# Bengal Cats?



## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

I've been toying with the idea of getting a Bengal Cat for a while now, I've never really been that interested in house cats, mostly because they seem to have a more aloof nature than dogs, so the idea of a cat that looks like a "wild cat" and has a friendlier nature really appeals to me more as a companion animal...

Does anybody on here have one? I've been umming and ah-ing about it for nearly two years and researching everything I can find... All the breeder's websites I've seen say they make very good pets, very friendly and good good-natured animals (as long as they were raised "in the house" as a kitten)... but I recently went down to see somebody that lives near me who has one and was bluntly told they don't make good pets, are "naughty" and the one she has seems to hate her guts (i.e. is completely "wild" and unapproachable).

Now, I know that this particular cat is a rehomed animal, and if I went for one it would be a kitten raised "underfoot" in the house, so to speak, but I was curious to see what other people's experiences with these were? Do they make good first cats?

Regards,
Francis


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Thrasops said:


> I've been toying with the idea of getting a Bengal Cat for a while now, I've never really been that interested in house cats, mostly because they seem to have a more aloof nature than dogs, so the idea of a cat that looks like a "wild cat" and has a friendlier nature really appeals to me more as a companion animal...
> 
> Does anybody on here have one? I've been umming and ah-ing about it for nearly two years and researching everything I can find... All the breeder's websites I've seen say they make very good pets, very friendly and good good-natured animals (as long as they were raised "in the house" as a kitten)... but I recently went down to see somebody that lives near me who has one and was bluntly told they don't make good pets, are "naughty" and the one she has seems to hate her guts (i.e. is completely "wild" and unapproachable).
> 
> ...


 

My personal experiance is they are loud, destructive and a lot are aggressive. If you want more replies I would get this moved to other pets as Bengals arent actually exotic pets.
I love our boy dearly but would never have another one:lol2:


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## schumi (Oct 22, 2009)

hiya
i had a glittered leopard spotted bengal called kara she was nearly 17 years she died of old age a couple of months ago.she was an indoor cat
she was my first ever cat and the best most affectonate cat ive ever owned, if you dont provide them with decent scratch posts of course they will scratch your furniture to death, very intelligent too
she was never nasty to my wife or kids, she was no more trouble than any other cat, she had a bit of a holler now and then used to sound like a baby crying LOL but thats part of the breed
id definitly have another bengal any day :2thumb: over any other cat
so i say go for it bud my wife is already thinking of getting a silver bengal


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## Rackie (Jan 30, 2011)

I don't have experience of Bengals, but my friend has one which isn't particularly friendly; not compared with her other two. So I guess they're individual like most animals XD!


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## yugimon121 (Oct 4, 2009)

Shell195 said:


> My personal experiance is they are loud, destructive and a lot are aggressive. If you want more replies I would get this moved to other pets as Bengals arent actually exotic pets.
> I love our boy dearly but would never have another one:lol2:


As an owner of 3, I second this


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## Swain86 (Jan 23, 2011)

Hey, i have 2 of them and they are crazy, they run around playing everywhere. I mean it they go on curtain poles and ontop of cupboards anything they can climb they climb. I have a pendulum clock up on the wall and they repeatedly jump to try catch the gold shiney thing lol. When they eat they sometime make a weird baby like noise which is really entertaining. One of them loves to be petted all the time the other runs when you try but when it want attention it comes for it. In other words if gets petted when it wants not when i want. They are very energetic cats and love to play with all sorts of toys on the floor especialy balls and toy mice. I also have a dog and at night the 3 of they snuggle up till morning. All in all there great animals to have but aslong as you willing not to get anoyed when they get upto mischief


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## Swain86 (Jan 23, 2011)

Also during the day one of they sleeps ontop of there large climbing area the other on the radiator  and when they see birds out the window they make a weird chirping meow


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> My personal experiance is they are loud, destructive and a lot are aggressive. If you want more replies I would get this moved to other pets as Bengals arent actually exotic pets.
> I love our boy dearly but would never have another one:lol2:


i agree with this , i love the look of them, went to visit a breeder while doing my pre-purchase homework, and from that experience i`ll never own one.

destructive critters, and the noise they make is horrendous, i`d have had the council round wanting to see my zoo/dwa licence in no time :whistling2:


i got ragdolls in the end, lol.


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## Disgruntled (Dec 5, 2010)

I have nine cats, one is a half bengal, half oriental called a Serengeti. She is lovely, but I think she is more oriental in character. I also have abyssinians which are amazing. They are very wild looking but incredibly outgoing and affectionate. 
I was going to get a bengal, the breeder I went to had kittens but you couldn't get near them, I think she was an iffy breeder but I walked away - who'd buy a kitten they could hardly see, never mind pick up? Really well bred low F bengals are expensive, but better than the iffy backyard types that seem so prevalent....


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

a well bred bengal is an amazing animal, they shine like they`ve been varnished and are big imposing beasties.

the tat you get on the free ads are something else.:whistling2:


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## eco_tonto (Aug 1, 2008)

My two bengals are awesome i wouldn't change them for the world! 

They are completely mental tho


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## Dlanefox (Feb 5, 2011)

I have bengals theyre great I also have savannahs now they are something else !


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## jona (Jan 1, 2009)

Thrasops said:


> I've been toying with the idea of getting a Bengal Cat for a while now, I've never really been that interested in house cats, mostly because they seem to have a more aloof nature than dogs, so the idea of a cat that looks like a "wild cat" and has a friendlier nature really appeals to me more as a companion animal...
> 
> Does anybody on here have one? I've been umming and ah-ing about it for nearly two years and researching everything I can find... All the breeder's websites I've seen say they make very good pets, very friendly and good good-natured animals (as long as they were raised "in the house" as a kitten)... but I recently went down to see somebody that lives near me who has one and was bluntly told they don't make good pets, are "naughty" and the one she has seems to hate her guts (i.e. is completely "wild" and unapproachable).
> 
> ...


Look great but are destructive & bloody noisy (had to do a photoshot of one male).Lill bugger:gasp:


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## ShaneLuvsMonitors (Sep 27, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> My personal experiance is they are loud, destructive and a lot are aggressive. If you want more replies I would get this moved to other pets as Bengals arent actually exotic pets.
> I love our boy dearly but would never have another one:lol2:


AGREED!!!! ours is a wonderfull cat but a complete lunatic Mad hours dont come in to it 

He behaves more like a dog than a cat will get into everything try to "help" and if they want something boy do they let you know about it the last time i was late feeding him he started meowing so much we got a complaint from the neighbours... He has a nickname Daemon Cat :lol2:


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## Nesferxty (Jan 21, 2011)

I have a bengal and i'm getting an F3 boy next month. I think people make them sound a lot worse than they are..I also have a siamese cross and she is more destructive and naughty than my bengal....

We live in rented accomodation and we have never once had any problems with him destroying anything and the people we rent off love him to bit (as do i!) They are such entertaining cats and loving. My boy loves to be picked up and cuddled and is like a dog sometimes and never leaves my side. He loves water and he also loves going for walks. 

If you train them well from an early age they are just the same as anyother cats. Getting a kitten from a well established breeder who socialises and breeds for temperament is another important factor in your kittens personality. 

They are definately very active cats and fun to watch but they make the most amazing pets...Very addictive though


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Nesferxty said:


> I have a bengal and i'm getting an F3 boy next month. I think people make them sound a lot worse than they are..I also have a siamese cross and she is more destructive and naughty than my bengal....
> 
> We live in rented accomodation and we have never once had any problems with him destroying anything and the people we rent off love him to bit (as do i!) They are such entertaining cats and loving. My boy loves to be picked up and cuddled and is like a dog sometimes and never leaves my side. He loves water and he also loves going for walks.
> 
> ...


 

I totally agree with this. The problem is so many BYB now cash in on the Bengal breed with no thought to tempermant. Our boy is a second hand one with a disability who came from a bad breeder. He adores my daughter but wont give anyone else the time of day.


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## Nesferxty (Jan 21, 2011)

It always worries me when I see people happy that they found a "good deal" on a bengal for like £200 cause you can almost guarantee its a BYB and they will end up with so many problems and not be able to get help from the breeder. 

But going back to the OP first post, I'm not sure if I would personally class a Bengal as a good first time cat but, that being said, if you are willing to devote a LOT of time to your kitten and not be frustrated if they do destroy something or howl outside your bedroom door at 3am till you let them in (take it from experience!) then I say go for it  They are definately very rewarding cats.


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## ShaneLuvsMonitors (Sep 27, 2008)

Nesferxty said:


> It always worries me when I see people happy that they found a "good deal" on a bengal for like £200 cause you can almost guarantee its a BYB and they will end up with so many problems and not be able to get help from the breeder.
> 
> But going back to the OP first post, I'm not sure if I would personally class a Bengal as a good first time cat but, that being said, if you are willing to devote a LOT of time to your kitten and not be frustrated if they do destroy something or howl outside your bedroom door at 3am till you let them in (take it from experience!) then I say go for it  They are definately very rewarding cats.


My boy was £150 but i met him a few times first and basically got lucky :no1:


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## Nesferxty (Jan 21, 2011)

ShaneLuvsMonitors said:


> My boy was £150 but i met him a few times first and basically got lucky :no1:


It was more of a general comment as I know of people who have paid less than that  What gets me is when people sell kittens that they know aren't good quality, with out papers and with illnesses to unsuspecting people who just want a loving family pet as its them that gets their heart broken  I know its not just bengals but that's the only breed i'm really familliar with.


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## ShaneLuvsMonitors (Sep 27, 2008)

Nesferxty said:


> It was more of a general comment as I know of people who have paid less than that  What gets me is when people sell kittens that they know aren't good quality, with out papers and with illnesses to unsuspecting people who just want a loving family pet as its them that gets their heart broken  I know its not just bengals but that's the only breed i'm really familliar with.


Again its people exploiting animals for money not the pleasure of keeping them its a sad fact : victory:

Ive heard intersting things about F3s let me know how you get on : victory:


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