Bengal Breeder Interview for LP Media

1. The Bengal is not your average breed, what kind of home, family, or lifestyle is best suited for owning a Bengal Cat?

 ·         Honestly, I think any cat lover can do just great with a Bengal! In my many years of being a cat owner I honestly don't think Bengals are too much different from the average cat. Bengals are known for being more and adventurous and rambunctious, but I'm going to guess the comes more from your F1 or F2 types. Most Bengals are now removed enough from the wild that they are mostly like the average domestic cat. Like any cat though they do need plenty of mental stimulation and playtime. Toys and cat towers are great, but in my opinion having a second cat, preferably of the same age can’t be beat! As a breeder seeing the interaction between siblings is invaluable! If allowed to grow up together they can form a great lasting bond! They will keep each other nicely entertained! I have personally raised two sibling sets of kittens to adults and another pair of kittens one month apart. Their bonds are very tight! Bengal are very intelligent so they would do great with a person or family that wants to spend time training them! They can easily be trained to walk on a leash and harness with a little patience and the right training!

 2. What are your top tips for choosing the right Bengal from either a breeder or rescue organization?

·         Get to know your breeder! A good breeder is more than happy to talk with you and answer any questions you have before, during and long after the purchase of your Bengal!

·         Learn the breeder’s plan to make sure the kittens are raised to be well socialized. Proper socialization is very import to having a Bengal with a good temperament. Ideally the Bengals will be raised right in the family’s home, so the kittens are well adapted to all the sights, sounds, smells, touches, etc. of the home life when the go to their new homes. Kittens that are raised in a separate breeding facility or only a small room in the house will have a much harder time adapting into a new home.

·         DNA testing on the breeding parents is a must in this day and age. It’s simple, cheap and easy. If a breeder can’t be bothered with this simple process to screen for genetic defects, then find someone else.

·         Be very wary of scam breeders out there! The internet and Facebook are ripe with scammers that show off cute pictures, take your money and never give you a Bengal. Other times you get a cat that looks a bit like a Bengal, but is not a purebred. Serious breeders will likely have an up-to-date website, and a Facebook page with a lengthy history (be aware of a page that was just started with limited information. New breeders do need to start somewhere, but they will work hard to establish a credible page.)

·         Please be sure to support ethical breeders! Please make sure not to support Mills and/or backyard breeds. Yes, Ethical breeders will likely cost more upfront, but it will likely save you the heartache of getting a poorly raised and poorly treated cats by a person who cuts many corners solely to make some quick cash. Reputable breeders view their Bengals as pets first and breeds second. They are members of the family and treated accordingly! They are always given top of the line food for proper nutrients for them and their kittens. They are also given routine veterinary care and any prompt care that arises.

 3. What would a new owner need to know about preparing their home for a new Bengal that may be different from other cat breeds?

·         Honestly In my personal experience I really don’t think they need anything different than a typical cat. Of course, they need a litter box and feeding dishes. A scratching post is good for their nails. Most of the accessories I think comes to personal preference. Bengals are known to love to play in water so some will prefer to find a water dish that restricts their ability to play in the water. A climbing tower can help for playtime. Toys are helpful, but it’s not necessary to go overboard in this area! The one thing we have noticed that makes playtime unique with our Bengals compared to our other cats is catnip! Our Bengals go crazy for it! We sprinkle some on their scratching post or a toy and they go wild! Our cat Coco will even stand on the counter and open the cabinet door to get to the catnip! He really is an intelligent guy!

 4. What's an important tip to know for the first few days/nights with a new Bengal kitten?

·         It can be a bit stressful for them learning a new home and new people. Be patient and give them time to acclimate to their new environment. It is also common for them to not eat much in the first 24-48 hours as they are decompressing. Make sure they have access to their food and water, but don’t panic too much if they don’t eat much at first.

·         If you have other pets in the home wait a day or two for introductions. Keep it as calm as possible. If your kitten seems stressed back it off and try again later. Eventually they will get used to the other pets in the home!

·         Also, this isn’t the time to bring family and friends over to meet your new Bengal. Give kitty time to mellow. Once your new kitten seems more at home you can slowly start introducing them to new people.

 5. What are some tips or advice you have on socializing your Bengal with other pets and people?

·         First of all be sure to choose a breeder who has made socialization a priority of their cattery! This will help so much!

·         Make slow short introductions with other pets in the home. Watch you Bengal for signs when they are ready to be done.

·         Wait a few days after bringing your new Bengal home to get to know you well first before trying to introduce friends and family. They need time to grow a bond with you!

·         After you have established a bond let the socializing begin! Bengals are very friendly (if raised properly) Harness training can be great fun and a great way to get them out of the house and meeting new people and places!

6. When it comes to training, what makes the Bengal unique? What should a new owner expect?

·         Bengals are very intelligent and quickly catch onto the rhythm of the new owner’s home. If there is something specific you want them to know get to training them right away!

7. What is your best advice or tips for traveling with a Bengal cat?

·         Do it young while they are still adaptable! We took all of ours in the car when we had short errands to run. We’d take them to the park on a leash and harness with our kids as well! As long as they learn it young it can be enjoyable for both you and your Bengal!

8. Grooming tips. What are your best ones that are Bengal specific?

·         We honestly never groom our Bengals! We’ve never had a need to!

9. Do you have any great tricks or tips on keeping a Bengal healthy and fit?

·         Feed a top-of-the-line food! You should never skimp on the quality of the food you feed you Bengal – their health and coat could suffer. If you notice them putting on weight you may need to cut back on the food, increase their activity or a combination of both. If you yourself need a little weight loss then daily walks with a leash and hardness may be a great activity together!

10. What's the nutrition advice every new Bengal owner should know?

·         If you are choosing a quality Bengal from Quality Parents then I would stick with the food that the breeder is using! If it is a high-quality food that is working well for the breeder, the parents, and the kittens before going home then I see no reason to go a different route. Switching the food has the potential to cause upset and health issues to you new Bengal – why change it?

11. What should an owner know about an aging Bengal cat? Any tips or advice for their cat's golden years?

·         Continue to love them as you have always loved them. Make sure you always provide yearly veterinary examinations. If anything, out of the ordinary does come up make sure you get them to the vet for a thorough examination. Often times when a cat begins to have a problem out of the ordinary it has an underlying medical cause rather than just being a sudden behavioral issue. They deserve a long term, loving, and patient family that will give them all the care they need until the end!

Pectus Excavatum

Last week we noticed one of our sweet little Bengal kitten’s chests felt different from the other kittens. I consulted with a breeder friend about it. She said it’s possible Flat Chest Syndrome in kittens. Of course, I had to Google it to learn more. Unfortunately, the prognosis isn’t great for this condition without treatment. Kittens affected with this can also have a more difficult time breathing and eating because of the mis-shapened chest putting pressure on the lungs and stomach. Feeling super alarmed and worried for this sweet little girl (I ended up naming her Petra) I scheduled an appointment with our Vet. I was worried about Petra developing a failure to thrive since she is also smaller than the other kittens. I grabbed Coco (our male Bengal and father of the kittens) and we went out to PetSmart to buy some supplemental food for his daughter. Coco enjoys going shopping with us and it’s fun to have his company! We found a supplemental high calorie gel to try. We also bought Petra some purred chicken and tuna fish to try.

Once we got home, I tried out the tuna fish with Petra first. She did good with it. I would put a dab of it on my finger and the gently open her mouth and swipe it in. Then I’d put her with Mickey (her mom) to nurse it down. After a few days of this she is doing well and keeping up with her siblings! I’m so happy that she’s been hanging in there!

Over the weekend Coco developed goopy eyes. Unfortunately, he spread it to Mickey. Just one eye was affected for Mickey, but it looked really bad. We spent the weekend giving eye drops to Coco and Mickey hoping to help what was bothering them. Coco’s eyes did start to get better, but by today Mickey’s one eye still looked terrible. Side note: Always clip your cat’s nails before giving eye drops! You live and you learn! Yikes!

This afternoon we took Mickey and all her kittens into the Vet. I brought them all because the kittens are too young to be apart from their mom for that long. When we got to the clinic, they weighed Petra and the biggest kitten in the litter. Little Petra weighed 13 ounces Her brother weighed 1lb 3 ounces. The doctor looked her over and then took her to do an X-Ray. While we waited for that to devolop her looked at Mickey’s eyes. No sign of a scratch or injury so likely just Conjunctivitis (pink eye). That means more eye drops! Ugh! It’s worth it though to get her better!

Once the X-Ray films were ready our Vet looked them over. He diagnosed little Petra with having Pectus Excavatum (also know as funnel chest). That means not only is her chest flat, but it also sinks in. The only way to correct that is through surgery. Basically they sew a device onto the chest to help pull it out. Because Petra is still young and devolving she has a high chance of sucess with this procedure. Our vet feels that she will likely be able to live a happy normal life once the procedure is done! Because he doesn’t have much experience in this area he is referring us to a specialist. It will be a bit of a drive for us, but I appreciate his honesty and wiliness to have some else with more experience help us out if he’s not completely comfortable. I always just want what is in the best interest of our animals!

Now we are waiting to hear from the specialist to get scheduled. Until then I will be continuing to give little Petra extra feedings and care!

Stay tuned as Petra’s saga continues….