Diet
Here at the Bengal Cat Den, we feed our cats holistic dry food and high quality canned meat. Our kittens do well on this diet, which is about 70% dry food and 30% wet. We send the litters home with a one week supply of the food they are used to eating. We encourage our new Bengal owners to keep the cats on the food they are accustomed to eating, but if they decide to change to a label of their preference, the change of food must be done gradually to avoid stomach upset and loose stools in the kittens. We suggest a slow change over a period of 2 weeks. Also, a change in water may occasionally cause slight digestive upset when the cats go to new homes. Here at the Bengal Cat Den, we are on well water with high mineral content. The kittens acclimate to this water and it may take a few days to get used to city or rural water in different areas of the country.
Acclimation
When a kitten is being placed in its new home, it’s good to acclimate it first in a confined area, such as a spare bedroom. By doing this, the kitten grows accustomed to the smells, sights, and sounds of its new family, without feeling threatened by the vast area of space that an entire house can have. The kitten needs to get used to the location of its litter box and food dishes, before having the run of an entire house where much busyness can distract it. Usually in about a week, the cat is confident enough to journey out of the room and explore other areas. It can slowly be integrated into the family activities. Always give your kitten easy access to its litter box and food area. It’s a good idea to keep using the same brand of litter that your kitten was trained on with the breeder. They get used to the different textures and smells that manufacturers place in their special litter formulas. If you choose to use a totally different brand, texture, and formula of litter, the kitten may get disoriented enough that he will be hesitant to use the litter box. If you are a multi-cat household, it is imperative to start your new kitten in his own individual litter box. The stress of having to share a box with strange cats (that may be intimidating to a small kitten) is too much for it to adjust to right away. Also, many cats are possessive of their litter box and may chase the new kitten away from it. Give all of your cats several weeks to get used to the newcomer before having them share one litter box.
Vaccines
The kittens from the Bengal Cat Den are sent home with at least one, but usually two sets of vaccines. It is the owners responsibility to follow up with a vet of their choice for at least one more booster. We’d like the Bengals to have at least 3 baby boosters by the age of 16 weeks old. We encourage owners to have a rabies shot administered between 4-6 months old.
Neutering
If you have purchased a kitten from the Bengal Cat Den as a “pet quality” kitten, then you are responsible to have the kitten spay or neutered by 6 months of age. We have seen through experience that some of the cleanest, nicest, house cats are male Bengals that were neutered by 6 months of age. Their hormones have not become aggressive enough before this time to cause them to “mark their territory.” Inevitably, the only complaints I have gotten on male Bengals “spraying” in their home, have been from owners who have let too much time slip by and neglected to neuter their cat by 6 months. Female kittens will also “mark their territory” if they are not spay by 6 months of age. Females also get natural hormones starting to arise that will cause them to “claim their territory.” So, Rule of thumb is: never let your kitten go beyond 6 months old before spaying and neutering.
If you have purchased a kitten with breeder-show rights, you have already been informed by me of my expectations on how the cats are to be housed and maintained. An affective breeding program first starts with happy and healthy cats. No one with an unaltered Bengal should expect the cat to live in the home and have superb house manners. Their instinct will cause them to spray and mark their territory. It is unfair to the cat for us to demand higher expectations. They’re certain instinctual procedures a cat follows. They’re cats not people. House your unaltered cats in adequate space where they can get plenty of exercise. We prefer these spaces to be at least 200-300 square feet per cat. They must be heated, air-conditioned, and made in a way that the cat is not susceptible to predators. Small cages are totally unacceptable living standards for a Bengal cat. They deserve much better. Cleanliness should be priority number one.
Breeding
Breeder cats should not be presented for breeding purposes until they are at least one year old. Before one year of age, their bodies are not fully matured, and they are not mature enough emotionally to handle a litter adequately. More health issues arise when too young of a female is presented for breeding. There are more difficulties in labor with more drastic measures needed to be taken to save her litter. Give her time to grow up herself, then she will make you a fine mother cat.
Keep them inside
Last, but not least, when you purchase a Bengal from the Bengal Cat Den, be aware that the cat must stay indoors. If you start to let your Bengal go outside, even with a walled backyard, it can easily find a way of escape because Bengals are acrobats and high jumpers. After the cat escapes the safety of your home, it becomes prey to the neighborhood dog, or the new pet for a person 2 blocks away that always wanted a Bengal.
Remember: cats are independent creatures. Do not fool yourself into thinking that if you let it out “just this once” that your Bengal will come back when you call it! They are cats, not dogs, and have an independent demeanor. Keep your beautiful cat indoors! It will add years to its life!
If you have any other questions concerning the care of your new Bengal, e-mail me and I will get back with you within 48 hours.
Thank you for reading our Bengal Care Guide and enjoy your new Bengal cat!