# 2 different breeds of cats = OK? And other cat questions



## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Hi,

I am thinking about buying a cat. Well, originally, I was going for a dog, but have decided against it as it will be left alone for upto 8hrs/day, 4-5 days/week. Apparently dogs donot take kindly to solitary confinement for 8hr stretches.

So, anyway, I hear that cats are much more independent and can be left alone for extended periods, especially if they have another cat to keep them company. Just to confirm, is this true?

With the above in mind, I am considering buying 2 kittens of approximately 3 months old. Rather than buying 2 kittens from the same litter or breed, I would like 2 different breeds. At this stage, I am thinking of a Bengal Kitten http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_cat and a Maine **** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_coon. These cats will be pets and shall be neutered/spayed. I was thinking of getting a male and female of either combination.

Q1. Is it ok to keep 2 breeds like this or is it better to stick to the same breed/litter?

Q2. Will they keep eachother company while I'm out of the house?

Q3. In terms of sexes, which would be the best combination for me to buy the cats: 2 males, 2 females, 1 female & 1 male?

Not letting them out
I'd also like to point out that as these are more exotic cats, I wouldnt really be happy letting them out of the house. If I let them out in my garden I fear they will climb up trees and begin to roam the neighbourhood. The Bengal especially is a £500 cat and has been known to be held to ransom. Even if I increase the height of the fence to say 9ft, the Bengal cat should be able to negotiate this with ease. To this end, they will be house cats, but wouldnt this be bad for their health? Is there any alternative? Do I buy them some contraption for them to exercise? Is the only other alternative to exercise them on a leash - maybe take them on a run? Perhaps a cat breeder can give me some tips here.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Ideally I did want a greyhound, however, leaving it alone for 8hrs/day would be cruel, so I am looking to revert to 'Plan B': cats.

Thanks


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## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

Cats are a bit less maintenance than dogs, but they still do require quite a bit of attention. 8 hours alone a day several days a week is not too bad, though, as long as you given them the attention they need when you are home. 
Having two cats is a good idea. Most cats like having a companion. 

Having different breeds is perfectly fine. If you get kittens from different litters, try to pick a pair that have similar temperaments. A very energetic cat that wants to play a lot will usually get along best with another very playful cat, rather than one who's more mellow and won't always welcome an invitation to chase and wrestle. 

Gender isn't really all that important either. I've had every combination and I haven't really noticed any difference. If you end up with a male/female pair, just make sure they're altered right away. Some cats reach sexual maturity at a very young age.

Keeping a cat totally indoors is not bad for their health. Here in the US, a very large percentage of cats are indoor only. As long as you provide them with exercise and mental stimulation, they should be perfectly happy. You can buy toys that they can chase around on their own, as well as interactive toys such as a laser pointer or a wand with feathers attached to the end. Cat trees are great for climbing and playing on. Cat trees are also great for adding a vertical dimension to their living space. 
Some people like to put a bird feeder outside a window so the cats can sit and watch the birds... there's all kinds of stuff you can do to to keep an indoor cat entertained.

You can also provide them with some supervised time outside on a harness & leash. Don't plan on taking them for a run, though, as they'll be the ones taking you for a walk :wink: Cats won't follow on a leash the way a dog will. They'd rather explore while you follow.

Bengals and Main Coons are both beautiful breeds. We have several members here with bengals or main coons. Don't just take appearance into account though. Different breeds have different temperaments. 
If you do decide to get purebred cats, make sure you do your research on breeders. There are far more bad breeders out there than good breeders, and its important to know the difference.
Also, if you don't have your heart set on a purebred, you may want to consider adopting from a rescue or shelter. There are a lot of great mixed breed cats looking for homes too.


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## MissAnne2u (Feb 10, 2008)

IF you are going to get a Bengel & Mane **** .. please note that Bengel cat males can get quite LARGE ... up to 25-30 pounds and could actually dominate the other cat. Female Bengals get between 12 - 18 pounds so it might be better to get a Female Bengal and a male Mane ****.


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## MissAnne2u (Feb 10, 2008)

oh and I dont know the exchange rate or how it works, but we have a breeder here in WA that sells Bengal Kittens for $250 USD


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Nell gave you some great advice and I'll add a couple things....

Mixing breeds is just fine, I have 2 DSH and a Maine ****. I also have 2 females and a male. So mixing sexes is no issue. Just make sure they're spayed/neutered young. 

My cats are left at least 10.5 hours on work days, more often 11-12 and they do fine. They have toys and a cat tree and each other. Some people take to hiding treats around the house for them to seek out during the day. Just be prepared to give them lots of attention when you get home. I've noticed something really interesting lately....I was laid off from my job. When I was working I would come home and the cats would be at the door to greet me, they'd be looking for attention and playtime. And wouldn't leave whatever room I was in and follow me around. Now that I'm home 90% of the time, they barely seem to notice when I'm gone...when I come home, instead of all 3 of them being at the door, it may take 5 minutes before they all wander in from where ever they are in the house to say hello. So they definitely do miss you when you're gone on a regular basis. but do OK with it as long as they get attention when you're home.

If you have any Maine **** specific questions I'll be happy to answer them. My Holly is 1.5 years old and I've had her since she was 12 weeks. She's the sweetest, goofiest cat. She chirps and trills and likes to help me with everything I do. She also has a thing for The Grinch:

http://www.catforum.com/viewtopic.php?t ... ole+grinch

Choosing a good breeder is very important, especially with MCs and Bengals as they both tend to have some hereditary issues, particularly HCM which is a hereditary heart disease. If a breeder is not testing their breeding stock and is not selectively breeding to eliminate this trait then they are not a good breeder. One of the first tip offs of a bad breeder is if their prices are significantly less than what seems to be the going rate. For example in the US a Maine **** typically goes for $600-900 for pet quality. If you see a breeder selling a MC for $300 they're likely a back yard breeder and not breeding responsibly. 

Here's a Cat Forum article on choosing a good breeder:

http://www.catforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=16115

This was my favorite site for MC info when I was doing my research when I got Holly.

http://www.mcbfa.org/articles3.html


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Ive been emailing back and forth, breeders of MC and Bengals. I am based in the UK.

The Bengal kitten that I am interested in is selling the male kitten for £600 (approx. US$1200). Most charge around £500, so this isnt too dear, though I know Americans might scoff at this price. Unfortunately, UK, especially London, is very expensive, so you get used to paying inflated prices. The Maine **** kittens seem to cost around £350 (US$700).

All my research suggests that Bengal males grow to around 22lbs, so 30lbs sounds a little high to me. To be on the safe side though, I have just emailed the breeder to find out what sort of weight/size they believe he will grow to (judging by his father/mother).

The reason why I have chosen to partner the Bengal with a Maine ****, is that the MC is believed to be one of, the biggest domestic cats in existence. I'm actually expecting the MC to be grow to a larger size than the Bengal.

The Maine **** breeder I think is a little guarded by the fact that I want to have a Bengal as a playmate for a Maine ****. In fact, she seems to think that the MC will be quite a bit larger than the Bengal. Personally, I think the MC will be only slightly larger.

Doodlebug, thanks for your info regarding MC. Is your MC an active cat? I'm trying to understand what kind of cat an MC is. Different people seem to have different opinions of them. The Bengal is active and ideally I need its playmate to also be active. 

Its looking like the MC and Bengal will both be male.

I'm also considering other breeds (instead of the MC). The only one that seems appropriate, apart from the MC, is the Egyptian Mau. This cat is fast and agile, just like the Bengal. The only problem is that it is smaller and might end up getting bullied by it. The MC is larger and is less likely to get bullied and out-muscled by a Bengal.

Thanks for the replies so far. Any more advice is appreciated.


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## Jennyphx (Apr 5, 2007)

Not all Maine Coons are huge. My boy is 14 months and 13.4 pounds. His father is over 20 pounds though. My female who is almost 13 months is 11.6 pounds. She is slender looking though. My coons are both very active. They get along well with my 10 year old grouchy domestic cat just fine. They talk a lot also. They don't meow that often, my female more than my male but they are constantly making chirpping and trilling noises. It's cute except at 3 in the morning when one is sitting on your pillow trying to get your attention and won't be quite! They also follow people everywhere. If you are in the bathroom you better lock the door or you may get a visitor. My female will take her toys from downstairs and bring them upstairs so she can play with them in the bedroom when you are trying to sleep. Whatever she can find to bang them into and make the most noise is fair game. She also gets into everything but she is cute so we can't possibly get mad at her.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Your Maine **** sounds cute.

From what Ive read, the Maine **** reaches full size at around 4yrs of age. If this is correct, then your cats will continue growing. Maybe someone can confirm this?


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Yes, Maine Coons are not considered fully grown until 4 years old. Holly at 18 months has a frame that is nearly the same size as Kobi who is a 19 lb. DSH male and while a little chunky, isn't fat...ideally he should be about 17 lbs, maybe 16.5. But Holly only weighs 10.5 lbs. Her ribs and spine are easily felt under all her fur (but not so thin that I think she has any medical issues) so she has some filling out to do and maybe some more growing. 

My understanding has always been that Bengals are considered to be medium-large sized cats, while Maine Coons are considered large. So I agree with the MC being slightly larger than the Bengal in theory. But of course it also depends on the particular cats...a Bengal at the lower end of the average weight scale will be significantly smaller than a MC on the high end. Since size is pretty hereditary, you'll need to take the parents size into consideration.

You'll probably be interested to how I came to have Holly because it fits in with the questions you're asking.....

Kobi is a very large and physical cat. He beat up on Callie (bridge kitty) when she was sick, to the point where I had to keep them separated. He was also very physical with Maggie (who is only 10lbs). So when Callie went to the bridge and I wanted another cat I was afraid to just go to the shelter and pick out a kitten (Maggie would not tolerate an adult cat being brought into the house--took her 5 months to accept Holly who was a kitten...can't imagine what an adult would take). I was afraid that not knowing the size and personalities of the parents, I could end up with a small, shy cat that could not deal with Kobi. 

I started doing some breed research and settled on the Maine **** because of their size, but also because of their personalities. They are considered to be very easy going cats. So I figured that a cat that would tolerate some crap and was big enough not to be intimated was probably the perfect combination. I discussed it with my vet and she agreed. I also explained the situation to the breeder I chose and she agreed that it was good choice (and I've come to know her well enough that she would not have said yes if she thought there would be an issue...she loves her cats too much). One thing the breeder did as she was watching Holly grow up was to evaluate her personality, if she had considered her to be timid she would have not placed her with me. Turned out she considered Holly to be the bravest of her litter...the first one to venture out of the nest, first one to try drinking from a water fountain etc. 

So Holly did end up being a great choice, but I think it's her personality that makes it work more so than her size. She definitely holds her own with Kobi from a physical standpoint, she wrestles with him and can often be seen trying straddle his back with her front paws around his neck...basically trying to ride him like a horse. 

Holly is not a fast, agile cat and I think that's typical of most MCs. And she wasn't one of those crazy rocketbutt kittens. But a chase around the house and a tumble on the cat tree are very regular things. Overall she is very active. But Maine Coons aren't called gentle giants for nothing, while she's always 'busy' she's very gentle in what she does...and she knows that she can be a bit rough and tumble with Kobi, but with Maggie a little chasing and batting is OK...but no wrestling. 

OK enough of my rambling, I could talk about Holly all day....to sum this all up...I would not have an issue partnering a MC with a Bengal, especially since they will be kittens together. Make sure you get an outgoing MC kitten and I think it will be game for whatever the Bengal will dish out.

BTW, in the US $700 is a perfectly reasonable price for a MC assuming the breeder is doing yearly HCM checks and genetic testing on the breeding cats, have the kittens vet checked and vaccinated prior to the sale, provides a health guarantee, and registers the kitten (even if pet quality).


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## gsc4 (Mar 27, 2005)

I don't have any advice on pure breed pets because I have a mother and son combination I picked up as strays. 

But, the comment you had from the MC breeder got me thinking. Some breeders (feline and canine) become so biased about their own breed favorite that they get quite opinionated and unwilling to consider anything else. 

Remember, most pets in the world are non-purebred animals and everything works out great. Temperment is more important than breed. 

Soon you need to stop over-analyzing this jump in. All animals surprise us with their personalities and you will not be able to predict what you end up with. But that is the fun part of sharing your life with pets.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

doodlebug said:


> I would not have an issue partnering a MC with a Bengal, especially since they will be kittens together. Make sure you get an outgoing MC kitten and I think it will be game for whatever the Bengal will dish out.


Thats good news. I am trying to get a broad a view point as possible and am not taking the advice solely of a single person. I think generally, I seem to be on the right track pairing the Maine **** with the Bengal as playmates.



doodlebug said:


> BTW, in the US $700 is a perfectly reasonable price for a MC assuming the breeder is doing yearly HCM checks and genetic testing on the breeding cats, have the kittens vet checked and vaccinated prior to the sale, provides a health guarantee, and registers the kitten (even if pet quality).


All the breeders I'm looking at for both the Bengal and the Maine **** are offering full vet checks, pedigree history, innoculations, 6 week pet insurance, etc. So this would probably account for why the prices seem a little steep. I actually think the price of £600 for the Bengal kitten is a little on the high side, but providing he lives upto his pictures, he should be worth it as he is a big kitten.



gsc4 said:


> But, the comment you had from the MC breeder got me thinking. Some breeders (feline and canine) become so biased about their own breed favorite that they get quite opinionated and unwilling to consider anything else.


Thats exactly what I'm thinking - I think some breeders just get too over protective of their kittens and the homes they goto. The breeder I spoke to via email seemed worried about the Bengals, but my gut feeling is that she knew little about Bengals and was perhaps a little biased in her reasoning, rather than looking at the facts. Some people have an irrational fear of Bengals, just like some have a fear of Pit Bull Terriers.



gsc4 said:


> Remember, most pets in the world are non-purebred animals and everything works out great.
> 
> Soon you need to stop over-analyzing this jump in.


Yep. In most countries in fact, people have pets without thinking too much about it. They treat animals like animals. I lived in India for 3 years as a kid and I remember they used to treat animals like animals and not like human babies as is done by many in the West. I have to say that I dont agree with treating cats/dogs like human babies - afterall they are animals and they must be aware of this. But thats a whole different story.

I just want to make sure that I make the right decision before I start hunting down the kittens of choice. During the process its possible that I may come across some resistance, but I will have to trust my own research and the wide range of opinions I have garnered.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

sunama said:


> doodlebug said:
> 
> 
> > BTW, in the US $700 is a perfectly reasonable price for a MC assuming the breeder is doing yearly HCM checks and genetic testing on the breeding cats, have the kittens vet checked and vaccinated prior to the sale, provides a health guarantee, and registers the kitten (even if pet quality).
> ...


But very specifically ensure they are doing HCM testing in their breeding stock...genetic testing for the MyBPC3 gene and yearly echocardiograms or ultrasounds. Not just vet checks on the kitten you're getting. I can't emphasize this enough.


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## HersheysKiss (Apr 12, 2007)

Here are a few great sites that have lots of good info on bengals

http://www.bengalcat.com/main.aspx

http://www.bengalcatconnection.com/

ETA

Bengals are not huge cats. Some breeders have bred for larger cats but that is not the standard. A well bred bengal male runs between 10-15 lbs and the females slightly smaller. Even though they may be 10-15lbs you have to consider that they are supposed to be very muscled cats and muscle weighs more than fat you may not have a huge cat at that weight. The standard calls for a cat that looks like its wild ancestor but the Asian leopard cat is actually a small cat.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Thanks for all your advice guys. 

The feedback I'm getting on my plan seems to be 95% positive, with only a few people thinking that a Maine **** might not be happy with a Bengal. One thing I've learnt is that perhaps it is the personality of the individual (Maine ****) kitten that will have to be matched upto the Bengal. I will need to look for an inquisitive, active and bold Maine ****.

Its intresting that it should be pointed out that the Bengal is 10-15lbs. Different sources seem to say different things about the size of the Bengal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_cat : 7-20lbs, for example.

But anyway, should I decide to see my plan through, I shall keep you all informed and post some pictures.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Bengal update...

I went to a breeder who is based in Bournemouth, 100 miles away from where I live in London, yesterday. ****, I hate travelling.

Breeders Website: 
http://www.xclusivebengals.com/Xclusive Available.htm

Baby Boy One is the one I have reserved and can be seen here:
http://www.xclusivebengals.com/Latifah&Firedragonspetboys.htm

The breeder was knowledgable and enjoyed talking about his cats. I think I ended up spending over 2hrs at his place. 

Anyway, here are 3 pics I took yesterday, of Baby Boy One, who is now 5 weeks old:




























While there, I saw the mother and father. 

The mother had a rock solid temperment - she didnt even flinch when I first stroked her, which surprised me bearing in mind I was a complete stranger. She was a very good looking example of the Bengal breed.

The father was more orangey in colour, but was huge. He was about the most muscular cat I have ever laid eyes on. He was constantly on the cat wheel, while I was there. He was less laid back and was guarded by my presence, however, did not react adversely when I stroked him.

I also saw Baby Boy Two (see their website), though he was every so slightly smaller and his senses were perhaps sharper than the kitten I went for. He startled very easily and was a lot more weary of me. He was however, very comfortable with his owner.

The earliest I can bring him home is 3rd May 2008.

Maine ****
I'm getting a little worried about the hair/coat shedding problem. The MC have quite long hair and therefore are likely to leave a lot of hair around the house. Are Maine Coons problematic in this area? Any comments are welcome.

Egyptian Mau
With the above in mind, I'm considering an Egyptian Mau. Of course, these cats have their own problems in relation to the Bengal - they are smaller and there is more likelihood of the Mau getting dominated by the Bengal. The Egyptian Mau is however, the most athletic of domestic cat breeds.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Oh my...what a cutie! Totally adorable!

Re: MC shedding....the difference I see is that Holly's fur comes out in clumps so they're much more noticeable. Good diet (premium wet food) and regular brushing go a long way towards keeping the shedding under control for any cat.


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## Silver deer (Dec 31, 2007)

sunama said:


> Maine ****
> I'm getting a little worried about the hair/coat shedding problem. The MC have quite long hair and therefore are likely to leave a lot of hair around the house. Are Maine Coons problematic in this area? Any comments are welcome.


What colour are your carpets? Hehe... my floor is dark green and I have a Domestic medium hair. I have to clean the floor a lot 'cause she has white hair and it really shows! I don't mind of course, she's such a sweety. I knew I'd have hair everywhere when I got her. 

Also, I have to brush her hair regularly to stop it from matting. Might be an idea to make sure you have time to brush your Main ****'s hair. Members in this forum who have Main Coons might be able to give you a better idea of how much brushing they need.

I know my Domestic isn't a Main ****, but just thought I'd add my two cents. Your Bengal baby is the cutest ever


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## Silver deer (Dec 31, 2007)

Oops, sorry! I took so long to write my message that doodlebug beat me to it


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

doodlebug said:


> Re: MC shedding....the difference I see is that Holly's fur comes out in clumps so they're much more noticeable. Good diet (premium wet food) and regular brushing go a long way towards keeping the shedding under control for any cat.


But, if I were to say get a cat with shorter hair (say an Egyptian Mau), the fact that it has much shorter hair, should give me less of a problem with hair all over the house. This is my thinking. Would you agree?




Silver deer said:


> What colour are your carpets? Hehe... my floor is dark green and I have a Domestic medium hair. I have to clean the floor a lot 'cause she has white hair and it really shows! I don't mind of course, she's such a sweety. I knew I'd have hair everywhere when I got her.
> 
> Also, I have to brush her hair regularly to stop it from matting. Might be an idea to make sure you have time to brush your Main ****'s hair.


Ive currently got a pink carpet in the lounge and a patterned red/black/cream colour in the bedroom. The hallway has an orange carpet. When I bought the place 2yrs ago, these carpets came with the place, hence, I will be changing them soon. By your comments, it would be a good idea to match the carpets with the fur colour of the cats.

While I dont mind cleaning up the hair, I would ideally prefer the problem to be minimal, hence, short hair with minimal shedding. I'm beginning to think that Maine Coons will require a lot of cleaning to deal with the hair problem.



Silver deer said:


> I know my Domestic isn't a Main ****, but just thought I'd add my two cents. Your Bengal baby is the cutest ever


Thanks. But I realise that when he arrives in 8 weeks, the cuteness factor will have worn off and he will look a lot more mature. I dont really care for the cute factor as I like cats that are athletic and are constantly on the move. I dont like to sit cats (or any animal) on my lap and sit there stroking it. Bengals are very good in this respect as they tend not to be lap cats.


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

Cats tend to spend a lot of time sleeping. So don't expect it to be on the go all the time .


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

ignore.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

sunama said:


> I dont like to sit cats (or any animal) on my lap and sit there stroking it. Bengals are very good in this respect as they tend not to be lap cats.


Then I suggest you not get a cat at all. :? You _might_ get lucky and end up with a cat that won't be a lap cat, but just what do you plan on doing if your cat does want to sit in your lap? Are you just going to throw him off?? You'd better do way more research on cats in general...or better yet, get a fish.


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

Do a lot of research into breeds, for sure. 

Our Gracie (British Shorthair) is not really a lap cat - she will occasionally climb into a lap, but usually likes to curl up nearby. There are plenty of other breeds with similar personality. However, you're going to have to balance that with activity level and shedding. British Shorthairs, for example, are cobby in body type (stockier, heavier, not Oriental) so they are less athletic, and although they don't shed too much, if you are in a milder climate (which we are) you have to deal with combing and vacuuming anyway. 

And, in the end, no matter what the breed is supposed to be like, each cat has its own quirks anyway- ! :roll: and once you fall in love with 'em, you're stuck!...Good luck and take your time!


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

my3kitties said:


> Then I suggest you not get a cat at all. :? You _might_ get lucky and end up with a cat that won't be a lap cat, but just what do you plan on doing if your cat does want to sit in your lap? Are you just going to throw him off?? You'd better do way more research on cats in general...or better yet, get a fish.


It is because I am doing the research, which is why I am specifically targeting breeds that arent typically lap cats and are active.

The following sources all confirm that the Bengal are NOT lap cats and are active:

source:
http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:ad ... lr=lang_en

"*If they tell you a Bengal is a lap cat then they speak with ‘fork tongue’* I am yet to meet a Bengal lap cat and certainly a kitten is like having a hyperactive child in the house they NEVER stop."

source:
http://www.jesmewlanbengals.com/

"*Bengals are very 'dog-like'. Don't expect a lap-cat *when considering owning a Bengal cat. They are full of energy, naughty, funny, fearless, loyal and so intelligent!"

source:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/20 ... cats_N.htm

"Too many *people buy them only for their looks, imagining they're getting a gorgeous lap cat, Krieger says. They aren't prepared for Bengals' high energy, strong personality and need for stimulation.*"

I can go on, but you get the drift. 

If I manage to have picked out a "Bengal lap cat", then it would certainly be atypical of the breed. I want the cat to be athletic and active. I donot want a fat lap cat. All my research suggests that the Bengal fits this bill perfectly.

My other choice of cat looks to be heading towards the Egyptian Mau. Once again, I wish this cat to be active and athletic. It is imperative that this cat have enough energy to play with the Bengal. Once again, all my research is suggesting that the Mau meets the criteria above.


my3kitties, if you have a Bengal, Maine **** or Egyptian Mau, then I would absolutely like to hear about your experience. I cant help feel that your defensive response was more down to emotion than anything else. 

During my research, I have to be objective and I cant let emotions dictate my choice of pets as the cat(s) that I choose shall be with me for the next 10-15yrs and will essentially grow with me. Doing things in this manner, I believe I am being responsible and will be able to offer the cat/pet of my choice the lifestyle best suited to that particular breed.

Instructing me to buy a fish is not constructive, at all.


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## Stephie (Feb 4, 2005)

sunama said:


> The following sources all confirm that the Bengal are NOT lap cats and are active:
> 
> source:
> http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:ad ... lr=lang_en
> ...


That little brown spot boy is a sweetie for sure but I would suggest that you do a bit more research.

I have two bengals, my Mum has 8 and is a breeder and whilst some of them do have more demanding "throwback" natures to their asian leopard cat ancestory that doesn't mean that they are not affectionate or lap cats. Most of ours are. Although I also have a psychotic monster - Willow (well known on this forum as a complete fruitcake!)

It is most definitely NOT atypical of the breed not to be a lapcat. If you are seriously interested in owning a bengal I would suggest that you attend a few shows, talk to more than one or two breeders and see how they are handled and interact with people. Granted I have never seen a "fat bengal lap cat" but they are not just the independent, water loving playful characters your describe either.


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## Silver deer (Dec 31, 2007)

sunama said:


> Silver deer said:
> 
> 
> > I know my Domestic isn't a Main ****, but just thought I'd add my two cents. Your Bengal baby is the cutest ever
> ...


Haha... incidentally, my Domestic isn't a lap cat. And she follows me around the house all day like a doggie . She's two years old and still runs around the house like a maniac! It's really funny to watch when she's in one of those moods. As I think someone said earlier, it's worth considering an individual cat's personality...


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I agree with Doodlebug about the hair - Cinderella's hair comes out in little tufts, very easy to see and pick up. 

About the color of carpets and/or floors - after getting Cinderella, I got all light colored towels and blankets and sheets, etcc., so any hair wouldn't show very much.

Then I got Cleo. :roll:


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

All the while, I have been thinking about buying expensive, custom made curtains. 

Yesterday, when I visited the Bengal breeder he told me that the curtains in his house are used by the Bengals to climb on. So, now I will ditch the idea of a expensive curtains and stick to cheap argos-jobbies with blackout lining. 

Even the carpets I buy shall have to work with the hair colour of the cats.

Its amazing how pets can dictate so many different aspects of your life.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I take my curtains down every morning before the twins get up, and put them back up every night. (These curtains are at the ends of my windows to keep the light out in the morning.)


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Yeah, everything in my house was geared towards hiding black cat hair...then I got Holly...oh well, I'd say she's worth it :lol:

Sunama....after reading more about what you're looking for, there's one thing you need to keep in mind...the average cat sleeps 18-20 hours a day. When articles say a cat is very active, it's a relative statement...a very active cat may only sleep 16 hours a day. This is referring to adults. Kittens are wacko for a couple years and then slow down. So that very active bengal may sleep for 16 hours, but is climbing the curtains during some of the time it's awake. Whereas a less active cat may sit and look out the window when it's awake. 

If you're looking for curtain climbing, then a Maine **** is not for you. Active for an MC is following you around, helping with whatever you're doing...when you're brushing your teeth, they help by batting at your hand to help make the brush move in varying ways. When you use the toilet they make sure everything goes down OK. When you use the computer they help by trying to catch the cursor on the screen. Yes, they do chase around and play with toys, but their play if more intellectual than physical. For example, Holly will play with her mouse and her cubes...tossing the mouse, hiding from it and pouncing on it. She will deliberately push the mouse under the cube and then attack it from above etc. Whereas Maggie just used to run around the house for the sheer joy of running, her idea of fun was to open a kitchen cabinet and pull/push everything everything out on the floor, she tried walking across a curtain rod to get to the kitchen cabinet on the other side of the sink, she climbed the Christmas tree all the way to the top, then jump down ...nothing cerebral, just physical play...which I believe is more bengal-like.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

doodlebug said:


> Sunama....after reading more about what you're looking for, there's one thing you need to keep in mind...the average cat sleeps 18-20 hours a day. When articles say a cat is very active, it's a relative statement...a very active cat may only sleep 16 hours a day. This is referring to adults.


Yep. Got that. I have no problems with sleeping cats. I just like the idea of once they are awake, they are "alive". The breeder was telling me that I should expect a lot of activity at night.



doodlebug said:


> Kittens are wacko for a couple years and then slow down. So that very active bengal may sleep for 16 hours, but is climbing the curtains during some of the time it's awake. Whereas a less active cat may sit and look out the window when it's awake.


Got that.



doodlebug said:


> If you're looking for curtain climbing, then a Maine **** is not for you.


Ideally, I'd prefer my curtains not get damaged. Though the breeder stated that I should expect pin holes in the curtains, made from the cats' claws.



doodlebug said:


> Active for an MC is following you around, helping with whatever you're doing...when you're brushing your teeth, they help by batting at your hand to help make the brush move in varying ways.


I use an electric toothbrush. How will the MC assist me given this?



doodlebug said:


> When you use the toilet they make sure everything goes down OK.


I shall have to close the bathroom door when using the toilet.

Thanks for the info.


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## Silver deer (Dec 31, 2007)

Hey I was just thinking, another way to find a cat with a specific temperament might be to visit a few local shelters. Adult cats are more likely to have an established personality, I'm sure if you talk to the people who work at the shelter they'll be able to tell you which cats are the most "active". 

There's no harm in just having a look at shelter kitties... you never know, you might just find a pair of kitties that are perfect for you. Or the perfect kitty might "pick" you!

I was so keen on getting a Birman (and I still love them as a breed), but someone suggested I check out a few shelters, so I did. And I met the perfect cat for me -- it was love at first sight!

If you're set on getting a Bengal I can understand that though. Just an idea!


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## Stephie (Feb 4, 2005)

TThat's a good idea Silver Deer, here are a couple of rescue/welfare sites that I know of in the UK who deal exclusively with Bengals:

http://www.bengalcatrescue.org.uk/I%20n ... 20home.htm

http://www.bengalcatclub.co.uk/welface. ... n=rehoming

It's clear from your posts that you want very specific things from your cats and you are obviously doing lots of research, although being experienced with Bengals I still question how accurate much of the bengal information is. Again, between my Mum and I we have 10 Bengals, most of whom are lapcats and none of whom have ever been curtain climbers. A breeder with lots of little minxie kittens running around is more likely to have this happen than the average person. Kittens of any breed will get into what they want to get into, some of them will be curtain climbers and some of them won't I don't think this is specific breed behaviour so much as kitten behaviour.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

As yet, I am still using cheapish curtains, so if the cats turn out to be curtain climbers, it shouldnt be a problem. Obviously though I would prefer them not to climb the curtains.

You can never guarantee how an animal will behave in certain circumstances and how its personality will develop. I do understand that. All you can do is research and get an idea of what to expect.

*Would the availability of a floor to ceiling cat tree in the home make the cats less likely to climb curtains and other stuff or will it not make any difference?*

Well, I'm sorted on the Bengal front as I only want one. I spoke to the breeder in great detail about the temperment of the Bengal kitten's parents, so he gave me a rough idea of what to expect. Obviously, the kitten's personality will develop according to his environment and stiumuli.

I was actually thinking about going the cat shelter route to get the other cat/kitten. Thanks for the links.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

A quick update to this thread.

I have finally put down a deposit on the Bengal's playmate.

He is an Egyptian Mau and is 1 month older than the Bengal. He comes home in early April, a month before the Bengal. 

Some pics:



















He was easily the most active and boisterous of the lot. He was not the biggest of the litter, but seemed to be the most dominant. He was brave, bold and showed no fear. His personality seemed identical to the Bengal I chose.

Ive already put up the following cat tree in preparation for his arrival.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

That's a great cat tree! Don't be surprised if Marie tries to buy it from you! :wink: 

Your cats will love it.


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## Silver deer (Dec 31, 2007)

Great cat tree!! I wish I had the space for something that big!

Cool kitty... have you decided on any names yet?


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Names. Names. Names.

Hehehe.

Not easy, considering that he will have that name for the length of his life - 15yrs or so.

I've decided to call the Egyptian Mau, 'Reflex', as he showed that he had incredibly fast reflexes, when I went to view him. I've never seen a cat move so quickly...and that includes Bengals.

I have no idea what to call the Bengal yet. He will be big when he grows up, so I'm thinking of a name that makes reference to his (future) size and strength. Hercules is the obvious one, but I dont like obvious. Any ideas?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

*OMG! * Where did you get that cat tree??? That's the coolest one I've ever seen - and that's saying something!!!!

oh, yeah, congratulations on the kitties - beautiful!


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

It was the biggest cat tree I could find on ebay. It set me back about £75, so it wasnt as much as you might think.

When I went to view the Bengal, I saw just how "physical" my Bengal's father was. He was jumping up and down the cat tree. At that point, I decided that I would get the biggest cat tree I could find.

I have since seen a taller (but narrower) cat tree on zooplus.co.uk, however, it is more expensive at £99. I prefer mine, because there are more places where cats can hide and goto sleep.

The acid test will be when the cats arrive and if they actually make use of the thing. Only a few days to go now.

I'm all excited.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Well, last night, the first kitten came home with me.

He loves the cat tree. 85% of his time is spent on/in it. He even slept in it. I bought a nice cat bed, which he totally ignored, choosing instead to make his bed in one of the dark covered area in the cat tree.



















What happened last night...

Got him home at around 2130hrs. 

He was scared of me a little, however, he insists on following me around the house, even though he is stand off-ish. He is used to living in a HUGE cat family and he clearly misses his feline friends. Anyway, he only needs to hang on for a month when his Bengal playmate arrives. I think they will be ideally suited to eachother because, the Egyptian Mau is very athletic, while the Bengal is a dominating breed which harrasses fellow kittens/cats. Hence the Egyptian Mau will have the energy levels to deal with his younger Bengal friend.

It was a tough night last night. The kitten slept in spits and spurts, as he is still very scared. I slept in the lounge with him, as whenever I would leave the room, he screamed and made a racket.

He is still not eating much. He likes "real" chicken. Loves it in fact, but the breeder did tell me to give wet food only as treats. Once every other day. His dry food is the stuff that will make him grow up healthy, which he doesnt seem to like. If this situation doesnt improve in the next few days, I may have to starve him until he eats the dry food. We shall see.

He has not drank any water yet.

Litter tray activity - 100% spot on. No accidents.

One thing that Reflex did was very strange last night. I got him home and after about 3hrs (during which time he was making a lot of screaming noises), I switched on the music. He immediately got scared and ran out of the lounge and hid in the hallway. He eventually came back in, but this time was totally quiet. He seemed confused as to where the music was coming from and was looking in the direction of the speakers. He then got back onto the cat-tree and went to sleep.

Oh, and he loves his exercise. He runs and runs till he gets out of breath. He then waits 10secs to catch his breath, then starts again.

I'll take some more pics today, of his actually standing up, rather than the half-asleep pics, Ive posted above.


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

A wet food diet is better for a cat than a dry food one, or so I've heard. Certainly "starving" him is a bit unfair on him. Try a different dry food if you can


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Huge said:


> A wet food diet is better for a cat than a dry food one, or so I've heard. Certainly "starving" him is a bit unfair on him. Try a different dry food if you can


The breeder gave me samples from 4 different manufacturers. I've only tried one so far, but starvation will only be considered once he has rejected the other 3 brands.

The breeder was quite explicit in stating that the dry foods have all the nutrients that the cat needs and it is important that he eats it. Wet food such as chicken (on its own), certainly wont contain everything that he needs...surely?


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

Not plain chicken no, but proper wet cat food does.
I'm pretty new to this, but I do know that an all dry diet isn't the best.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Your kitten is so cute! I know you can't wait! :love2
Arianwen, a Siberian, has long, very fine hair. But she likes to be brushed some every day. Just a couple minutes each day, and that keeps the shedding down to a minimum.
My R.B. kitty Sam was a Bengal mix, a very large cat, and he wasn't a lap cat, though he did sometimes snuggle beside me when I was sitting down. He was a genius-kitty, and took the initiative to do a lot of things on his own, without training. He used the toilet if his litter box was too stinky for him, he could turn doorknobs to open doors, and he could knock on the door so it sounded just like a human when he wanted to come in. He figured out that it was much easier to take pills because he couldn't get out of it. He would not take wet baths, but he loved his cornstarch dry bath, and would ask for it, especially in hot weather. He was a medium haired kitteh, and liked being brushed because he knew it prevented the hairballs that he hated. He learned to pounce on request, and how to play very gently if my hands weren't protected with leather gloves. He loved to wrestle with me, especially if I was wearing gloves. Then he could let out his inner leopard, get a good workout, and not have worry about hurting me. Even with the gloves, he would pause now and again to make sure he wasn't hurting his favorite human.  
Thanks, it made me smile to remember my old furry friend. 



Sam, you're always in my heart. R.I.P., little leopard.
:catrun


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Sam sounds very intelligent. I hope my kittens will grow up to be like that.

What age did he live till?


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Congratulations on your new kitten! He's absolutely gorgeous!! :heart 
A word about the food...


> The breeder was quite explicit in stating that the dry foods have all the nutrients that the cat needs and it is important that he eats it. Wet food such as chicken (on its own), certainly wont contain everything that he needs...surely?


I have to disagree with your (and many) breeder on this. Most haven't had any or little education on feline nutrition just like vets. I don't know what is available where you are but, generally, wet CAT food is far more nutritious than any dry food. Dry food tends to contain way too many grains and fillers and is heated to such a point that virtually nothing usable makes it though the process. It is directly linked to many health issues such as, obesity, diabetes and FlutD to name a few. I'd highly recommend you do your own research on the subject. A good place to start is the sticky at the top of Health and Nutrition 'Why Wet is Better than Dry'. It has some excellent info in it.
I don't do it myself because of the time commitment (although I do give my cats some)but I think a raw diet is the very best diet for a cat. Next comes a properly balance homemade diet and then wet after that. :wink:


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

nanook said:


> I don't do it myself because of the time commitment (although I do give my cats some)but I think a raw diet is the very best diet for a cat. Next comes a properly balance homemade diet and then wet after that. :wink:


Its very interesting that you should say this.

I would also have thought that a raw diet would be best. Are you saying that some chicken, fresh from the butchers, cut up into small pieces would be best? Or even some red meat? What about the vitamins - how would I incorporate this into the diet?

Myself, I'm seriously into fitness and hence know alot about human diet. One thing for sure is that if you eat a lot of protein, you will tend to be leaner/stronger than someone who eats lots of fat and carbs. Using this knowledge, I was thinking that the same must be true for cats - ie. lots of meat (protein). Add this to a good amount of exercise (and I'm not talking about a relaxed stroll) and you should have a fit pet.


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

> One thing for sure is that if you eat a lot of protein, you will tend to be leaner/stronger than someone who eats lots of fat and carbs.


Even more so with cats! They don't need carbs at all and can not process them.
For me, my cats get canned cat food with just some raw, either prepared raw cat food like Nature's Variety or plain meat. If you are going to go all raw though, it's more complicated. They need organ meat, bones and vitamins and it's vital that its' well balanced so I'd make absolutely sure you do your research. That's why I haven't gone completely raw (yet :wink: ). I feel like I need to do more research first and time and where do I put the grinder!?
There are several people here that feed raw so, hopefully, they'll jump in and give you better details. Or you may want to do a separate post asking about a raw diet.


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## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

Feeding raw food is much more than just feeding chunks of meat, which is what makes it complicated. A cat's natural diet consists of more than just muscle meat. When they eat their prey, they eat it all...skin, bones, meat, entrails, and feeding a raw diet must take this into consideration to be able to provide the right balance of nutrients. Usually the addition of the right amount of bones or a calcium supplement is needed. Taurine, a nutrient which comes from heart muscle, is also a vital part of a cat's diet (they will die without it). 
This is why feeding a raw diet is such a commitment. Many people do it, though, and its great for the health of their cats. If you're interested in doing such a thing, there are some very good websites out there with a lot of information and recipes to use.

I will agree that if you don't want to go with a raw or homemade diet, a high quality canned food would be best. It really is so much better than dry for so many reasons, and unfortunately so many people don't yet realize this, even breeders and vets. 
I think this website: http://catinfo.org/ summarizes the reasons pretty well. I'm not sure if it made the list in the sticky. If you're interested in reading more technical info, I'd suggest this article http://www.catinfo.org/zorans_article.pdf

You're new kitten is absolutely adorable! Cat's wait to see pictures of your little Mau when he arrives!!


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

Of course, you could let your cat hunt. That's what I'm planning to do.


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## sunama (Mar 1, 2008)

Right, this morning, I put in front of him some Hills Science, chicken dry food (which he had yesterday). He sniffed, but didnt touch. I kept putting him in front of the food dish, but he didnt want anything of it. I then took out the dry food and replaced it with Hills Science Kitten wet food (chicken). He liked the smell and the taste and went for it. He ate over half the pouch, until he couldnt eat anymore.

I still feel he prefers real chicken, so I might use Hills Science Kitten wet food and add some extra pieces of chicken. This will increase its protein content as well.

I'd love to see this cat on a cat wheel. His speed is impressive and on the cat wheel, he could run flat out. The exercise will make him strong, too.

Nell and everybody else, thanks for your advice. Oh and btw, the kitten I have is the Egyptian Mau, the Bengal is 8 weeks old now and comes home on May 3rd.

Huge: I was thinking about getting him to "work" for his food. The problem is that Ive heard that rats and mice come with their own diseases, which is not good for an indoor cat. We have squirrels that visit the garden, which would be great for the Egyptian Mau to hunt (the Bengal wouldnt be fast enough to catch a squirrel). The problem with these "street" animals is that they carry disease and could pass it onto the cat.

Claw Clipping
After his feed, he played with the cat toys and I made him run up and down the cat tree, after which he walked into the shelter in the cat tree, where he sleeps. He started purring while I was playing with this front paws, so, I took the opportunity to clip his claws, which went without a single hitch - no problems at all.


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