I saw the previous thread on exotic pets, and even though it's not an "exotic", I thought I'd post this up. I've been thinking about getting one. Supposed to be BIG, smart, playful like a dog, and barely shed. Most normally allergic people, aren't to Bengals. So, does anyone have one? Thanks.
My uncle has one and it is a lovely animal. He had to build an enlosure for it outside though as it was breaking lots of things in the house when they were at work.
You should check out Savannah cats... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_cat) Image Unavailable, Please Login
We've had a Bengal for about seven years. She sheds, but not like a long hair. I would say shedding is typical for a short hair cat. So far any of our friend who are allergic to cats are allergic to our Bengal. As for personality, she is a lot of fun, likes to play and is rather vocal. We have also found her to be very trainable and adaptable. She has never been a "lap cat" rather, she prefers to hang out nearby and observe. She comes when called and always meows when someone sneezes.
How does a Bengal compare to a Serval (or is it Cerval???) I know the latter is really a "wild" animal and they say will bond with pretty much only ONE person in the house and that you should NOT have smaller animals in a house with one as it will kill them... The pic of that Bengal looks awesome! What a cool looking cat! I am not a big Cat kind of person, but that is one I think I could live with! James
Here is mine,, Now at two years old, 40" paw to paw...! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
We also have one. It destoys everything in the house when he's alone. But okay he's only 17 months now, so we can't really blame him. But they're lovely cats, and they expect that you give them 24/7 attention.
i've had one for a couple of years. he is indoor/outdoor. They are much different in temperament than other cats. When my cat was small, he used to hide and "attack" our small children. it was pretty funny, he could knock over our smallest. These cats are very loud and goes walking through our house meowing very loudly at 2 o'clock in the morning. He is doing it right now! That's about the only complaint i have about him. he is a pretty cool cat. here is a pic. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I have 3 in the family. One silver spotted , One orange spotted and one orange swirl. They are all male. The swirl is 6 years old, the other two are brothers and 3 years old. The brothers are 18 and 20 lbs the swirl is in the heaviest at at 21lbs.. They: ...fetch like a dog ... love water - they swim in the pool, they get in the shower or tub if invited ( not often ) ...take walks like a dog ( on a smal dog harness ) ... growl a primal growl when given broiled chicken breast ... fly up the 18' cat tree I built them ... love to be above everything ( higher than your eye level ) ...explore alot - though they have never broken anything that I can remember ... have unrolled their share of toilet paper in the bathroom a couple times ...do speak to you, so you know when they need something ! ... have weak stomaches - so if you change their enviroment or eating habits ( change brand of food ) expect a couple day transition period .. have been the most clean animals I have had, by nature, it seems They are the most incredible animals I have ever had... I strongly reccomend you look into them... ! The females seem to be a little pycho, so be careful when picking them out and get 2 ! Steve
Here is my issue with getting a Bengal or a Savannah: I have two homes that I travel back and forth to about twice a month. Generally, I spend two weeks at one then one or two at the other. I would like to be able to take the cat with me. So the question is, can they get used to the trip and living at two homes?? The homes are about 3 hours apart.
We have Egyptian Maus, which are smaller than the Bengal, and more removed from their feral ancestry. They are also very fast and clever. We did meet with a Bengal breeder at the time we were first 'shopping' and got to see some of the cats she used for breeding- huge, did not look like domestic cats at all, and seemed to be receptive to people (Although they retained an absolutely feral, back to the jungle look, particularly the glitter in the eyes as they contemplated you). Unlike the Bengals, no fancy breeding down to a house cat, the Maus have been domesticated for a long time. Love the look of these cats. Our boy has the jungle pimp roll, and except for his smaller size, looks the part of a jungle cat.
Our cat travels well. She chirps, meows, looks out the window and occasionally growls. We sometimes bring her to work, but the echo in the building bugs her a bit. She tends to yell at herself. LOL, I forgot about the midnight stomping. Our girl is very heavy footed and stomps across the hardwood floor. Often she will yowl and stomp. This is also something she does to announce a BM. Yes, she is proud of the deuce. Bengals are actively smart. They like to be entertained and mentally stimulated. Ours likes me to hunt with her. We'll sit in the window and hunt for birds or squirrels. Lately the dog has picked up on what they cat is saying and comes running when she does her squirrel chirp. We've trained ours not to jump on tables or counters. She also won't exit the house even if a door is open. If the door is open, she will ask if she can go on the deck and roll around. If we say no, she will turn around, stomp away and say mean things in cat. As for female Bengals being a little crazy, I would agree.
I had a snow leopard bengal when Dado, Dustin, and I lived together. We named him Turbo. Crazy, hyper cat! Antony
lol!!!!! What we hear, "Meow, meow meow...." What they say, "you ****ing ass hatted piece of ****. just for that bull**** I am going to **** the dog and **** in a random shoe."
.. which brings up another thought.. if you play with them and get them really worked up, then think that it is time to goto bed without making peace with them, you may think again. My guys seem to hold a grudge .. at least until 2-3am.. when you are nice and comfortable... god forbid your toe slips out from under the covers... I would swear they they pouce from across the room , high up on the cat tower... to the bed and "bite" my toes.. the scurry off downstairs. sliding across the wood floors and "laugh" to the water fountain..... .. then they show up at 5-6a , dropping their favorite ball on my face until I wake up enough to play fetch... smart animals... smart... Steve
Is Serval and I have a three year old one. They aren't nothing like domestic cats. Mine bonded with my wife and I just the same and I believe that they will bond with all the people living in the household as long as everyone spends a lot of time interacting with the feline. They are more affectionate than domestic cats and way more playful, but they can be very intimidating when upset. Mine killed our Yorkie that he grew up with, slept together and played together, all because she stole a piece of his chicken. The next day when we found her she was half eaten by him. I don't recommend them for single people who will have a future family. If married then no kids who can't follow rules.
WOW! That is something! I have read that about them though... Still quite a wild animal obviously. I would love to check some of those and Bengals out at some point... Thanks for the info! James
My folks have both a purebred Bengal and a purebred Abyssinian. Both are nosy and like to play. The Aby is far more active, but the Bengal has the whole 'jungle cat' thing going on.
My folks have a female bengal named Chloe who is 13. She is very friendly, intelligent and beautiful. I would definitely recommend the breed. I have a sister in law with one also, but hers is a snow leopard and Chloe is yellow. Both cats have real interesting personalities and are more entertaining then other cats I have met.
sorry i didn't get back to this thread, sometimes i'm all over the place. The cat is not very big. i would say average cat size. in that picture, he is sitting under my gas grill. one thing about my cat i noticed is he doesn't seem to get fat like other cats i have had as he ages. maybe that will change later. but about six years old, he is still svelte. I would caution people that my cat is LOUD. frequently late at night.
I helped a fellow emplyee w/ a project not long ago who said she has a Bengal that is "illegal". Something about not being enough generations away from an original cross & can't be bought in some states. What's up w/ that?