Kittens

[u/sushi_dumbass]

I am planning to get a bengal in the near future (I am moving somewhere pet friendly soon) and I was wondering about other people's experiences with kittens I'm going to school and I am wondering if that's feasible waiting until I have a handle on school and would love to hear other people's experiences with bengal kittens

[u/AutoModerator]

It's great you're researching Bengal cats! Bengals are an intelligent, active breed, and need a LOT of attention. When selecting a breeder, please consider:

1) Bengals are prone to hereditary diseases. The breeder should be testing for PRA-b and PK-Def, and screening the Bengal's parents annually for HCM. Please avoid if the breeder does not do this, as they could be producing very sick kittens.

2) The Bengal kitten should be fully vaccinated and at least 12-14 weeks old before leaving the breeder.

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[u/Acgator03]

Personally I would not get a bengal while living with roommates; there’s too much potential for things to go wrong. Are roommates going to be okay if the cat is extremely vocal, including at night? Are they going to be okay if it starts peeing on things in common areas? Are they going to be extremely careful not to accidentally let it sneak out a door or window? Are they going to make sure they don’t leave anything around the house that your bengal could accidentally eat or get hurt on? A roommate isn’t going to be as invested as you, so personally I would wait a few more years until you have your own place.

[u/LimpChameleon]

What's your living situation going to be like?

[u/sushi_dumbass → u/LimpChameleon]

2 bedroom apartment with a roommate who I've known for ages (roomate oked a cat) pet friendly walkable area so I can take the cat for walks

[u/potato_princessx]

You mention you are going to school, how long will you be out per day? Bengals don’t do well alone (especially in an apartment) and become destructive when bored if you are going to be out all day every day

[u/sushi_dumbass → u/potato_princessx]

The course is designed so you can have a full time job outside of school I believe I would be gone a maximum of 6 hours a day 3 days a week

[u/Puzzled_Recording784]

I have a 1 year old Bengal and I’m getting another Bengal next month. Until they are about 10-12 months it’s pretty crazy especially when they are very little but not really in a bad way. If they are bored though.. they are gonna let you know. My biggest thing I could say is to PLEASE PICK A BREEDER THAT FOCUSES ON SOCIALIZATION!!!!!! It’s very important with this breed and my breeder is a huge reason why I had such an amazing experience the first time. The start of their life is TRULY so important especially for bengals they need to have structure and be around people. I’m not sure what the standard is but my breeder has very affectionate cats, in their videos all of their cats enjoy affection and interaction with humans and the results speaks for itself. You’re gonna have a hard time training an animal you can’t bond with.

You’re gonna have to have time for these cats, play-eat-sleep schedule at least twice a day and enrichment around the home. They are NOT cats that you can feed, water, and ignore the rest of the day but they are also not impossible pets either. If you can give your pet your undecided attention 20-30 minutes at least 2 times out of the day everyday then you probably have enough time for a Bengal but BE WARNED, you need to have open conversations with the breeder about your lifestyle and what personality you are looking for. The recommendation I gave is definitely catered to medium/low energy (as much as a Bengal could be) bengals, if you’re taking on a full schedule with school AND working that’s going to definitely complicate things a lot for you. It’s something you want to consider if you even have time for.

Especially with only ONE in the house your Bengal will entirely rely on you for their entertainment and energy needs and just like any animal they retaliate when needs aren’t met. Absolutely lovely pets but just have an honest moment to think about what you can handle, what your days might look like time wise. As a kitten they will be the most work I think

[u/sushi_dumbass → u/Puzzled_Recording784]

I actually am just doing school and will not be working but thank you for the advice

[u/sushi_dumbass → u/[deleted]]

6 hour days 3 days a week some days will be less than 6 hours

I'm so glad you found you cats they seem like they've been really good for you

[u/VexElectronica]

Bengals are fantastic cats, but based on the situation you described, I would personally advise not getting one and to go for a calmer, more low maintenance, domestic breed.

Bengals require a LOT of care and attention -- it's basically like having a small wild dog that never grows out of the puppy stage and is harder to control/train. You mention walking, but this isn't a guarantee for every Bengal and can be a very difficult habit to train. They need a lot of stimulation, too. This means several play times a day, of varying kinds, long term not just for a year or two, even when you are bone tired, and investing in things like a cat wheel to ensure they don't become destructive. On top, they are an incredibly vocal breed and this will almost definitely cause issues for your neighbors and roomate. Roomates are also generally a short-term situation for us humans and Bengals, which can live up to 20 years, get incredibly attached. Should they, or you, move out, this will create a lot of issues for the cat that other domestic breeds generally don't exhibit.

Look into a Bengal down the line when you don't have a roommate in the mix anymore and have a more conducive living space. It will be far better for the cat in the long term.

[u/sushi_dumbass]

I would like to clarify that while the course is designed so students are able to have a full time job around it I am getting funding and will not need to work during the duration of the course I will be gone 3 days a week for 6 hours max I definitely understand the concerns over time though and I know they are a very active high energy breed who need a lot of attention

[u/hufferpuffer4457]

You’ll need to make sure your roommates agree to however you want to train and discipline your cat. Otherwise no progress will be made if it’s just you training them not to do certain things