Bengals...

penski

penski

penski

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...Right...After spending nearly all day saturday with a pair of Bengal kittens (and being kept awake most of the night by them...), my girlfriend and I have fallen in love with the idea of getting a pair.

We've been thinking about getting a cat or two for the last year or so...So it's not something we'd be diving into.

Anyone own Bengals?

I've only ever known half a dozen of them; all have been inquisitive, friendly, playful and rather scatty; my kind of cat - they don't mind being pestered and played with ;)

Any advice?

*n
 
We're looking at getting a Bengal as well - is it true that they 'cough' rather than miaow?

They sound more like a dog (in terms of enjoying a bit of rough and tumble), which appeals to me.
 
Kell_ee001 said:
Get used to everything being covered with cat hair! :p

But on a more serious note I do love cats but I wouldn't consider having cats where they aren't able to get outside and roam.
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Agree 100%. If you can't let the cat out, you shouldn't own one. Not fair for the cat to live it's entire life inside a flat. :( Wouldn't get one live next to a major road.
 
Von Luck said:
We're looking at getting a Bengal as well - is it true that they 'cough' rather than miaow?
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It's certainly not a normal 'meow' voccalisation but seems to range from squeaking to ribbeting, coughing et cetera...Some seem to be a lot more vocal than others.

They sound more like a dog (in terms of enjoying a bit of rough and tumble), which appeals to me.
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Same here - the two I was pestering on saturday/sunday were happy with a cardboard box each and a bit of string on a stick to chase and pounce on...Hours of entertainment.

*n
 
squiffy said:
Agree 100%. If you can't let the cat out, you shouldn't own one. Not fair for the cat to live it's entire life inside a flat. :( Wouldn't get one live next to a major road.
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On the contrary; I know many people with housecats; I'd certainly call it fair - average life expectancy of 13 years as opposed to 12 months for an 'outside' cat.

*n
 
Our Bengal is 4 years old now and still as mental as ever

great cats , don't cast much

they are lively , mischievous , noisy but above all great fun

also most people with cat allergies are unaffected by bengals

they also love to climb and play in water

here's a pic of ours which about sums up the personality of a bengal

izzytunnel.jpg
 
penski said:
On the contrary; I know many people with housecats; I'd certainly call it fair - average life expectancy of 13 years as opposed to 12 months for an 'outside' cat.

*n
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Our outside cat lived to 18 years.
 
penski said:
On the contrary; I know many people with housecats; I'd certainly call it fair - average life expectancy of 13 years as opposed to 12 months for an 'outside' cat.

*n
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My cat was 16 when it died, lived near a main road and she was outside a lot of the time playing/sleeping/fighting. She died incidentally of liver failure due to age, not getting squished :p

Locking a cat in a house is cruel, they're clever wee animals and need to go outside.
 
penski said:
On the contrary; I know many people with housecats; I'd certainly call it fair - average life expectancy of 13 years as opposed to 12 months for an 'outside' cat.

*n
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you are on the right lines , a indoor cat lives around 3 times longer on average

ours is an indoor cat though we do take her out on the garden occasionally , the only time I feel a bit guilty is in hot weather like now ( and maybe getting 2 would have been a better idea )
 
Cats can be more than happy spending their entire lives indoors.
Both my grand parents owned "House Cats" and they had extremely happy lives living indoors.
They got all the attention they wanted from my grand parents and this was returned.
I know people who own cats and live in a flat.
If you buy a cat at a young age and it has never been outside what does it know what it is missing? Cannot be considered cruel in any way.

Our cats are both rescue cats and one of them spent a little time as a homeless cat on the streets so both of ours do like to get outside.
However of the two, the one who was homeless spends very little time outside.
She likes the comfort of a home we feel after the rather terrible life she had before we took her on.
 
Kami said:
My cat was 16 when it died, lived near a main road and she was outside a lot of the time playing/sleeping/fighting. She died incidentally of liver failure due to age, not getting squished :p

Locking a cat in a house is cruel, they're clever wee animals and need to go outside.
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yup, couple of housecats claw away at the window, wanting to go out. They see other cats running around in the garden chasing birds and they can't join them. :(

Don't seem normal behaviour also, lots of toys in the house but it's not the same. Cats like to hunt, wander and explore. None of that is possible in house.

If you can't let them out get other pets-birds, hamsters etc.
 
squiffy said:
Our outside cat lived to 18 years.
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ours too, I would say it is VERY cruel to keep a cat locked in a flat all the time, cats need to go outside and prowl run about socialise with other cats etc.
 
Rotty said:
you are on the right lines , a indoor cat lives around 3 times longer on average

ours is an indoor cat though we do take her out on the garden occasionally , the only time I feel a bit guilty is in hot weather like now ( and maybe getting 2 would have been a better idea )
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Yeah - they seem to prefer being in pairs or trios (known one pair, a trio and a single cat).

As long as the cat(s) remain mentally stimulated and get plenty of exercise, I don't see an issue with them being indoor cats; certainly preferable to them being stolen, killed or murdered (I think we all know the hatred that some people have for cats...someone in my girlfriend's parents' village killed 12 local cats in 2 years before being caught :()...Plus I don't relish the prospect of losing £500 of cats at a young age ;)

*n
 
stoofa said:
However of the two, the one who was homeless spends very little time outside.
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Might not go outside very often, they obviously have the option and they do sometimes actually go out.

As I said earlier, I personally wouldn't keep a cat locked up. All of my cats have had the option to go out - a couple stayed in a lot of the time but most spent a majority of their time outside. As my pets have always been part of the family it's been down the cat to decide what they want to do. :)

Saying that, I know plenty of people with indoor cats who seem rather unhappy - unsociable, scatty and scared of people which probably also adds to my opinion.
 
I have a bengal cat, called Leeroy (or Mr Brown, he's the baddest cat in the whole damn town!)

I get to see him for about 10 minutes every day. 5 mins when he has his breakfast, and 5 minswhen he has his tea. Apart from this, he spends all his time playing outside in the garden.

He was lovely and playful as a kitten, but as he grows older, they become more and more independent and like to explore and wonder. Then it's all about guarding "his" territory, which he patrols all day.

They do kick butt though. He looks like a minature tiger, as he's quite thin and long, with a lower centre of mavity and big hulking shoulders. When it comes to climbing trees or catching mice, you can really tell that they're bred from wild animals. Facinating to watch! They also don't mind water or rain.

I would seriously recommend getting a playfriend though, as i'm sure ours is lonely. That's probably why he spends most of the day playing with the neighbours cat.

They're also good for if you have allergys to cats, as their fur hardly malts and it's not so sensitive as to set off someones allergic reactions.
 
is £500 for 2 ? that is very cheap , we have friends that are Bengal breeders and thier cats start from £450 EACH

our house looks like we have 8 kids the amount of toys that are around the place :D


we really want a second one but aren't sure how our current one would react
 
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