Are Bengals the Most Troublesome Cats? 10 Frequent Complaints About Them

#1: Bengals are More Energetic than Your Average Cat

Your typical housecat requires at the least half-hour of every day play, damaged into 10-15 minute periods all through the day. Bengals want way more than this.

Many folks buy cat wheels for his or her Bengals to train or take them out on walks or hikes. No cat needs to be allowed to free-roam outside, as that is harmful and shortens their lifespan. But harness coaching your Bengal cat is straightforward and efficient, even when they may by no means heel at your aspect like a canine.

They’ll additionally want your whole typical cat issues–tall, sturdy scratching posts, cat timber, and wand toys. Bengals get pleasure from vertical house and should have issues to climb, identical to every other cat.

#2: Kittens Should be Adopted in Pairs

This isn’t unique to Bengals, however kittens ought to by no means be adopted right into a home with out different cats of an analogous age. They study manners from each other, they play collectively, and so they meet every others’ social wants. Remember: cats are usually not solitary animals. They’re very social creatures.

In your Bengal kitten, you may even see single kitten syndrome amplified, since they’re extra susceptible to those issues to begin and require extra consideration, train, and psychological enrichment–a few of which one other kitten can present to them.

Hard biting, destructiveness, and even stress behaviors like spraying and isolation anxiousness are way more widespread in cats raised in single-cat households.

#3: Bengals Aren’t Dogs

This could seem foolish to say, however Bengals gained’t act like dogs! At the top of the day, they’re nonetheless cats.

Many canine folks undertake Bengals considering they’ll be dog-like and a more sensible choice than, say, an orange tabby. However, it’s nonetheless important to study cat physique language. Training and play will nonetheless look totally different than it does together with your canine.

You would possibly discover a higher match for you in a small canine comparable to a Pomeranian, and even in a shelter cat! Just like Bengals, different cat breeds are trainable, playful, and luxuriate in walking on a harness (as soon as they’ve been skilled, after all!). They’re additionally simpler pets to maintain.

#4: They Can be Destructive

Bengals might be fairly harmful, particularly in the event that they don’t get sufficient train or psychological enrichment. While that is true of all cats, it’s very true for this good, energetic, and mischievous breed.

You can curb their behaviors by taking part in with them every day, offering loads of perches and areas to climb and run. Mental stimulation within the type of every day coaching, walks on a harness, or time in a catio (cat patio) can preserve them occupied so that they aren’t bouncing off the partitions fairly as a lot.

They’ll additionally have to be skilled like every other cat to scratch appropriately and to remain off of counters.

#5: Bengals May Pee Outside of the Litterbox

Every cat has the potential to pee exterior of the litterbox, and it’s most prevalent in unneutered males. However, we are inclined to see this conduct extra usually in Bengals since they’re half wild cat. This is one thing you’ll have to simply accept if you happen to undertake a Bengal.

There are options to spraying in cats, like checking for well being issues on the vet, offering sufficient stimulation in your Bengal to stop stress, and preserving the litterbox clear. But it’s additionally arduous to cease it if it’s behavioral or territorial in nature.

#6: Bengals are Prone to Separation Anxiety

Bengals are typically clingy, although not essentially cuddly. While no cat needs to be left alone all day, Bengals are inclined to tolerate it much less and should develop separation or isolation anxiousness.

This anxiousness is troublesome for the people concerned, and excruciating for the animals. They could really feel distressed being alone even for a number of seconds, or if you happen to’re in one other room with out them.

#7: They’re Smart

Most cats are clever, however gained’t learn to open doorways or activate the kitchen faucet for a drink. Bengals can do this stuff and appear to observe their folks so as to study.

They get into extra mischief and now have larger psychological enrichment wants consequently. 

#8: They’re Very Vocal

If you don’t need a chatty cat, it’s best to keep away from this breed! Bengals are typically extremely vocal, and there’s no coaching them out of it.

They gained’t solely vocalize once they want one thing however as a substitute appear to all the time have issues to say!

It’s additionally widespread for Bengals to meow, particularly at evening, as a result of they’re bored and never getting sufficient power out in the course of the day. 

#9: Bengals are Prone to Health Problems

Bengals are vulnerable to some genetic well being issues, together with:

Reputable breeders will display screen for genetic well being issues and can by no means breed unhealthy cats. They ought to make well being take a look at outcomes public so that you can view and supply their veterinarian as a reference for potential adopters.

#10: Bengal Breeding is Highly Controversial

Bengals are hybrid cats, that means they had been initially bred from a home cat and an Asian leopard cat. It’s unethical to maintain wild animals captive for breeding functions except you’re doing so for conservation efforts.

This turns into much less of a problem now that many breeders are breeding Bengals to Bengals, fairly than home cats to wild cats–but it surely’s an unlucky a part of the breed’s historical past that’s nonetheless occurring at this time.

Bengals additionally see a rise in behavioral and well being issues that aren’t as prevalent in your common housecat, as we’ve mentioned above. People usually undertake Bengals with out being ready for this, merely seeing them as cute cats and even cats who will behave like dogs. Most folks eager to undertake a Bengal can be happier and higher capable of look after a tabby cat from a shelter or a small canine 

Any animal that turns into widespread has an inflow of poor breeding, as folks need to make money. This means much more irresponsible individuals are breeding Bengals with out care for his or her well being or welfare. The Bengal house is primarily (and arguably, solely) stuffed with kitten mills and yard breeders.

#11: They’re Banned in Some States

Some states ban Bengals, notably cats who’ve an excessive amount of wild ancestry. For occasion, Bengals with one Asian leopard cat father or mother could also be banned by your state, whereas these with two Bengal cat dad and mom may not be.

This could also be unhappy for you in order for you a Bengal cat, but it surely’s usually a great factor–many Bengals endure as a result of they’re stylish in the meanwhile and folks purchase them with out being ready for his or her wants and quirks.

If you can not undertake a Bengal, I extremely advocate choosing a shelter cat as a substitute! They’re simply as stunning, lovable, and in determined want of properties.