Bengal cats

applecruncher

applecruncher

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Ohio USA
I love my gray tortie (got her from a shelter 7 yrs ago). But I love to look at pics and videos of other cats - especially Bengals. Soooo beautiful!!

However, from what I've heard and read, I wouldn't want to own one. Expensive and they require LOTS of energy. They constantly jump and climb over everything, get into things, and usually ignore commands or efforts to train. Don't think I would want to deal with that.

Anyone have one (or more)?

 

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They are beautiful cats and the kittens are adorable, but I'm like you I wouldn't really want to own one, too big and a little too 'wild' for my lifestyle now, so my Manx boy fits just fine with me. Also, I understand they are banned in some places, and I'm pretty sure where I live is one of them. Hope your kitty is doing well, give her a hug for me. :)


 
Meant to say earlier that the agility of the Bengal is impressive. In the video showing the cat jumping to top of door, he leaps and balances as if it's nothing.

Wish I knew of someone near me who has Bengals; I would visit frequently and just watch them. :)
OTOH they can be destructive. I saw a video of a Bengal trying to disassemble a printer, and another one where cat will relentlessly try to remove sink stopper in bathroom. They are also good at opening doors. Like I said they require lots of time, energy, and one must "Bengal proof" their home.
 
I was a Bengal owner. My daughter had just gotten out of an abusive relationship (finally!) and I thought a kitten would be good for her. But it wasn`t kitten season so I couldn`t find one. So I started looking for a Siamese (more available year `round) but no luck there either. But started reading about Bengals and thought they sounded really cool.

Drove to San Francisco and paid $600.00 for "Miko". She was about 6 months old. My daughter loved her,but oh boy,could she get in to mischief. Twice my daughter came home to find she had climbed up inside her chimney,trying to escape. Left black paw prints all over the beige carpet. My daughter is an interior decorator at heart,her place was fixed up just so.

Miko destroyed everything. Broke some of her most precious items. She finally told me that she HAD to let her go outside. But then she was afraid that she was going to get hit,so she asked me to take her. I did,and I kept her inside for a while. She would jump up and walk across my fireplace mantle,knocking everything off along the way. There wasn`t anyplace she couldn`t get to.

Then came Christmas. OMG-I`ll say no more. So I too had to let her go outside. She did fine for a couple of years but then one day,she didn`t come home. Living in the country as we did then as we do now,anything could have happened to her. They are one tough cat to raise indoors. I had no idea they were illegal to have in some places though!
 
Mrs R - thanks for sharing that. Thing is, when they're let outside they often get stolen.

But sounds like Miko was a handful! :laugh:
 
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I haven't heard of the breed either, but love the thread. They are apparently worse than my sweet year old guy, and he's about as much as I care to deal with. I've only had him a couple months, and no damage so far -- only because I put everything lightweight in a closet before bringing him in. He does lots of unexpected jumping, especially onto me as I'm watching TV.
 

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