Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Bengal cat: AIBU?

88 replies

twilightcafe · 12/05/2016 09:30

We've been approved to adopt a Bengal cat from a local shelter.

We had the home visit recently but now I am getting nervous. We've had cats before (who have lived long and happy lives) but this seems like a completely different kettle of fish.

Are they really harder work than other cats? Do they have to remain indoors all the time - and how am I going to police this with two children in the house? Will we have to keep the windows shut all the time in case she tries to escape?

Have I lost my mind and am I going to regret this decision? Help!

OP posts:

Thread gallery

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 12/05/2016 14:27

Oh he's lovely!!

Get him lots of toys to encourage pouncing- laser light, feather on a stick, soft balls etc they really do need stimulation and you need to play with him not just give him the toys.

I started a thread the other day as mine yowled ALL day, ist my wit's end, Cozietoes suggested he was just telling me he was too hot and it was all my fault! As soon as the weather broke and it got cooler he piped down

I think if they are destructive that's a sign they are bored and need to go out as they are SO active, it would be like keeping a dog and never taking him for walks IMO.

cozietoesie · 12/05/2016 14:49

I recall chatting recently with Seniorboy's vet and I made a remark (among others) about whether there were any Bengals at the practice?

Her face became all sort of.........thoughtful.......and she murmured 'Ah Yes........Bengals......' And smiled rather fixedly.

I changed the subject.

Micah · 12/05/2016 14:55

You can't ignore her, because she will rip the carpet.

she will knock things off shelves until she gets what she wants!

But she's not destructive? That's pretty much my definition

Original poster

twilightcafe · 12/05/2016 15:10

RoseDog he is gorgeous!

OP posts:

lljkk · 12/05/2016 15:33

I have to say that the more that's written the less special Bengals sound. At least one of my moggies does any of those things, too. Plus the Bengal meowers on youtube are for can't-ignore vocals.

Original poster

twilightcafe · 12/05/2016 15:38

Probably got more road sense, too, lljkk

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 12/05/2016 16:59

Hah. We wouldn't allow that sort of dramatics at cozietowers, lljkk.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 12/05/2016 17:29

Our cat does that outside rather than use the cat flap! I feel sorry for our neighbours!!

flossietoot · 12/05/2016 18:38

I have had two female bengals. I never had any bother with either of them. They are fairly territorial and didn't like it when our new baby arrived home- actually peed in the baby bag and stole the baby bottles! But they were absolutely gorgeous, their fur is so soft and pretty, and they are amazing hunters.

starsmurf · 12/05/2016 18:42

If your new Bengal is friendly and chatty, she may have the best characteristics of the breed and not have the worst sides. She'll be energetic, so I'd recommend stocking up on the Flying Frenzy and various additions. You can get it from Purrs in our Hearts They have a lot of good toys that kept my furball (not a Bengal) entertained when he had to stay inside for six weeks.

Please get a cat water fountain for her to drink from, it encourages drinking which reduces the chance of kidney problems later in life. Bengals are often fascinated by water, so if she does show an interest in the drinking fountain, you could get a small indoor water feature to amuse her.

This month's issue of Your Cat magazine has an article on how to put up special fencing that will keep your cat in your garden. They also have an advert for a different system, if that one doesn't look right for you.

You can also consider taking her for walks on a lead, if she seems to have the kind of personality that would accept that. It would work off some of that energy. Since your husband is the one who wanted this kind of cat, he could do it

Indantherene · 12/05/2016 19:11

We have 2 Bengals and they really aren't that hard. They had a drinking fountain and they took it to pieces...

As I write, boycat is snuggled into the house on top of the cat tree and girlcat is sitting in the sun looking out of the window. They like to be up high, and they deliberately knock stuff off if they want to walk somewhere. Favourite game is to sit on the wardrobe or bed head and jump onto sleeping DH in the bed, then go round for another go . They like to go in cupboards and can open doors. Their favourite place is the top shelf of the airing cupboard.

We were expressly told not to let them out. Girl has escaped a couple of times. Boy would just sit by an open door and look out.

Fluffycloudland77 · 12/05/2016 19:51

We let ours out but he's in overnight. If he isn't allowed out he wees on the walls. Which is a pretty effective tactic.

Adults aren't as bad as kittens & their nightly routine of "pounce on mommys hand, bunny kick, get removed and put on the floor, pounce on mommys hand" X 1000 a night.

Fluffycloudland77 · 12/05/2016 19:53

lijkk

Trust me, no one with a Bengals tried to find out what happens if they don't get their own way. You just get on with whatever they want.

Tokelau · 12/05/2016 19:58

*You can't ignore her, because she will rip the carpet.

she will knock things off shelves until she gets what she wants!

But she's not destructive? That's pretty much my definition wink*

Well, apart from those things, she's not destructive.

Hawkmoth · 12/05/2016 20:06

We have a Bengal cross. Until we got him a friend he was like having another child, with biting for attention, thundering about and knocking things over. Now he shares with a little girl moggy and most of the time just pretends to be cool... Except when DH comes home and he disgraces himself begging for attention. He was supposed to be my cat, but he doesn't love me. And I know cats aren't supposed to love you, but he loves DH.

Have had Siamese in the past, this cat is more loving, more playful and much quieter!

Ffffffftttttttt · 12/05/2016 21:53

I have Burmese my friend has Bengals. I think they're similar. Friendly, naughty, energetic puppies. Like to talk and nag. Destructive if bored. Ours go out during the day or they get stressed. The Burmese are great with other cats, as are my friends Bengals but I think this is variable. The vet says they've had quite a few bad tempered bengals, there are a lot of disreputable Bengal breeders sadly. Sounds like your girl is a friendly one. Jesus those Siamese up thread are LOUD. Don't think I could cope with the cats chorus...

cozietoesie · 12/05/2016 22:07

Siamese communicate a lot, right enough, but those two? (I wouldn't permit that level of nonsense.)

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 12/05/2016 23:05

Cozie- how would you stop it? I'm looking for tips in case things get out of hand here!

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 12/05/2016 23:06

Oops I mean

cozietoesie · 12/05/2016 23:35

I'll muse on that one - I just seem to do it, without a strategy.

The only thing I can think of is that I tend to get my retaliation in first, orally. Not only do I respond to every single yowl, comment, whatever but I suspect I also start some conversations myself rather than waiting for them to do it.

(I'll confess that when The Lodger moved in, I was perturbed by his quietness. I used to worry that he was morose or something. (Yes. The Lodger? Morose? ))

RubbishMantra · 13/05/2016 01:12

My Devon Rex is fairly destructive. If he doesn't like the look of something (Yankee candles and full glasses mostly) they get hurled onto the floor. When he was a kitten, we'd wake up to see the house festooned in loo paper.

BUT... he's like a little alien pixie. No miaow, but very vocal. He "Err-ungYAs" instead. And his hair looks like Einstein/Don King when he wakes up.

ClarkL · 13/05/2016 08:34

We have 3 bengals and a bengal buddy (stray alley cat who was brought in by one of the bengals!!)
I adore them, 2 of ours are super well behaved then there's the oldest boy who frankly is a giant pain in the arse but my husband adores him....possibly more than me! He is without a doubt loud, pushy, too clever and if hes annoyed will spray. He opens the microwave to steal whatever food is defrosting, opens doors and kitchen cupboards so we have child locks everywhere.

However he was a rescue, spent the first half of his life in a shed and is good as gold for my husband, its just me he plays up for. Bengals do tend to 'choose' an owner and are more affectionate to them.

Ours have a water fountain as they wont drink from bowls, however when its really hot in the summer we dot round glass bowls with water and they don't mind drinking from those as long as they are see-through. They all prefer the tap though.

Litter trays are large clear storage boxes. They are too big for normal trays and hated the hooded ones because they couldn't see the other cats.

They do need lots of interaction if you are out at work I would really recommend getting a second to keep them company.
Most places will say one male and several females, however we have 3 boys and 1 girl cat, the girl bengal will not tolerate another female but happy with as many boys around her as possible (tart)
ThingS id consider with a rescue is bengals are more prone to kidney failure than other breeds and not many rescues have the breeder details. Our eldest boy (the one who is hard work) has slight kidney failure so is on a renal diet, there's no way to separate biscuits so they all have the same food.
Also a bengal is a hybrid, in some countries they dont allow them, so if you plan on moving from the UK look into it.

tabulahrasa · 13/05/2016 09:25

"Cozie- how would you stop it? I'm looking for tips in case things get out of hand here!"

Well I'd stop that by not letting them in the bathroom...I made the mistake of going in the bath with my Siamese in the room once, she spent the whole time shouting about me being in the wet stuff.

Wet is bad, lol.

IMO that's what's wrong with those two, the wet is getting on their human.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/05/2016 15:11

Well I was treated to a version of that Siamese singing/ howling this morning when I was ten mins late with breakfast! 6.40 instead of 6.30am

cozietoesie · 13/05/2016 15:22

Bet you got up and gave it to them as well, eh?

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread