Bengal cat

TossBranAbi · #1 06-02-2008, 07:15 PM

Does anyone have one or know someone who has one? I researched them about a year ago and fell in love with the breed. Have been wanting one since but I am not buying from a breeder and they aren't popular around here so there aren't any in rescues.

I have the chance to get one from a guy who is moving and can't take his cat. She is spayed, has a pedigree and is beautiful. The problem though is he says she doesn't like to be picked up. She isn't affectionate unless she comes to you. I guess I could live with that but I am weighing my pros and cons at this point.

If you don't know what a bengal is, google it and make sure it is a bengal cat and not a tiger, lol.

I have done the research and know what I am getting into but still not sure. Another issue is that this cat has never seen a dog. She could live upstairs away from the dogs like my other cat does though. The pups don't bother the cats but my cat chooses to live up there during the day so she can be a cat and lounge any where she wants. She does come down for a pet now and again though

RoxiesEcho · #2 06-04-2008, 08:08 AM

I have no advice, just wanted to say that I've thought about getting one (just a whim) because I think they are beautiful! But my DH doesn't want to get another inside cat, plus he has this thing about paying that kind of money for a cat! He thinks that it's ok to pay for a dog, but a cat of any sort should be free. Ughhh! If you do end up with one, please post pictures!

K8IE · #3 06-04-2008, 08:28 AM

My DH had a male Bengal before we met and he loved him. He said he acted more like a dog than a cat. He (the cat) stayed with my DH's ex and I did meet him a couple of times, he was indeed a very cool cat. Easy going and didn't seem to mind anything at all, he was well socialized so that helps I am sure. Let us know if you get one!!

TossBranAbi · #4 06-04-2008, 02:02 PM

Well so far I haven't heard back from the guy. I asked some more questions about her the other day and still no reply.

They are such beautful cats and I like that they are more like a dog than a cat. I like cats but am more of a dog person, although sometimes I wonder if Dozer isn't more cat than boxer.
I have been wanting one forever but didn't want to spend the money on one as they are very expensive if you get them from a responsible breeder. I figured one day one will come my way and I am hoping this little girl is the one. Here's hoping I the guy gets back to me soon.

TossBranAbi · #5 06-12-2008, 08:45 PM

Well I did not get the original cat I was going to get but we made a 300 mile round trip today to adopt a bengal from the SPCA. She is a 3 year old bengal named Luna. I am thinking of changing her name though. I think I have decided that if she knows her name, I will keep it but if not I may change it to Izzy. The shelter was calling HER by the name of Mr. Bengal.

I will get pictures soon to post. We just got home and she is meeting our other cat and the dogs one at a time. I am not sure if she has ever been around dogs but she seems to be adapting to Abbie ok, at first she was growling and scared but now she just walks around doing her own thing ignoring Abbie.

Gen G. :) · #6 06-13-2008, 07:12 AM

Oh I'm so glad you got to adopt Luna/Mr. Bengal/Possibly Izzy!

Bengal cats are so beautiful, I just love their look. I hope all your furbabies get along fine very quickly

TossBranAbi · #7 06-13-2008, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gen G. :)

Oh I'm so glad you got to adopt Luna/Mr. Bengal/Possibly Izzy!

Bengal cats are so beautiful, I just love their look. I hope all your furbabies get along fine very quickly

I have oficially decided her name will be Luna. She seems to know it so we will keep it. Things aren't going as smoothly as I had hoped. She still hasn't made up with my other cat yet and last night somehow, Luna ended up being chased by my other cat and now everytime she sees one of the other animals, she hunches up and growls (bengals growl more than hiss.)

We went to a birthday party earlier for about an hour so I left Luna have run of the first floor so she could acclimate to her surroundings. When I left, she was behing the couch. When I came home, she was sitting on the kitchen counter. It took me a good 10 minutes to get it through her head that couldn't be her safe spot. I would pick her up and set her on the floor and she would jump right back up before I was even standing up straight. I kept giving her firms NOs but she would just look at me and make a roaring meow and jump right back up. We compromised when I set the cat food tote on a shelf and put her on it so she was higher up.

The next thing on the list to get is a cat tree. I knew we would have to do something because bengals are climbers moreso than a regular cat. We had a glass corner shelf that Stephen put up on the wall for her to lay on now. I told him I feel weird, like I am displaying my cat

She is happily laying up there watching the crazy dogs and apparently she doesn't feel threatened by them as she isn't growling anymore.

Here are a few pictures of her, the picture of her in the pan is the one that was on her petfinder page and is the truer color of her. The other two were taken with my cell phone and the colors seem muted.

shelter picture: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...unashelter.jpg

cozy in her bed: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../lunainbed.jpg

under the end table: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...bi/lunatag.jpg

DiverDiva · #8 06-14-2008, 09:22 AM

She is so beautiful, and it is wonderful that you adopted her. Good luck with the counter training. My Siamese were trained to stay off the kitchen counters whenever I was in the kitchen. The rest of the time, I was trained to be sure nothing of interest to Siamese was left on the kitchen counters.

TossBranAbi · #9 06-14-2008, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiverDiva

She is so beautiful, and it is wonderful that you adopted her. Good luck with the counter training. My Siamese were trained to stay off the kitchen counters whenever I was in the kitchen. The rest of the time, I was trained to be sure nothing of interest to Siamese was left on the kitchen counters.

She doesn't seem interested in the counters other than she sees them as a safe place. My counters are in levels and she gets on the highest level and sits in the corner. She is starting to feel more comfortable though today. I had her playing and she did eat some food for me. She has been eating only treats since I brought her home. She still hasn't used the litter box and I have not seen any evidence that she went somewhere else so that is starting to concern me. She sat on her "display" shelf all evening last night and was just watching the dogs, no growling so that is a good sign. I just wish I could tell her that she is ok and make her understand that, I feel so bad that she seems so scared.

K8IE · #10 06-15-2008, 07:16 PM

She is so pretty!! Congratulations and I have to say I love the name Luna.