Bengal Cats Not Suited As House Cats???

Bengal Cats Not Suited As House Cats???

by Gemma
(London)

Orion

Orion

I keep reading on this website how unsuitable bengal cats are for those living in flats (apartments if you're American), or indoor living.

I can only disagree.

I have two Bengals, Tsega (SAY-ga) a silver spotted male aged 1 year 5 months, and Orion a brown spotted male ages 1 year 4 months.

I live in the typical London flat, and although it's spacious for a London dwelling, it's relatively small in comparison to accommodation in USA or Australia for example.

My Bengals have do not show any signs of distress being indoors, and neither do my friends Bengals, who are also house cats.

My Bengals have access to a ceiling height cat tree, and a lot of toys (Go-Go Hamster being the latest). I regularly take them over to my parent's house once every couple of weeks for a couple of days, enabling them to have more room to play, and a little variety.

They are regularly taken out on their harnesses, and love walkies.

Tsega loves playing in water, and actually gets excited whenever I have a pee, rubbing around my legs before watching the toilet flush.

Orion loves to play fetch with plastic knives and forks.

They tend to sleep for the majority of the day when I am at work, play at dusk and dawn, before joining me on the bed at night time.

Mine are both lap cats, although Tsega prefers to squash next to you, opposed to on your lap.

They are both very happy and content cats, although I am looking to buy somewhere with a garden for them.

Bengals can make great house pets (who in all honesty would want to let out a cat with spots on in London anyway...), if you're prepared to ensure they're entertained and have variety.

Gemma

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Bengal Cats Not Suited As House Cats???

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Aug 27, 2010 Bengals
by: Meghan

hey, i was wondering if my kitten is a maine coon, bengal or something similiar to them...

Here are some photos of her:

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/ae292/Meghan-Elisabeth_Farr/45639_417094121149_694516149_5237878_6488270_n.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/ae292/Meghan-Elisabeth_Farr/025.jpg


Apr 08, 2010 Active cats
by: Finn Frode, Denmark

Hi Gemma. I think you are offering your Bengals the best conditions possible and of course they can have a good life as indoor cats. Where you live the only other option would be not having cats at all and that's something nobody can ask of you.

But with an active breed like this, having more than one (as you have) is probably required in order to keep them busy.

p.s. Orion looks great with those clearly defined markings. 🙂

Finn Frode avatar


Apr 06, 2010 It's me
by: Michael

Yes, it is me who has suggested that the Bengal cat is less suited to being a full-time house cat than say a more docile cat such as the Perian.

I don't think that I keep on saying it. I just said it a couple of times.

I am looking at it from an ideal, a target. Any cat can be a full time house cat. Any cat can be anything we want. Many tigers spend their lives in 12 foot square cages when their wild ranges are up to 800 - 1000 km² for the Siberian. The cat survives but it is not ideal.

In an ideal world a Bengal cat should have as much space as possible as they are active cats.

I would argue too that when a cat sleeps a lot it is because it has to as it is confined, what else can the cat do? Yes, cats do sleep a lot but domestic cats sleep more that wild cats, in my opinion because they have no hunting to do and hunting is the major activity for the cat.

A cat's life should be as natural as possible, while remaining as safe as possible.

Thanks by the way for sharing your thoughts.


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