren't many advantages over buying a common breed from a nearby breeder. I'd rather know what I'm buying, and I'd also rather get them young so that I can train them the way I want them.

 

[SlowSpyder]

A real man would get a bobcat.

I was this close >< to getting a bobcat. I couldn't find a vet in the area that would see it. I was told to contact the zoo, but things sort of fell a part before I could see it though... maybe one day yet, a bobcat or Canadian Lynx...

Take a look at a some pictures I got from breeders I spoke to:

 

[alkemyst]

They have domestic cats that look like Bengals that would be a much better choice for most pet owners.

Bengals are a handful. They want to bond with one person as well usually so not great 'family' pets. They can also be aggressive to attention from their non-bonded humans.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

A real man would get a bobcat.

I prefer white tigers.

 

[thedarkwolf]

I'd rather know what I'm buying, and I'd also rather get them young so that I can train them the way I want them.

You are buying a cat which will turn out to be a cat and train them LOL.