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Finding a Cat Breeder

Do they belong to a respectable association or society?

There is no reason any reputable Cat Breeder wouldn’t be a member of a respectable association or society.  They don’t cost a lot of money and they make sure that you are getting the pure bred cat that you are paying for. There’s no reason they (or you) shouldn’t be able to register a kitten.  It costs very little (under $20) to do so.

In Canada they should be associated with TICA (The International Cat Association) or CCA (Canadian Cat Association).

Do they provide a pedigree with your cat?

You should be able to get a 5 generation pedigree with any Bengal Cat.

There are 2 large problems without a pedigree:

  1. Frequent medical issues.  Frequently “kitty mills” or “backyard breeders” are producing cats that don’t have clean, pure bloodlines.
  2. Are you sure you are getting a purebred cat?  The whole point of these registry is to guarantee that they are purebreds and to monitor the breed.  It costs a very minimal fee to be a member of these associations and registering a cat / kitten is a fraction of the cost of the cat itself.  You have to wonder why anyone would pay a large sum of money for a purebred cat which isn’t actually a purebred.

Do they provide a health guarantee?

There are lots of congenital defects for various breeds.  Bengals are prone to: PRA (blindness), HCM (heart disease), PKD (kidney disease) among other congenital diseases.  There are tests for all of these conditions and a responsible breeder will test for and ensure that they are not breeding cats with these conditions.

All cats can have FeLV, FIV, Coccidia, Giardia, etc., which are easily tested for and can be avoided.

It’s absolutely horrible when someone brings home a new family member and then has to watch them die from one of these conditions.

How old are the kittens when they leave their mother?

Everyone wants a kitten as young as possible.  Ideally as soon as it’s weaned!  While it seems like it would be awesome and cute to have a young kitten, understand that it’s very vulnerable – the immune system of a kitten doesn’t kick in until 8-10 weeks, before that it’s entirely from its mother; it’s not socialized – kittens learn behavour from their mothers and their littermates.  The most important age for this is between 6-11 weeks old. Separating kittens too early will make them socially maladjusted and can easily lead to behavioural issues.

What do the breeders feed their cats?

There is so much information now on cat nutrition that anyone who breeds cats has a responsibility to know about it.  Cats are obligate carnivores (meaning that they do not have the ability to make certain amino acids and vitamins that are found in meat.  A simple well-known example is the amino acid Taurine.  Cats must get this in their diet and without it they will suffer from blindness, bone decay and eventually heart failure.  This is why you can’t feed dog food to a cat – it doesn’t contain Taurine).  A good breeder will know something about cat nutrition and be feeding a high quality diet to their cats and kittens.

Here’s some basic information on what to look for in Cat Food and what to avoid:

  • Avoid dry foods as much as possible.
    • Cats get most of their water from food (despite having a water dish they are usually under hydrated if they eat only dry food).
    • Carbohydrate content in most dry foods are too high.
    • Many Dry foods contain high plant-based protein instead of animal protein.

Try Raw Food

Wait, did you say Raw?  As in uncooked?  That – Is – Disgusting!  Perhaps, but what do you think cats are eating in the wild? Do they have a little campfire and cook their mouse, fish, bird? They do just fine on raw food. Their digestive track is very different from ours and they simply don’t have the same problems we would.  For more information, see our  information on feeding Raw Food.

Do they monitor who breeds their kittens?

Any ethical breeder will not let just anyone breed more cats.  As you can see from these points, it’s not just as simple as have a boy and a girl and letting them make kittens.  If the breeder will let you buy a breeding cat without any questions and ensuring that you will be a responsible breeder, then you should probably stay away from that breeder.

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Good Homes for Bengal Cats

Are you aware of and up to the responsibilities of being a cat owner?

  • This cat will be part of your family for 10-20 years.  There is a lot of work and commitment involved.  Are you ready for it?
  • Litter boxes, trimming nails, vomit, hair balls and diarrhea, visits to the veterinarian.  It’s not all fun and games.

Cost

  • The price of purchasing a Pure Bred Cat is just the beginning.  Food, litter, toys, treats, veterinarian visits, and insurance are just some of the things you have to be prepared to pay for.

Outdoor or Indoor Cat?

  • An indoor cat can live 17-20 years while an outdoor cat live on average 2-5 years.
  • Outdoor cats catch many more diseases (FeLV and FIV being common).
  • Outdoor cats can get into fights, hit by cars or killed when they drink poison like antifreeze.
  • Pure bred cats can easily be stolen – Your expensive exotic cat could easily end up as someone else’s exotic cat.
  • If you really want your cat to go outdoors, we recommend you build a secure outdoor enclosure or walk them on a harness and leash.

What will you feed your cat?

  • Dry food has been long suspected to cause urinary tract issues and diabetes.  This poor diet leads to dehydrated cats. More Info Here
  • We want to see our cats live long, happy and healthy lives and diet is a big part of this.

Does the Bengal breed fit your lifestyle?

  • Purebred cats tend to have personality traits that are inherent in the breed.
  • Bengals are active, human loving cats.  Their way of bonding is through play.
  • They want attention and are energetic.
  • They are not lap cats and don’t sit quietly on the sofa arm all evening.  If you want a placid cat, a Bengal is not for you.  That isn’t to say a Bengal won’t sit in your lap; just don’t expect them to sit all night!
  • If you plan to leave a single Bengal alone for long periods it’s going to make for a sad, problematic cat.
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Bengal Cat Personality

Bengals have a lot of personality and are lively, intelligent and interactive cats.  They, typically, don’t ignore you nor are they dull cats.  They will be an active part of your family.  They are outstanding athletes: running, climbing and jumping to huge heights.  They’ve been known to play fetch and can be trained.  They love attention too and will frequently nuzzle your face, flip on their backs and crave affection.  Don’t be surprised to see your Bengal jump on the bed and kneed the covers with their paws and sleep with you until morning.

Bengals are NOT wild animals.  Unless you specifically buy an early generation Bengal, then your Bengal will be many generations removed from the Asian Leopard Cat and they have been domesticated with lots of skill and work from dedicated Bengal breeders.  They will be no more aggressive or wild than any other domestic cat.

How are Bengals With:

Kids: Great!  Bengals love kids and enjoy their high levels of energy.  All of our Bengals have been socialized with some very energetic, grabby and loud children so they will be familiar with most behaviours that children do. Just remember that children need to be coached on how to approach a kitten and how to be gentle.

Dogs: Great!  With all other pets make sure that they are gradually introduced and have an opportunity to get familiar with each other’s scents before they physically meet.  Bengals can actually bond with dogs and become great friends.

Water: You wouldn’t believe that a cat would like water so much.  Most Bengals love to splash and play with water.  Running water from a sink or a fountain is a blast to play with.  Watch your toilet (especially if you use cleaning agents like bleach) and running hot water.  It’s rare, but some Bengals have also been known to swim or to shower with their owners!

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Why Choose a Bengal Cat?

Exotic Domesticated Cat

It’s an exotic domesticated cat – how cool is that?  You get all the look of a wild cat and all the affection of an adoring domestic cat.  A well bred Bengal will have all of the disposition of a loving house cat and the markings and pattern of a wild Leopard.  They are active, inquisitive and definitely each has their own personality.  Their look is such that it never fails to get attention, we can’t count the number of times people have stopped and marvelled at a Bengal Cat.

Athletic and Muscular

They are born athletics, very muscular; they are natural leapers and climbers.  They are able to climb higher and jump farther than most other domestic cats.  They love running, heights, climbing and jumping – so much so that Cat Wheels have become very popular just so that some Bengals have an opportunity to get more exercise.  Take a look at this great wheel that was developed for Bengals:  One Fast Cat.  (Yes, we own one!)

Their Amazing Coat

Their coat is extremely short and soft, it’s sleek and velvety (similar feel to a mink coat) with minimal shedding (yes Bengals still shed; but not nearly as much as a lot of other domestic cats).  They are sometimes referred to as Hypoallergenic (and this is true as some people who are allergic to cats are not allergic to Bengals, but not everyone!).  If you do have allergies to cats and want to see if you are allergic, we recommend a house visit to us or another Bengal only cattery.  It usually becomes obvious fairly quickly if you are or are not allergic.

All of our Bengals are brown spotted; however, Bengals come in all sorts of colours and patterns.  We find the brown spotted rosettes the most amazing colours, so that’s what we have; but take a look around for lots of different coats!

Family Oriented

Great for kids, dogs and other animals, they do very well with the whole family (I would probably avoid putting them together with a hamster though!).  They love to play and sleep with the children of the family and are naturally good at avoiding hurting children (that being said, if a child hugs too tight, they could get scratched!).  Our family spends hours playing and enjoying our Bengal cats, we are confident that you will too!

They are incredibly loving – following their owners around, greeting them at the door, communicating their needs and develop a strong bond with their owners.

Super Intelligent and Curious

Bengals are amazing intelligent cats.  They can be trained to do tricks, to play fetch, to walk on a leash.  They can learn how to open doors and drawers. We are constantly amazed at what our Bengals figure out.

If curiousity killed the cat, he got the Bengal first.  Bengals can entertain themselves for hours with a cardboard box, a straw or a piece of ice (well until it melts).