Tell me about Bengal cats

[MsMiaWallace]

I really want one.
I'm currently researching the breed but would love to hear from owners!

Good points & bad!

My near-neighbours have one and they can't control it. They actually hate it now and lock it out all the time. I've put cat-proofing up to keep it out of my garden (which mostly works). My friends a few doors down have chickens and have to be eagle-eyed 24/7. I dread to think what will happen if the cat damages their property.

I don't think it's even full Bengal. Maybe a cross-breed.

They are wild animals and very easily bored, and just killing machines.

My Mum has a Bengal - he was very aloof when younger but settled a lot now he is older. Does his own thing - hated being fussed. Will sit on your lap now!!
Yep, got into spats a lot too. But my god he is beautiful, an amazing looking creature. But feisty!!

I had one who died a few years ago at the age of 18 and would not get another one. I have owned loads of cats over the years and she was by far the most difficult. Thankfully she enjoyed being outside so spent a lot of time burning of energy outside but even then she was very tricky to handle and very, very noisy.

We have a male Bengal. He’s shouty and needy but super friendly. Loves a lap! He has been brought up in a family with 3 kids though so used to being picked up & played with. He’s a killer though, mice and birds 😕 We love him, he is full of character and is gorgeous too

I live on the same road as one. It's a persistent, violent intruder that's cost me a fortune in vets fees and new collars and a microchip cat flap. It's forever trying to eat my cats and come into my house. And it can jump a 6 foot fence from a sitting start without touching the top.

I am not the only one with such a neighbour:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/3564597-Next-doors-thug-cat

I have an 8 year old female Bengal. She’s not noisy or demanding, she’s always been lively but quite chilled out at the same time.
she’s an absolute killing machine and always attacks the vet but is super gentle with the family and visitors. She isn’t keen on laps but always always moves to be in the same room as us. She just sits near us rather than on us. She usually sleeps at the end of one of the kids beds
we love her to bits

Beautiful to look at, lovely soft fur, very talkative.
Climb on your furniture and jump up onto doors, cupboards, furniture and curtains.
Scream the house down if they feel ignored and follow you everywhere
Difficult to rehome if you need to.
Love water, will try and be outside hunting all day.
Terrorise other cats..

We had a lovely Bengal /Siamese cross until she passed away aged 15. She was very vocal but loved people and children and would do anything for a stroke . He lived on the same street as a primary school and at 3.30 she sat at the end of the path to get attention from all of the children . She was very dog like and played fetch with hair bands which she returned to our lap .
Now the negatives , she could open doors , cupboard doors and the fridge so we needed child locks ! She would open food packets and help herself to anything she fancied.
She was an unstoppable hunter too and although a spayed female would fight any cat who came near our garden .
she took a dislike to next doors dog and would not let my neighbour walk it down the shared path . She would literally stand in the way growling and have to be picked up to get her out of the way .
A true personality and we loved her to bits , but certainly high maintenance and could cause problems in the neighbourhood.

I actually despise the near-neighbours who own (and hate) their Bengal cat btw, for slinging it outside in all weathers because they 'can't cope' with it. So lazy and arrogant.

Why do they think that WE all want to deal with it? We don't. I certainly don't want this wild cat's shit and carnage and thuggery in my garden or my house.

Other people in this neighbourhood have pets too, as well as fowl, that they don't want terrorising.

Friends have one. Beautiful to look at, but it's essentially wild, sleeps in the house but otherwise doesn't want (or need?) any affection or human interaction. Always killing things too - not just the odd mouse. Bigger animals like the neighbours chickens, doves, pigeons, rabbits etc... Not for me personally.

That has reminded me - I took ours to the vet for his pre-spay assessment and she couldn’t listen for his heartbeat because he was purring so much. Which is interesting because he never ever purrs now. Just shouts.

Banned in Australia cause they are such lethal hunters and are disturbing the eco system.

Our breeder made us sign a contract that he would be an inside cat but he kept trying to get out of the front door when we left and it didn't feel right. When an opportunity arose for someone who lived in a huge garden backing on to a forest came up, we let him go. Apparently he is living the life hunting all the woodland creatures.

Incredibly sharp claws. Mine stalked me and like to pounce out behind doors. Once he caught me and ran his claws right down my legs. Incredibly deep scratches that have left faint scars to this day.

We had one . He was almost a dog really. Very very affectionate and purred like a tractor. However he also was the worst murderer I've ever known . Nothing was safe from him . He used to try to hamstring our dog exactly like a lion would bring down an antelope. There was the infamous night we woke up thinking we were being burgled because of the loud noise from downstairs. I sent my husband down to investigate and he found the cat trying to pull a goose through the cat flap!!!! Absolutely killing machine and for that reason even though he was so adorable I wouldn't have another one .

They do not give a shit. Quite a difficult pet 😂

My female bengal is now 15 and my male lived to 14 but had kidney disease. The breeder asked us to keep them as indoor cats and they are/were absolutely fine with that. I don't think it's fair on other local cats and wildlife to let them out tbh.

My boy was the soppiest/stupidest animal, my girl is really chilled now, plays fetch, wants to be with me all the time, is very loud, working from home now means she joins in on all conference calls lol.

When they were young they burnt off a lot of energy playing together and running around and also needed a lot of interactive toys to stop them getting bored. They are very intelligent cats, they are into everything but that's why I love the breed.

We have 2 part bengals and they are fab. One we have nicknamed TheBestCatEver. The vet has a bit of a crush on him

Very friendly, chatty, playful. We got the second as a playmate for the older one and they charge about the house playing chase and wrestling .

not sure about a full bengal tho. DH would like one but I’m not convinced

Mine died at 10 but was the best cat ever with knobs on. He had a zest for life.

Super affectionate but yes he did put the neighbours cat in hospital but that cats a bit of a twat anyway. Just like his owner tbh.

Would totally have another but with a cat proof garden as they are a bit territorial.

I have a Chausie, they are also hybrids and not quite as striking as Bengals, but still beautiful cats. She has the most amazing stripy trousers.Ours was a rescue and had been used to breed then dumped in the rescue at 2 after having 2 (presumably very lucrative) litters. She is so chatty and will hold a full conversation, even at 3am.

She can be incredibly cuddly now, but only on her terms and we can't yet catch her to take her to the vet, we have to have one come out. But I think this is more to do with not previously being a pet, she was terrified when we brought her home and it tooks months to get her to sit on a lap or even have a stroke.

She hunts a little bit, but not to the extent of the cats on this thread, a couple of mice or birds a summer.

You have to be careful with feeding hybrid cats, they need grain free food, preferably raw. Ours was on Whiskers when we got her and had the most awful, acrid poo. We have got her onto grain free food which we supplement with real fish etc, but she turns her nose up at a proper raw diet unfortunately.

See, affectionate

Our neighbours have two. They are vile vicious things that attack my cats relentlessly even to the point of coming into our house. Our vet says they are an awful breed completely unsuited to being pets, and should be banned.
I love cats but I hate Bengals. If you do get one then keep it in because they are so vicious towards other animals.

Fluffycloudland77 I'm sure my neighbour loves her cat but he's still making large holes in my cats. And my fence. And I'm sure he would have a go at me if he felt like it.

I would never have one because for every one that is ok and doesn't cause WWIII with the neighbours you here of another 2 that do.

Not fair on anyone.

Large, playful, stunning cats full of character - look at Somalis

Beautiful to look at a complete bitch when she was younger. Attached my husband regularly, attacked the furniture. Hates most people and animals. Did not like children. We were her servents. Demanded food; very vocal and can make themselves understood. Liked to go outside but only uf we were there. Not overly affectionate but when it suited her she came for a stroke but would nip you if you did it too long or touched her belly. We had to put her to sleep a few months ago aged 14 as she had cancer and kidney failure. We miss her dearly but not the constant kicking out of cat litter because she could.
Think carefully before you get one and dont leave it alone with children.

To add to my post , as much as we loved our Bengal cross we now have a liveable normal moggy as I don’t want to worry about stressing neighbours. Keeping her in was impossible. We live rurally and it was in her blood to run free .

Lovable