Behavioural Aspects and Care of Bengal Kittens

C. Esmond Gay

June 2003

Behavioural Aspects and Care of Bengal Kitten’s

By C. Esmond Gay – Sarez Bengal’s - 2003

Sarah and I work hard to ensure that our kittens only give people complete pleasure, but when our babies reach 13 weeks old they require a loving new family - as do babies from all other breeder. The quality of the rest of their lives rests upon the prospective new owners that we breeders choose and personally, Sarah and I trust these people to give the best they can - just as we have to these very special babies.

Once you have decided upon a Bengal, I know that you will grow to adore this breed. Bengal’s are so special. They’ll entertain you, make you laugh, they’ll make you happy and they’ll love you forever and so here are a few guidelines to help you. Being a living creature, occasional problems could occur so I stress to the new owners that if you are ever worried or do experience problems, you should contact the breeder immediately. The breeder should always be there for you should you ever need them. It should be the beginning of a good friendship between you and them. Our Sarez kittens have been bred within a superb environment and from the world’s best cats so problems are virtually non-existent. Some other breeders also breed to the same high standards.

First you will need to find and choose your new kitten. Pick the breeder very carefully! Due to the mass of superb TV and newspaper publicity that Sarah, me and our cats have brought to the Bengal, a million and one breeders now exist in the UK as people “jump on the band wagon” thinking that there is easy money to be made. Some of these breeders are indeed quite brilliant and will sell you a top kitten – whilst others are “fly by nights” who don’t care about the breed or their cats – or you. So try to phone as many breeders as you can, chat to them and ask lots of questions. Do they love their cats (or just the money)? Do they have good lines? Do they breed for quality and good personalities? The list of such questions goes on forever. Most pet buyers aren’t expert enough to ask the questions that are truly important e.g. about pedigrees, lineage and genetics and so my advice would be to use your instinct as you chat. Who makes you feel most comfortable as you listen to them chat about themselves, the breed and their cats? Visit those who make you feel most comfortable…

Now decide on what generation and colour you like. Please see my other articles entitled “The Majestic F1 and F2 Bengal” and “The Magnificent Bengal Cat” (about SBT’s) as these describe the behavioural characteristics of the early generations compared to the SBT’s (later generations). These articles also describe the different colours available. Only you can make the two aforementioned decisions about which generation and which colour. And if you’re unsure, don’t worry, simply visit breeders who have most colours available so you can see them in the flesh.

Then draw up a short list of breeders and arrange to visit them all. Look around the catteries, see the adults, try to see the kittens pedigrees, does the cattery look clean and tidy, are they vaccinated? Are the breeders overly helpful and does it appear to you that they love the breed and their cats? Don’t buy the first cheap kitten you see. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for and if you want a Bengal then try to buy the best that’s available within your budget.

And NEVER listen to gossip!! Sadly the cat fancy (and especially the Bengal fancy) is FULL of gossipers and even breeders who are the closest of friends, will slag each other off behind one another’s backs – just to procure a sale. And be aware that if one breeder is particularly successful then this will make rival breeders even more irate and hence you will hear a torrent of abuse about someone who could very well be quite a superb breeder – but persecuted by his rivals solely due to that! Or there could be some merit behind the bad rumours. So tread with care and as I said before, use your instinct and your intelligence! Instead of listening to gossip I URGE you to go and visit the breeder before coming to any conclusions – then YOU make up your own mind up about them.

Once you’ve brought your baby, the following behavioural and care points will help you to understand your kittens needs, no matter which cattery he originated from.

Extremely intelligent, Bengal’s are alert to anything new in the immediate environment and are curious to learn. This means that they get into things. When the groceries are brought into the home, the kittens insist on looking and sometimes going into the bag. It is virtually impossible to write a letter with a Bengal in the house without first letting it check out the moving pen. They follow their humans from room to room always to be near and sometimes upon the awaited lap. But before settling down for a snooze, they must first rub on the attached face, hair, neck, etc., while purring loudly.

Some individuals are quite headstrong as to their likes and dislikes much like any domestic cat and may prefer not to be picked up. They may squirm to get down, then jump onto that same lap at their own discretion. Others prefer shoulders and all like heights. A tall carpeted tree with a soft privacy place on top will become the kitten’s lifetime favourite spot so perhaps consider purchasing one of these for your baby to play and sleep on.

Eager for human companionship and approval, the Bengal is a breed of cat that can be taught the rules of the house (such as to stay off tables and kitchen sinks) with only a minimum of training. A sharp “No!” and a brush off the surface (or a bang on the worktop with whatever is handy) will make the rule clear. Responding to kindness, they quickly observe what annoys their humans and will avoid the action.

Bengal’s are natural retrievers of balls, crumpled bits of newspaper, or cat toys. With a little patience and some tempting treats, they can even be taught simple dog-like tricks such as sitting up, rolling over, or jumping over a fly swatter held horizontally.

Most Bengal’s enjoy water and will play for long periods in a bathroom sink with the tap slightly running. If a floating toy is dropped into a bath with a few inches of water in it, the cat’s antics will delight children and adults alike.

During the first few days I advise that your new kitten is confined to a small area, such as the kitchen or bathroom, until he has used his litter tray and knows where it is. If you use a bathroom, be sure the toilet lid is kept down – because they love nothing better than to go “fishing”!! Place his food and water dish, his bed and litter tray and perhaps a small cat scratching post in this room. After a few days your new kitten should be allowed to wander further away gradually so that he can maintain his bearings and can find his way back. Expecting a tiny kitten to locate a litter box in a large home is like setting a two-year-old child down in a museum and saying, “Find the bathroom”.

When he is allowed out of the room to investigate watch him carefully. If the kitten cannot be kept under close observation, return him to the confinement area until you have the time to spend with him. Most kittens playing in the living room will start to cry and wander around when they feel the urgency to use their litter box. Alert humans will recognise the signal and help them to find the litter box. Within a few days, after a dozen-monitored excursions into the rest of the house, the kitten will be comfortable in his new surroundings. At this time move the food, water and litter trays to the areas that you choose. If the kitten is going to be allowed access to the whole house then I would suggest that you might find it beneficial to keep a litter tray on each floor.

To begin with as the kitten is still quite small it is best to use the simple cat litter trays, as he will not be able to climb into the bigger ones yet. Depending on the size of the room I would give him two of these trays and then when he is a little older buy some of the larger trays with covered hoods. Sarah and I use a compressed wood litter.

The safest food and water dishes to use are stainless steel ones that are available in most pet supply stores. Some plastic dishes may release chemicals into the water after it has been kept in the dish for a long period of time. The water must be changed and the bowl cleaned once a day.

Discipline is essential in training a cat, but it should never be done in anger. If a Bengal kitten is shown the rules of the house consistently while young, no discipline of an adult will be necessary. Every young kitten should be forced to lie upside down in the hands of its owner for very brief periods. No young kitten wants to do this for it exposes the vulnerable tummy. Thus if forced while the kitten is still very tiny (its almost impossible to do this with a large cat), it learns that nothing dire happens and that it can trust the owner even when it is most helpless. Once this trust is established, the kitten will be easier to handle and train all its life. Even challenging, frightened kittens can be calmed with this method.

Bengal’s need very little special care or grooming. A close toothed comb will take out loose fur and prevent hairballs and fur shedding onto the furniture. It is wise to keep the tips of the claws clipped flat with nail clippers.

Water should be left down at all times, preferably in a heavy non-spill bowl due to their love of water. Our kittens are all fed on Technical Kitten food (dry food) and this can be left down at all times for the kitten to eat whenever he feels hungry. If you are unable to get hold of this, then the next best dry food to buy is IAMS Kitten Food as this is very similar to the Technical and won’t upset his tummy.

Too much raw fish in large quantities will cause vitamin E deficiency in cats. Products sold for human consumption, like canned tuna, are not complete balanced diets for cats, and should not be used as a significant part of the kitten’s diet. Fish and chicken (raw or cooked) as treats are fine occasionally.

Milk is dangerous to feed, even in small quantities. Adult cats are usually deficient in lactase, the enzyme that digests the lactose sugar in milk. The composition of cow’s milk is significantly different from cat’s milk. When fed to kittens (and many adult cats), it will frequently cause diarrhoea, resulting in dehydration, reduced activity, malnourishment and depression.

Health care is of extreme importance. Bengal’s are notoriously hardy cats, but accidents happen, even in the most careful families. If you do not already have a professional relationship with a local veterinarian, establish one immediately. The kittens need to have their full course of initial vaccinations, which the breeder should already have given them and then yearly boosters. If the kittens are not going to be mixing with other cats that go outdoors there is no need to get the leukaemia vaccination done. You must ensure that the standard flu and enteritis vaccinations are given.

They also need to be wormed regularly with Drontal Cat Tablets. Speak to your vet about this when you take them along for their first booster. They then need to be wormed every 3 months. With regards to fleas the best product that I can suggest to you is the injection or Stronghold, which is a little tube of liquid that needs to be applied to the back of the cats neck. Also the Frontline treatment is very good that you do at the back of the neck also. Also talk to your vet about what age to get the kittens spayed or neutered. You must get this done unless you wish to breed from any of the kittens. I recommend you get the males done at five months of age and not any older due to the risk of them spraying.

Illness is not a common problem with Bengal’s due to their natural hardiness but there are however viruses and other diseases that can occur, so you need to be aware of a few indications of trouble.

A healthy Bengal is active and alert, with clear bright eyes and a soft lustrous coat. Most are hearty eaters, so a lack of appetite can be a sign that one is not feeling well. Also vomiting and loose stools is unnatural.

All cats sneeze occasionally, but persistent sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny nose are indications of ill health and must be tended to. Since a sick cat won’t eat, any illness is a serious threat. If a cat is listless and the third eyelid (haw) appears in the corner of its eye, and it remains apparent, something is wrong. If the cat’s coat becomes rough and standoffish, with excessive shedding, this is a sign of illness.

I strongly advise that you insure the kitten against any illnesses. The name of the company that Sarah and I use is Cliverton Limited, Vale House, Stody, Melton Constable, Norfolk, NR24 2EG. Telephone – 01263 860388. Fax – 01263 860068. Don’t hesitate to call the breeder if you are worried that you kitten maybe ill – any decent breeder will be as worried as you are and will give advice.

Most importantly of all enjoy your new Bengal baby. I know that a Bengal is going to bring you many years of enjoyment. In return, give him lots of hugs and affection and he will become your most loyal companion.

C. Esmond Gay
Sarez Bengal’s
2003

Addition;

Our Bengal breeding, our wild cat rescue and our wild cat conservation work was truly exhaustive and stressful and so in 2004 Sarah and I decided to retire. We had achieved all of our goals within the Bengal fancy and some of our many goals for our wild cats and we wanted other parties to continue with that work.

Most of our unique collection went to Frank and Pauline Turnock of Gayzette Bengal’s and we are so grateful to these two dear people for giving our cats such a good home.

What they are breeding is so very similar to my work as detailed above – and to this day I personally remain in very regular contact with Pauline and Frank and intend to do so for decades to come. We are EXTREMELY close and every other day emails or phone calls flow between us. I continue to offer them my full support and advice on all topics of the Bengal and also wild cats. I closely follow Pauline and Franks breeding programs and their many successes and achievements - but without intruding.

Behind the scenes and behind the public eye, I will always be there for them… and the stunning cats that I once so proudly owned.

And by being so closely involved with their work, means I never really lose my beloved cats…

I am also actively helping and encouraging them to hybridise from another non-endangered species of wild cat of which they now own a number - but only time will tell if that program is successful – to date the creation of this new breed of pedigree is SO complex that it has only been achieved in very small numbers within the USA.

But such is their expertise with cats and with my support behind the scenes, if anyone outside of America can accomplish it, then its Pauline and Frank!

So watch this space…

C. Esmond Gay
Sarez Bengal’s
Addition made June 2008