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Trimming your cats nails

Cats nails grow quickly, as quickly as your fingernails.  They should be trimmed as frequently as yours do (at least once a month).

Some cats can properly maintain their nails (though they will be very sharp) and it won’t cause them any problems; however, a lot of cats can have problems if you don’t trim them (additionally they won’t scratch you as much).

You want to trim both the front and back nails (including the dewclaw (thumb)). You can start as young as 8 weeks old.  Talk to your breeder as to how they trim nails and how they can transition to you.

Select a quiet room with no distractions and calmly sit with your cat.  The basic process is as follows:

  • Gently press a paw to extend the nails:
  • Look at the nail from the slide and determine where the nail ends and the quick begins.
  • You need to avoid the quick as if you cut the quick you will cause pain and bleeding.  As well, it will make it harder to cut it in the future (your cat will struggle more).
  • Clip the nails quickly as it’s going to be hard to keep them still for long.
  • Give lots of praise / treats / scratches when finished, to create a positive experience and association with nail clipping.

Some tricks

  • Grab them by the scruff to show dominance if they try to run away.
  • Talk to your cat while clipping.  Give praise for being still (Good Girl/Boy!) or say NO if they try to escape, bite or growl.
  • Cover their head so they can’t see what you are doing.
  • Have a partner distract their attention while you clip the nails.
  • Lift them by the scruff and clip them while scuffed (this will usually work until they are 8 months or so).
  • Wrap them in a towel (only use as a last resort — your cats will hate this!)
  • If all else fails: bring them to your vet to get them clipped.

Cat scratching

Every cat has a need to scratch and if you don’t supply them with sufficient items that they can use for scratching then you will find your table, chair, couch, bed or rug scratched.  So what do they need?

Every cat needs

Both a horizontal and vertical scratching item.  Some cats like to stretch out high or long and some flip between them.  

Cardboard makes excellent material to be scratched.  Avoid carpet as it can confuse the cat into scratching things they shouldn’t (like your favorite rug). You can buy lots of great scratching items on Amazon or your neighborhood pet store.  Here is one of our favorites:

Pet Fusion Cat Scratcher

To encourage scratching you can use cat nip or play with them on /around the scratching post.  A laser pointer can work really well to direct them into the scratching post.

Destructive  Scratching

If you find your cat is destroying your favorite chair or table here are some tips:

  • Move a scratching post directly beside what they are scratching.
  • Gently lift and transfer the cat to the nearest scratching post any time you catch them in the act.  
  • Place tape or aluminum foil on the item being scratched.
  • Spray the spot with Felaway.
  • Clip your cat’s nails more frequently.

Spraying your cat with water usually won’t help as they only learn to not scratch when you are around.

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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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Raw Feeding

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, or 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.  Here’s a few pointers on how to get started feeding your cat as nature intended.

Do I just cut up a raw chicken and put it in a dish?

That sounds like a great snack; but, it’s a really poor diet.  Balanced diets are the number one reason people struggle with raw food and veterinarians don’t recommend it.

Where’s the Taurine?

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is very important in the metabolism of fats.  If there is not enough Taurine in a cat’s diet, he or she may develop a taurine deficiency which could lead to heart or eye troubles. Taurine is highly concentrated in liver – not in breast or leg meat.  If you are making your own cat food, make sure that you include ingredients that are high in Taurine in your recipe.

If I feed raw food, do I need to spend hours in the kitchen?

Absolutely not!  There are many options available for owners who wish to provide the best nutrition for their loved ones.  You can buy Raw food from your local pet store!  Nature’s Variety is one example, there are many more.  It’s easy to store / serve.  There are lots of places that will make / deliver raw food too.

Where can I learn more?

Take a look at  http://www.catnutrition.org/ or http://www.catinfo.org both sites are great resources for raw cat food.  Take a look at http://www.cat-crap.com/ too.

If you must, used canned wet food.

I don’t recommend it; but, a quality canned wet food is way better than dry food.   It’s got high water content and is usually animal based protein with much lower carbohydrate content.

General Guidelines:  Try to feed Chicken, Turkey and Rabbit.  Avoid Fish as a part part of their diet as it’s highly addictive and frequently contains other chemicals harmful to cats.  Avoid Grains and Vegetables such as Corn, Rice, Peas, Wheat, Carrots – these may sound healthy to us, but we aren’t cats;  they are not species appropriate foods (but they are cheap!)  Ideally you want high protein foods – watch for high fat instead of high protein.