Adopted a new critter

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Work relocated me to Dallas for the foreseeable future, and I originally only brought Lola, my 7 year old silver Bengal with me, leaving Cleo and Cricket at home. Well, Lola didn't take well to being solo kitty (shocking, given that she's a bitch to the other cats) so I took a hell of a risk and picked up another Bengal. This is my first to purchase at fair market value from a breeder, as my first two were rescues, but it's nearly impossible to "rescue" a Bengal kitten, and I needed one that could grow up with a potential problem animal. So I found this little guy through a FB Bengal group, and shipped him in from Ohio. He's currently almost 8 months old, and is already over 10 lbs. Bengals take 2+ years to reach full maturity, so I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that he's going to exceed the breeder's original estimate of 12-14 lbs. For comparison, Lola is a slightly overweight ~11-12 lbs currently

When I found him, ~3 weeks

Day I picked him up (8 weeks)

As he grows...

And some of miss Lola.

 

[Sirraf]

Wow, dunno how you were able to adopt a Bengal. I've seen them upwards of 1k. Cat is gorgeous.

 

[railroad]

Something to look forward to each day. Great pics.

 

[Nomadic]

Healthy looking bengals! I got my first about 7 years ago, and hes been an awesome companion. He's quite the singer as well.

 

[Blk04L]

Pretty kitty.

 

[HYBRED]

Wow, dunno how you were able to adopt a Bengal. I've seen them upwards of 1k. Cat is gorgeous.

Lola's breeder was getting evicted and had to clearance her last litter; I had about 3 hours to get her picked up by a friend in Dallas before the deal fell through. Got her for $300, 5 weeks old and malnourished. Wish to this day I'd known she had a brother as well, I'd have taken them both. And Cleo was a Craigslist adoption, she had a $100 rehoming fee. Got her about a year old. There are many people who buy them because they're "oh so pretty!!" and don't realize, they aren't normal lazy housecats. They do require work and patience. It's like getting a Lab or an Australian Shepherd, they're smart, energectic working critters who need constant entertainment.

Miss Cleo

Healthy looking bengals! I got my first about 7 years ago, and hes been an awesome companion. He's quite the singer as well.

Thank you! Yes, they are very chatty for sure! Lola has a massive vocabulary, mostly whining and pouting. Such a lil princess, that one.

 

[03cobra#694]

I'm not a cat person, but those are some good looking cats.

 

[AustinSN]

LOL, that's what I look like after a long day.

 

[Uncle Meat]

Do Bengal's have any inherent medical issues like so many of the other pure breeds of dogs & cats? I imagine the F1's don't of course... but I see a lot of F2, F3, etc for sale and always wondered.

U.M.

 

[72MachOne99GT]

I don't get it.

Are they desirable simply because of their appearance, or is it that and they're a status thing?

Sort of off topic but I caught the hilarious aftermath after a guy posted some Bengal adoption pictures on FB and someone asked why he didn't get a shelter cat...shit spiraled out of control as that cesspool of human interaction usually does.

I'm never one to confront people about what they spend cash on, just say it's bizzare to myself and move on.

I'm just curious what makes them worth a thousand dollars. (What's the high end price wise?)

 

[KyleSVT]

Great pictures! Maybe you could help me out. I think my little guy (duke) might be part bengal but not sure. He was a rescue and got him when he was about a week old. He was found outside of my friends work with his siblings. The mother must have died and my friend found them. I bottle fed him for a while lol. He is super active and is always in a playful mood. Acts like a dog tho lol (isnt a bad thing). I have a golden retriever and I guess he learner from her at such a young age.

 

[WishIHadSVT]

What did you name him?

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

4 cats? That's quite a collection

 

[Blackoyote]

Until recent years I wasn't a big fan of cats, especially when I had to deal with 30 pound pissed off servals when working at a veterinarian throughout high school...but nice ones have grown on me since we lucked out and got a freak of nature polydactyl with lots of extra digits and thumbs.

Yours are gorgeous. Are they nice, or will they smack at you and bite? They look pretty chill, especially based on the lounging photo above lol.

 

[SonicDTR]

Beautiful cats! I've been looking at Maine Coon's here lately, but a Bengal interests me too. I'm on the side of rescuing vs paying for them too, but sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do.

 

[HYBRED]

Do Bengal's have any inherent medical issues like so many of the other pure breeds of dogs & cats? I imagine the F1's don't of course... but I see a lot of F2, F3, etc for sale and always wondered.

U.M.

Not many. The breed only goes back to the mid 70s, and new lines are founded daily by hybrids, so it's not nearly as "inbred" as some older breeds, like Labs or Persians. They are prone to a few of the same "cat" issues that domestic short hairs etc can have, but good breeders will do genetic testing and offer healthy lines free from defects.

I don't get it.

Are they desirable simply because of their appearance, or is it that and they're a status thing?

Sort of off topic but I caught the hilarious aftermath after a guy posted some Bengal adoption pictures on FB and someone asked why he didn't get a shelter cat...shit spiraled out of control as that cesspool of human interaction usually does.

I'm never one to confront people about what they spend cash on, just say it's bizzare to myself and move on.

I'm just curious what makes them worth a thousand dollars. (What's the high end price wise?)

I have a shelter cat I accidentally took home while getting my Shelby tinted, have rescued, fostered, and adopted out a couple feral kittens, picked up a registered Lab puppy at a snowcone stand for $80, and I have my Bengals. I'm an equal opportunity acquirer of critters. As I said, this is actually the first one I got 'properly;' and he was midrange pet price. Pet quality (no breed rights, often come altered) kittens can range from $800 to 4k, and breeder quality from $2k to $10k+.

Are they different? Absolutely. Temperament, energy level, activity style, everything about them is MORE. Bigger jumps, rougher play, more aggressive with toys, they're a very different animal than most domestic cats. At the risk of sounding snobbish, Bengals need Bengals as companions. Or highly active dogs (like my Lab), which wasn't going to work in my small apartment here. I had a Bengal, and I needed another Bengal to keep her entertained and happy. It worked out very well for her, as she has bad separation anxiety when I'm gone. I got her so young that she bonded completely to me as her 'savior.' The price was worth it to get her such a chill companion.

I like their temperament, activity level, personality and intelligence. I've always had cats, but I never had cats like these, and I'm pretty much hooked. Status...meh, people like the pics I post, and they have so much outstanding personality in their furry little expressions that it translates well into pictures. But if I wanted true OMG LOOK AT MY CATS status, I'd have doubled my money on a Savannah. I guess they're flashy (even though I have less in my 3 than many people spend on 1), but they're amazingly good cats, especially for people who aren't fans (they're even hypoallergenic!) and nearly everyone who's met them, has wanted one. Even the friends who shoot stray cats on their property out in the country. I've influenced several friends to buy one or two for themselves.

Great pictures! Maybe you could help me out. I think my little guy (duke) might be part bengal but not sure. He was a rescue and got him when he was about a week old. He was found outside of my friends work with his siblings. The mother must have died and my friend found them. I bottle fed him for a while lol. He is super active and is always in a playful mood. Acts like a dog tho lol (isnt a bad thing). I have a golden retriever and I guess he learner from her at such a young age.

He does look like he might have some Bengal in him. It's not unheard of for strays to interact with Bengals. There are other spotted breeds, as well as genetic defects that can lead to spotting in tabby cats (Ocicats are an example of this selective breeding for spots). So there's no telling where exactly certain markings came from.

Classic physical Bengal traits include more than just their spots: larger rounded eyes and prominent whisker pads; large, often rounded ears; strongly muscled, longer rear legs than fronts; a belly "pooch" that allows for longer extension of the body in jumps; dense, firmly muscled body(makes them heavier than another cat of the same size); minimal to no undercoat, with a silkiness to the overcoat that feels like water; 'glitter' like refraction of light in the overcoat in direct sunlight.

 

[TClark22]

Can't get enough of your cats!

 

[HandBanana]

Lovely kitties.

Now, OP, can you please come to my house and help get rid of the plethora of feral cats that like to sleep on my daily every day? They are unafraid of pretty much everything and will remain on the roof or trunk of my car until I am practically getting into it.

 

[HYBRED]

What did you name him?

This one is Nico, after Nico Rossberg. Met him at F1 in Austin, very nice, sweet dude.

4 cats? That's quite a collection

LOL, yes, I know. But my mom and brother have been adopted by Cleo and Cricket, so I just have my two Bengals here in Dallas. Technically it's only 2 per house!

This is Cricket. She was an "oops! there's a Petsmart next to the place I got the Shelby tinted, and they have KITTENS" adoption. Could not say no to those eyes.

And for good measure, here's the derp, Moose. Chocolate Lab.

Until recent years I wasn't a big fan of cats, especially when I had to deal with 30 pound pissed off servals when working at a veterinarian throughout high school...but nice ones have grown on me since we lucked out and got a freak of nature polydactyl with lots of extra digits and thumbs.

Yours are gorgeous. Are they nice, or will they smack at you and bite? They look pretty chill, especially based on the lounging photo above lol.

Lola will, when moody, but not to me. When she was a kitten I'd smack and bite her back (not hard, just enough to show Alpha status). She has a very strong personality, but MOSTLY just growls and hisses. So far she's never bit a vet or a tech, but she did nip at a couple friends recently. Not sure if it's the new location, or they spooked her, or what. OR she's just a bitch. Nico, I have literally never heard hiss, or really ever growl. He barely even cries if you accidentally step on him (and he's alllllways getting underfoot, silly boy). When he got his booster shots last week, he didn't even blink. Never seen a more chill cat in my life. Cleo is very very shy, but I have a feeling the toddler at the house she came from yanked her tail one too many times, and she was declawed as well. That really screws with their heads.

Beautiful cats! I've been looking at Maine Coon's here lately, but a Bengal interests me too. I'm on the side of rescuing vs paying for them too, but sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do.

If you don't have one, and don't need to get one young like I did, there are many rescue groups you can source an unwanted Bengal from. Check Petfinder.com or FB for rescue organizations. Many people get these cats thinking well, they're cats, but expensive and pretty. But they don't always get along with other cats or kids, and get tossed out. I love Maine Coons, would like to have one, but I think I'm good on animals for now. Although I plan on getting a bird in the next two years, but that's a whole other story.

 

[Russo]

beautiful cats! my Bengal is a one cat alpha female, i couldnt imagine having two