Bengals

oggers86

oggers86

Member
Dec 7, 2008
3,571
12
#1
My boyfriend and I want to get cats when we move in together (no idea when thats happening but hopefully soon) He is adamant he wanted a bengal, I was adamant I wanted a tonkinese then I decided it was easier to get 2 bengals instead..

However...

I really like the personality of the bengal, from what iv read its very interactive, social and has a distinct personality...but I really want a cat thats snuggly, I have a cat at home who turned up one day and anyone can just pick him up whenever they want and hel snuggle forever!! My other cat at home isnt really all that snuggly, only when she decides to be.

Can a bengal be that kind of snuggly cat? If not then what is the best suggestion for a cat that likes to snuggle but will get on well with a bengal...past options for me have been siamese, tonkinese and birmans, now im considering ragamuffin and ragdoll but iv no idea what the difference is between the 2...

Anybody?
 
#2
Had a Ragdoll, and grew up with a few. Absolutely the sweetest, most cuddly cat ever. But they require a lot of attention and pampering or they start to tear things up or tear out their own fur (at least mine did). They're very smart, but more like a dog than an independent,devil-may-care cat.

Can't really weigh in on the others... sorry! Good luck finding a new pet!
 
#3
i think any cat can be a snuggly cat, it's just how your cards play out.
all 4 of mine are fairly snuggly at times, i think i got lucky!

bengals are super gorgeous though!

diordeville- i think one of my cats has a bit of ragdoll in her, and her tearing out her hair drives me nuts!!! i'm constantly pulling wet hair out of her mouth when i'm home. and i hate the sound they make when they're trying to get the hair out of their mouth. yuck!
 
#5
I think bengals are gorgeous. But any kitten will be adorable. I think you'll feel really good about yourself and save a lot of money if you adopt a shelter cat (or a pair of them).
 
#6
I have 3 bengals. 2 are the biggest snugglers in the world, while the other one will only snuggle when it suits her. Like any cat, they each have their own personalities, so it's hit or miss, regardless the breed. Some breeds are more likely to be cuddlers, but each cat will be different in its own way, which means you may end up with a non-cuddler.

And FYI, if you have never had a Bengal, they are EXTREMELY active cats, so if you cannot play with them daily to tire them out, be prepared to have things in your house destroyed, as they WILL find ways to spend their energy.

You may have read that Bengals are "like dogs in a cats body", well I would concur with that statement. My girls play fetch, love water (one will come in to the shower with me), and talk up a storm. I would not have it any other way, but I knew this before I got the first one.

Good luck and let us know what you decide in the end (with pics please :biggrin:)
 
#7
Kitty in your avatar is gorgeous!
macska said:
I have 3 bengals. 2 are the biggest snugglers in the world, while the other one will only snuggle when it suits her. Like any cat, they each have their own personalities, so it's hit or miss, regardless the breed. Some breeds are more likely to be cuddlers, but each cat will be different in its own way, which means you may end up with a non-cuddler.

And FYI, if you have never had a Bengal, they are EXTREMELY active cats, so if you cannot play with them daily to tire them out, be prepared to have things in your house destroyed, as they WILL find ways to spend their energy.

You may have read that Bengals are "like dogs in a cats body", well I would concur with that statement. My girls play fetch, love water (one will come in to the shower with me), and talk up a storm. I would not have it any other way, but I knew this before I got the first one.

Good luck and let us know what you decide in the end (with pics please :biggrin:)
Click to expand...
 
#8
ILuvShopping said:
i think any cat can be a snuggly cat, it's just how your cards play out.
all 4 of mine are fairly snuggly at times, i think i got lucky!

bengals are super gorgeous though!

diordeville- i think one of my cats has a bit of ragdoll in her, and her tearing out her hair drives me nuts!!! i'm constantly pulling wet hair out of her mouth when i'm home. and i hate the sound they make when they're trying to get the hair out of their mouth. yuck!
Click to expand...

^OMG, isn't it the worst!?! Poor baby, she just got so bored, I think. I hate it when they do that.

Agree that any cat will be fairly cuddly. Definitely shelter cats/kittens are the way to go. Petfinder.com will help you out there- you might be able to find a bengal to rescue - how great would that be? :nuts:
 
#9
also - if a cat bonds to you, they will instantly be more cuddling with you. i think that's why i have cuddly cats. i'm the only one in my house, who they're with almost all the time, so i give them all the attention.
and they've gotten more needy with age! i have one cat that seriously likes to be carried around like a child - i'll carry him in one arm while his from legs are on my shoulder and he'll nuzzle in my neck or hair. he just started doing that about 6 months ago. so strange!
 
#11
This is making me want a Bengal. They are so beautiful and sound like delightful fun kitties. But realistically they would probably be too high energy for me. One reason I prefer cats to dogs is they require less attention and interaction.

Reading about them and how active they are also makes me think there are probably a lot of people who get them for their beauty, not understanding what a handful they can be and then want to get rid of them.
So I would think there would be some of them out there who would need rescuing.
 
#12
sdkitty said:
This is making me want a Bengal. They are so beautiful and sound like delightful fun kitties. But realistically they would probably be too high energy for me. One reason I prefer cats to dogs is they require less attention and interaction.

Reading about them and how active they are also makes me think there are probably a lot of people who get them for their beauty, not understanding what a handful they can be and then want to get rid of them.
So I would think there would be some of them out there who would need rescuing.
Click to expand...

You are so correct, unfortunately. Many people get them for their exotic look, but then end up abandoning them when the reality of the level of energy these cats have sets in.

Bengal Rescue Network: http://www.bengalrescuenetwork.org/

International Bengal Association: http://www.bengalcat.com

Other Bengal Rescue Sites:
http://www.greatlakesbengalrescue.com/
http://northeastusbengalrescue.homestead.com/
http://bengal.rescueme.org/ca

Also, most breeders will sell their adult cats after they have a few litters. I adopted one of mine when she was 2.5 years old and would do the same thing in a heart-beat again. Taking in a cat as a adult has many perks, such as not needing to "house break" them, which is a HUGE benefit. My other two we got as kittens and it was a year of learning for everyone - lol. I don't regret it, but would definitely get an adult cat next time around.
 
#13
Interesting opinions...I love bengals for how they look and I really like the idea of them being so crazy, I want a cat who is sociable and who isnt going to be scared of other people etc and the bengal seems to fit that. But I also want a cat that I can snuggle with and my boyfriend said I wouldnt get that with a bengal. Then again, who knows, the cat we had from a kitten isnt a snuggler but yet the cat who lived on the street who was terrified of people turned out to be a massive snuggler. You would think it would be the opposite way around, so I suppose that goes to prove every cat, regardless of breed has their own personality.

We will be getting kittens though, I want to be able to watch them grow up and learn new things etc etc. This probably wont happen for ages yet so im afraid those who are after pics will have to wait a loong time, I posted because I want to find out as much information as possible so that when it comes to choosing a kitten then I will know which breed I want :biggrin:

Anybody with pics of bengals please post!! I want to see a kitty cat!
 
#14
macski, you've really got me thinking about Bengal adoption now. I'm thinking an older kitty, rather than a kitten, would be less energetic. Realistically with two males in the household and the eleven-year-old being very bossy and dominant over our seven-year-old, now is probably not the time to add a younger cat. But I was telling DH about the possibility of adopting a Bengal and he got interested--surprising as I'm supposed to be the cat lover in the family.
How did you find your cat that the breeder wanted to adopt out?
Thank you.
 
#15
sdkitty said:
macski, you've really got me thinking about Bengal adoption now. I'm thinking an older kitty, rather than a kitten, would be less energetic. Realistically with two males in the household and the eleven-year-old being very bossy and dominant over our seven-year-old, now is probably not the time to add a younger cat. But I was telling DH about the possibility of adopting a Bengal and he got interested--surprising as I'm supposed to be the cat lover in the family.
How did you find your cat that the breeder wanted to adopt out?
Thank you.
Click to expand...

Most breeders will have a section on their website for older cats they are adopting out. If they don't, you can always contact them to find out if any will be put up for adoption in the near future and you can always ask them to contact you if this is the case.

I would also suggest asking the breeder how well they think the kitty you are interested in will react to a new environment and new house mates. This can avoid a load of problems.

Definitely research your breeder(s) very well. Make sure that they raise the cats in a way you are happy with. Make sure that they are in good standing with whichever cat association they register the cats with. Also, if you are buying one of their cats as a pet (i.e. not for reproducing), then any good breeder will either neuter the cat before letting you have it, or they will keep the registration papers of the cat until you can prove to them that you had the cat neutered.
 
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