[Closed] Bengal cat(s)

They like lots of stimulation but great animals
[IMG] [/IMG]

I wouldn't keep any cat indoors, they become misearble neurotic things.

Some people would say cats are like that all the time.

ours goes outside. I couldn't possibly keep a cat locked up, it's just not right. Yes they're energetic and need lots of stimulus, they like climbing they like water, they're a bit mental. Two would be a handful.

[IMG] [/IMG]

for balance - we've had numerous indoor cats, no problems whatsoever. bengal are supposed to be quite 'energetic' though

I wouldn't keep any cat indoors, they become misearble neurotic things

I know two very happy fun indoor cats. Even with the door left open they don't try to go out any more.

If our Maine coon/Bengal thing was kept indoors one of us would be dead by the end of the week.

[img] [/img]

Cats are fine to leave on their own during the day. But all the time? Not a chance!

Our cats prevent each other getting bored by chasing each other round the house like Roadrunner and Wile E coyote, and scrapping like a pair of feral teenagers from rival sink estates. Trashing the house in the process. So when we've had enough of their carry on, and they're being too anarchic (frequently), out they go. Keep them in the house all the time? Depends if you want all your furniture and curtains shredded, I suppose

The indoor issue, apart from what type of cat(s), is one that has been in the forefront of my mind, and is a reason that I haven't wandered down to the local cat shelter with a carry case already.

My folks cats have possibly the best location possible - think the kitty equivalent of a country estate, with woods, paddocks, no road, a greenhouse for sunny days, a garage for rainy days and at least one member of staff on duty at all times to take care of door opening/stroking/feeding. For this reason I have always worried about having a cat in an apartment, even though I know people who have them and their cats seem totally content - not missing what they have never had. In the last year or so I've started to think about getting a cat for myself rationalising that a life in an apartment has to be better for a cat than an uncertain future in a rescue centre. From that I've been wondering recently about a model from the the Ti/bling end of the cat market.

2 indoor cats here ... Not bengal but Brilliant pets.
I think you'll find indoor cats are not that uncommon.

I'm always glad we got 2, mind you - they now share the house with 2 Labradors as well so they never get lonely!

We had a cat who had to go out at night he would pace the floor, jump up curtains and walls knock plants and stuff over.

In his old age he settled down a bit, my daughter went to uni and after the first year took him over to manc with her. He then adapted well to the student life style, became an indoor cat, in a house with an indoor rabbit - but I guess that kept life exciting.

I'd look for a rescue cat that is already a house cat. We had a kitten that was attacked by another cat and barely survived. The original owners got her back to good health but she just refused to go outside and would sit at the backdoor all day crying to get back in. So they put her into a shelter and we took her on.

Quite happily spent the rest of her life milling about the house. Might be worth looking into…

Why on earth do you think that getting an animal and locking it up alone for 4 days a week to be a good idea? I assume you'll not then spend the other 3 days a week focused on that animal, so for the mild amusement it will give you for what is a few hours that might be seen as very selfish.

Here's a random bit of information for you. In the US they have a bit of a problem with the number of birds that domestic cats kill (billions) so some people there actively encourage people to keep their cats indoors! We have an indoor cat she seems pretty happy, only goes outside into the yard area thing when I'm out there.

EDIT: oh yeah, we're usually in during the evenings and I work from home 2 or 3 days a week too so she isn't left alone for any extended period that often.

My 2 are variously terrified and completely uninterested in the outside world. We got them as a pair but they hate each other and spend their time at opposite ends of the flat. Other than that they're utterly content, don't seem to care much if we're around or not either. They're not Bengals though.

I generally think cats are independant little things that will happily make the most of / take avantage of whatever situation they find themselves in. If there's someone in for food / door opening / cuddles, then great - if not they'll find something else to do amuse them (possibly destructive!).

I have personally always had outdoor cats, but I certainly know of folk with indoor cats who seem perfectly content and happy. As someone said, some cats are better suited to this lifestyle! All mine have been crazies who simply need to burn off steam outside or I would have no house left...

Our cats prevent each other getting bored by chasing each other round the house like Roadrunner and Wile E coyote, and scrapping like a pair of feral teenagers from rival sink estates. Trashing the house in the process. So when we've had enough of their carry on, and they're being too anarchic (frequently), out they go. Keep them in the house all the time? Depends if you want all your furniture and curtains shredded, I suppose

Yep our two do that. Add in some projectile vomiting as well....

Why on earth do you think that getting an animal and locking it up alone for 4 days a week to be a good idea

I think he intends to go home on an evening?? ... Not live in the office for 4 solid days

We have a half tabby half Egyptian Mau cat who lives indoors. She's only small and if she spies the door open runs upstairs to hide under the bed . We wanted an indoor cat and she fit the bill perfectly .

If there's someone in for food / [b]door opening[/b] / cuddles

Ahh yes the "wrong side of the door" game...

..as in whatever side of the door the cat is on, to the cat it's the wrong side!

I get home and both cats are waiting for me at the door to be fed (even if the OH has just fed them). It's quite sweet really......

My brother has 2 bengals - they were kept indoors to begin with but had a tendency to destroy things. They now come and go as they please - but they still destroy things.They climb anything in sight, chase cars and torment the neighbours. Amazing animals but completely bonkers.

Ahh yes the "wrong side of the door" game...

..as in whatever side of the door the cat is on, to the cat it's the wrong side!

Oh yes... we're familiar with that one. The problem now is that the fatter one of the two has now sussed out that he has ample body weight to hang off the door handle until the back door opens, unless we lock it. So now just lets himself in and out, leaving the door wide open. The little sod!!!

I think he intends to go home on an evening?? ... Not live in the office for 4 solid days

Yes, sorry if not quite clear - I Mon-Fri 8 hours a day with 15 min commute each way, Weds I work from home.

You'll be reet. Go and get yourself a couple of the little buggers. They're ace. If a complete PITA, at times

Oh... the working from home thing. Our cats quickly learned that a laptop keyboard makes an ideal toasty warm place to fall asleep. You have been warned

Oh... the working from home thing. Our cats quickly learned that a laptop keyboard makes an ideal toasty warm place to fall asleep. You have been warned

Mine tends to come and jump on my lap making typing really bloody difficult, she'll also do this even if the laptop is there.

I dare you.

[img] [/img]

(not a Bengal)

My two little monsters
[IMG] [/IMG]

I used to have them as indoor cats but decided on letting them out but due to the cost of buying them i opted for harnesses from

http://www.mynwoodcatjackets.co.uk/serval.php

Amazing cats but quite a handful !
Following applies:
Strongly believe they own the house you and everything in it
Full range of vocals from cute chirp to make you jump howl dependent on what they want
Destructive
Enjoy terrorizing all local cats and children
Will fetch and carry (when can be bothered)
Brings post from letterbox
Enjoy the sport of human baiting

This is our second a marble house name "Fish" we kept her in at first due to losing our first to a car 🙁 But relented in the end so let her out shes now content with popping out mauling something and coming back in.

But after all above amazing cats just a bit more full on than a mog

The many faces of Fish
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

I think keeping any cat indoors is just plain wrong. My ethos: No cat hatch, no cat, simples.

Here's a random bit of information for you. In the US they...

Think creating Frankenstein breeds is OK

Think mutilating kids genitals is OK

Tip, never try supporting any argument with 'In the US...'

Brings post from letterbox

Yep if she hears the letterbox runs, up on back feet pulls the mail out and will bring it into the lounge !

HOW MUCH?!?!?!??

For a cat!

I thought only dog owners and parrot fanciers paid stupid money for pets. 🙂
Yes, they are lovely, but you could get a nice bike for that 😀

Besides, aren't cats supposed to find you, rather than you going out and finding them?

I think keeping any cat indoors is just plain wrong. My ethos: No cat hatch, no cat, simples.

My ethos: I'm not keen on scraping a loved pet off the road so mine stay indoors and they seem perfectly happy

Our neighbours over the road have 2 bengals.
Vicious beasts. Hardly a domestic pet really.
We've spent £££ getting our muggy patched up after their attacks. Infected bites, scratches etc, etc.
Can't leave the patio doors open in summer as they will come in and chase our cat up 2 flights of stairs to attack her. She now enters and leaves via 1st floor balcony they cannot get to.
So yeah. Ideal animal to keep cooped all day long, save the neighbourhood cats from being pulled to bits.
We've recently got a dog, they seem to steer clear a bit more now...

Oh, keeping cats indoors all the time is completely out of order.

You don't want to scrape it off the road?
Get a bloody goldfish then.

Cat's are not meant to be kept indoors permanently.
It's cruel.
And one of the most selfish, egotistical things I can think of.

docrobster - Member
Our neighbours over the road have 2 bengals.
Vicious beasts. Hardly a domestic pet really.
We've spent £££ getting our muggy patched up after their attacks. Infected bites, scratches etc, etc.
Can't leave the patio doors open in summer as they will come in and chase our cat up 2 flights of stairs to attack her. She now enters and leaves via 1st floor balcony they cannot get to.
So yeah. Ideal animal to keep cooped all day long, save the neighbourhood cats from being pulled to bits.

So they're "vicious" because your cat got a whoopin? Cat's fight, one cat will always be bigger/harder than the next - deal with it.

Enjoy terrorizing all local cats and children

docrobster - Member
They seem to be an aggressive breed.
Defra seems to agree

Cat's are not meant to be kept indoors permanently.
It's cruel.
And one of the most selfish, egotistical things I can think of.

I'm so sorry .... I'll go open the door

[quote=Rusty Spanner ]Oh, keeping cats indoors all the time is completely out of order.
You don't want to scrape it off the road?
Get a bloody goldfish then.
Cat's are not meant to be kept indoors permanently.
It's cruel.
And one of the most selfish, egotistical things I can think of.

Fair enough, everyone has their own views BUT as a society that breeds animals for the sole reason of killing and eating them (often indoors) a tad hypocritical I feel. I am, obviously, making huge assumptions about you here and apologise if I'm wrong.

The fact that they get a specific mention in the same sentence as "dangerous wild animals act" seemed like a clue. 🙄
I'm sure there are lots of them about that are placid and easy pets.
It's just the ones that I have met that are aggressive, semi-wild animals.
But if people want to keep them as pets that's fine.

Well, you could say that killing lice with chemicals is selfish and egotistical - it's causing the death of creatures to increase our own quality of life.

Same with killing flies, rats and the animals we breed for food.
Depends where you draw the line - it's a big topic for another time.

But my statement stands:
Keeping a cat indoors is selfish, egotistical and wrong.
How anyone can justify it is a mystery to me.

If your home life is not condusive to keeping an outdoor cat, get another pet.

I work long hours - so does my partner.
We'd love a dog, but it wouldn't be fair to keep it inside for long periods whilst we work.
Should I just get one anyway?
It probably won't mind being locked up for 24 hours at a time THAT much.
And anyway, it's just a dog.

We have 2 Burmese cats, a lot less wild than bengals and more suited to indoor life style. We let ours out during the day time but most breeders will not let you buy from them if you plan on letting them out. They are clever things, will fetch etc and run to the door when they hear the mrs car pull up, you sit down and there be on your lap instantly.

But my statement stands:
Keeping a cat indoors is selfish, egotistical and wrong.
How anyone can justify it is a mystery to me.

If your home life is not condusive to keeping an outdoor cat, get another pet.

It must be difficult living with such narrow minded views.
Do some research - don't just make assumptions and don't assume people who keep their cats indoors don't care about the welfare of their cats.

Do some research - don't just make assumptions and don't assume people who keep their cats indoors don't care about the welfare of their cats.

I've had cats all my life - I also have friends who have exclusively indoor cats.

A cat is not meant to be kept inside.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is putting their own pleasure before the welfare of their pet.

It must be difficult living with such narrow minded views.

Seriously, what satisfation is there in keeping a creature that is meant to have access to the outside locked in a house all it's life?
That's potentially 18 years without ever experiencing a huge part of it's natural environment.

And you reckon that's not cruel?

Considerably OT but I wonder how many cat owners think its OK to let their cats (introduced species) go out and about and terrorise the local wildlife, but would be offended when their own moggie gets terrorised by a bigger, wilder introduced species....

Indoor cats are happy being indoor cats. Outdoor cats are happy being outdoor cats.
It's change which is the problem.You can't take one and make it the other.

Rusty, speaking as someone who's always had outdoor cats, you're wrong. Sorry.

Cougar - Moderator

Indoor cats are happy being indoor cats. Outdoor cats are happy being outdoor cats.
It's change which is the problem.You can't take one and make it the other.

Rusty, speaking as someone who's always had outdoor cats, you're wrong. Sorry.

You can condition most creatures, including humans, to accept almost any environment.
According to the testimony of many hostages, if you keep a human locked up for a number of years, they are initially distrustful of the outside when you open the door and allow them a choice.
That acceptance doesn't make the imprisonment any less wrong.

Imprisoning a creature that is meant to have access to the outside, when there are lots of alternative companiable indoor pets available can be nothing other than an act of pure selfishness.

It's obvious we're not going to agree on this and I'm starting to repeat myself, so I'll leave it at that unless anyone brings an alternative point of view to the debate.

Human rights and animal rights aren't directly comparable. Otherwise, we'd all be vegetarians.Which is more cruel, to have a cat live happily to 20 indoors, or have one die under a car tyre aged 3?

I don't disagree that in preference I'd rather cats could roam; as I said, it's what mine did. But I'd strongly disagree that keeping an indoor cat is cruel.

Cougar - Moderator

Human rights and animal rights aren't directly comparable. Otherwise, we'd all be vegetarians.

I wasn't comparing the comparative rights of humans and animals - for a start, I don't believe animals have or should have 'rights'.
I was stating how all animals can be conditioned to accept an unnatural and unhealthy environment.

Which is more cruel, to have a cat live happily to 20 indoors, or have one die under a car tyre aged 3?

The SSPCA obviously disagree with you Rusty. They were very happy to let me adopt my two rescue cats in the knowledge that they'd be living indoors. And it's not like they were happy to find just anyone to take them, I had to wait months before they got any in to re-home.

I can understand where your point of view comes from but unfortunately things aren't as black and white as you seem to think. Mine have had the opportunity to go outside, they just don't want to.

Ours used to go out for days on end but now she is much happier indoors.
She's scared of the big bully bengals over the way.
Outdoor cat conditioned to be an indoor cat by other cats.
Teh ironing, etc

Many Bengals are evil little ****ers. I would never have one as a pet. Vocal, destructive, dominant and often hunt well or fight regularly if allowed out.

Get a moggy, most centres struggle to rehome black/white cats. Get a pair of those and enjoy normal cats (nb they do not come with a manual and can be as capricious as any woman )

Aggressive?

Well, not our two. In fact our Bengals are two of the most gentle and affectionate cats I've ever met. They're intelligent and very vocal, but they've never raised a claw to me despite having to administer worming meds and the occasional bath.

Ours are rescue cats, their previous keeper decided to get rid of them but they haven't damaged anything in the house, they don't pee all over the place and they don't make a nuisance of themselves.

docrobster - Member
The fact that they get a specific mention in the same sentence as "dangerous wild animals act" seemed like a clue. 🙄

You obviously haven't read the link that you felt so compelled to post, or if you did, there was little or no comprehension on your part.

Indoor cats are happy being indoor cats. Outdoor cats are happy being outdoor cats.