Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Taking care of a Bengal's basic needs
• Method 2 of 3: Taking care of a Bengal's health
• Method 3 of 3: Make your Bengal run and play with him
• Tips
• Warnings

Bengals are an exotic breed that was bred to be a cross between an Asian leopard cat and a domestic cat. The Bengal is known for the beautiful patterns in its coat, derived from its Asian leopard ancestors. But an exotic coat is not the only exceptional thing about this cat, often with a strong character and eccentric traits such as an obsession with water and climbing.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Taking care of a Bengal's basic needs

1. Feed your Bengal wisely. As with any cat, you should feed a good quality cat food, either wet (canned or bagged) or dry (kibble). In the first instance, use the guidelines on the back of the package for the amount of food to give.
   • Don't let your cat get too fat. Once a week, check if you can feel his ribs and if he has a waist. If you have trouble feeling the ribs, the cat is overweight and you should reduce the amount of food by 10%. After this reduction, you can check your cat's weight again after a week.
2. Water your Bengal. You can give him plain water in a bowl, or get a system with running water. You can purchase running water systems at the pet store. If you can't find them there, order one online.
   • If you don't want to buy a running water system, give it water in a bowl and every now and then turn on the tap in the bathroom and let it drink there!
   • Bengals have a thing for water - more of an obsession, actually. They love to play with it and they find running water even more fascinating. They will sit there for hours and hit it with a paw. This is great, except you will be left with very wet carpet. That is why it is better to put water bowls on a waterproof floor that you can mop dry if it gets too bad.
   • Also remember to keep the toilet seat down. This is the equivalent of a swimming pool to the Bengal and he will enjoy dipping his paw in it and hitting water everywhere.
3. Give your cat a litter box with a canopy! It will give him the feeling of privacy. Also, make sure to give your cat a high-edged litter box. Bengals can jump up to three times their height, so don't be afraid to give it a higher edge around its litter box.
   • The high edge is to prevent it from urinating outside the box. If they only have to get into the bin, they can pee along the edge of the bin, leaving you with a mess to clean.
   • If you want to teach your cat to go to the bathroom, it is a lot easier with a Bengal! Research training programs and start them when your Bengal is still young.
4. Don't overdo your grooming routine. Bengals have a satin sheen to their coat that does not require much care. But if you start brushing a Bengal as a kitten, he will enjoy the attention just like other cats.
   • Use a rubber grooming glove to get the loose hair out of the coat and keep it extra shiny and smooth.

Method 2 of 3: Taking care of a Bengal's health

1. Take your Bengal to the vet regularly. Like other cats, a Bengal needs certain routine health measures to live a long and healthy life. In kittens, this involves vaccinations, worming, spaying or neutering and being microchipped.
   • With a chip you can prove that the cat is yours if it is found after theft or lost.
   • Make sure your vet treats Bengal, as not all vets do.
2. Start vaccinating from six weeks of age to provide temporary protection. Repeat this for 10 weeks and give the third vaccination when he is 14 weeks old. The vet will start vaccinating against feline disease and rabies and discuss vaccination against feline leukemia and chlamydia.
   • There is some resistance among Bengal breeders to the vaccination against feline leukemia. The reasons for this are not clear, but have to do with the ancestry of the Asian leopard. However, there is no evidence that Bengals are extra sensitive to this vaccine and there are no special complications with this breed.
   • Also, the Bengal's lineage does not give him natural immunity, as some breeders claim, so not vaccinating will leave your cat vulnerable to possible infection. But if your cat is purely a domestic cat, then you can spare yourself the discussion, as a domestic cat has little risk of contracting feline leukemia.
3. Have your cat spayed or neutered. Usually this is done around 5-6 months. However, some breeders insist that the kitten be assisted before being resettled (at 12 weeks) to prevent their kittens from being used as breeding stock.
4. Get your cat dewormed. Deworming can be done at 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks with an oral product such as Panacur. Good products like Stronghold work for a month, so they should be administered monthly from 6 weeks old.
5. Understand the unique health problems that Bengals can have. The breed is more at risk than other breeds for Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). This viral disease is more likely to spread to areas where more than five cats live who share the litter box. Unfortunately, this means that breeding addresses are potential breeding grounds for the Corona virus that mutates and causes clinical FIP.
   • There is no preventive treatment for FIP, and if you buy a kitten that carries the virus, while a good diet will boost his immune system, it will not prevent him from developing FIP at some point in the future. Therefore, avoidance is your best bet.
   • If you already have cats and are getting a cat from a breeder with a history of FIP, make sure the cats don't share a litter box. The Coronavirus, which is responsible for FIP, is spread in the feces, so the more the other cats have contact with poo, the more likely they are to become infected.
   • FIP usually affects cats under 12-18 months of age and causes fever, loss of appetite and leakage of fluid from the circulation where it collects as fluid on the abdomen. At the moment there is no cure for this heartbreaking disease.
   • Before getting the kitten, ask the breeder if he has a history of FIP in his breeding. If he is honest and tells you that he has had problems with FIP, or indicates that there are kitten kitten suffering from this condition, then unfortunately you should leave and get a Bengal kitten from another breeder.
   • Other common health problems include HCM (a heart disease), PkDef (chronic anemia) and early onset autosomal recessive disease, which can lead to blindness within the first year of life.However, many breeders select for these problems and can reduce the likelihood that your cat will have such problems.
   • Inflammation of the nasal skin has been found in Bengal cats in Sweden. The scientific conclusions were that this unique skin condition in the Bengal race indicates a genetic cause.
6. Consider pet insurance for your Bengal cat. This will cost you a modest amount per year. But it will help a lot if your cat has a medical emergency. It pays a portion of your vet bills, depending on the exact policy, and it will give you peace of mind that you don't have to make treatment decisions based on the cost.

Method 3 of 3: Make your Bengal run and play with him

1. Allow your Bengal to climb. Bengals love to climb, and the higher they get, the happier they are. If you don't give them suitable things to climb on, they will find things on their own, like your curtains.
   • A floor-to-ceiling cat scratching post is ideal, with plenty of shelves and hiding places. In fact, if you have one in every room, it's even better. Place a cat post next to a window so that your Bengal can climb and watch birds through the window at the same time, which he or she both loves.
2. Give the Bengal mental stimulation so that he does not get into trouble. Provide plenty of toys, and make sure to play with him at least twice a day, at least 10 minutes at a time (or until the cat gets tired). Bengals are intelligent and extremely energetic, so you need to provide an outlet for all that pent-up hunting behavior. Neglect this and the cat will likely find its own entertainment by tearing up your best furniture.
   • The Bengal is very intelligent and good at solving problems. This means that he or she can figure out how to open a food cupboard or even the refrigerator. Be prepared to put child locks on doors that have something behind that could harm the cat (such as cleaning products) or where there is food.
3. Have fun with your Bengal! Playing with your cat can provide hours of entertainment for both you and your Bengal. These cats love attention, so the more the better! They also like to sleep with them parents, so let them snuggle up to you in the evening! Bengals only live 12-18 years on average, so get the most out of each day with your cat.
   • Play time with cats is always important! Cats love anything that moves. Get a spring on a string and move it slowly over the ground. This makes your Bengal think it is alive. Move it slowly, shake it a bit, until your Bengal claws at it.
4. Introduce the Bengal to all members of the family. Bengals have a tendency to become a one-person cat and ignore everyone else. To avoid this, make sure that all family members spend the same amount of time playing, feeding, and caring for the kitten. This will ensure that the cat becomes equally familiar with everyone.
   • Consider giving your Bengal a friend to play with. Bengals have romp in the middle of the night, so if you don't want a cat to keep you busy all night, get a second cat. The second cat does not have to be a Bengal. It could be a stray cat, a shelter cat, or a cat you already have.

Tips

• Bengals like to drink from the tap, they are descended from wild animals and would usually drink from rivers or streams. Always turn on the tap when your cat is thirsty! Make him feel at home!
• Have your Bengal spayed or neutered! Have them spayed or neutered unless you are a breeder or want 50 more kittens.

Warnings

• Check that Bengal cats are legal in your area before getting one! If they aren't and you take one, then he has to go to sleep. You DO NOT want that to happen to any cat.