When we first brought Xena and Turbo home, they were super energetic. They didn't want to hide under the couch for a week like normal cats, they wanted to explore everything and anything. They were both 8 weeks old and about 1 lb. They were tiny. We put them in the laundry room when we first got them because they were still getting litter box trained, it was small enough to them to be comfortable, and we used to have a cat before he passed away and his scent was all over the house.
When we did let them out, we were chasing them everywhere. One moment they would be running up and down the stairs (more like rolling down the stairs playfully, they were too small to get up the steps at the time) and the next they would be snoozing in the dryer. In that aspect I suppose they were just like any other kittens. But one thing a lot of people don't know about Bengals is the fact that they stay playful throughout their entire lives. When they are 15 years old they will still be running around like crazy and playing with their feather toys. They enjoy the hunt. They are bred from an Asian Leopard cat and a domestic cat, so they do have some wild in them!
Most Bengals have sensitive stomachs. We didn't realize that when we first got Xena and Turbo, because the breeder told us what food to buy, where to buy it, and how much it costed. It was what she had been feeding them, although they were barely weaned from their mother when we brought them home. They gobbled up their soft food with no problem but when it came to hard food, it was another story. They would either throw it up, or have diarrhea for probably the first two weeks we had them. We tried seven different foods until we found one that worked for both of them. It was expensive and honestly I felt terrible seeing my babies crying because their butts hurt and they were hungry.
Recently, we got both Turbo and Xena fixed. Turbo is a boy, and Xena is a girl so their procedures are different. While turbo just had a snip, Xena got a surgery and stitches. Turbo enjoyed his pain medication, thats for sure. He would rub on us like crazy! He was so affectionate it was almost annoying and he wouldn't fall asleep. He felt better in a matter of days though. Xena on the other hand was miserable. She had to get a cone, when we asked why the vet said that he usually didn't put cones on cats, but he was going to because of the breed. Bengals are super active cats! Then he told us to keep her kenneled for two weeks.
About 5 days after her surgery, we noticed her stitches bleeding. We took her to the vet and he said it was because she was moving too much. She was twisting around and pulling and most of all, jumping. One thing about Bengals is no matter how much you discourage them, they will be on the tables and counters and shelves knocking over everything. I wouldn't bother trying to use a spray bottle either, because they like it! They love playing in water. The vet ordered us to put her on bed rest, which in cat world means keep her in her kennel. feed her through the bars. Lets just say that was awful and lasted about a day. Instead someone is always with her, making sure she didn't jump on anything. Again, crazy hard because she is a Bengal after all.
My point out of all of this is you need to be willing to spend your days with your cat if you decide to get this breed. Sure, they will curl up and nap with you sometimes, but when they are awake get ready to roll up your toilet paper that they unrolled, be ready to not be able to wash your hands because they are snoozing in the sink. Be ready to take them out of the toilet, because if the lid is up they will play in the toilet.
I cannot stress enough the importance of kitten proofing your house. One morning I woke up and my iPhone cord had been chewed through, my straightener cord had been chewed through, and a glass clock was broken on the floor. Lets just say they had a kitty party that night. Now, if you are still interested in getting a Bengal, here are the links.
Our Breeder
Kitten Checklist
Kitten Proofing
If you have any questions, please message me. I'm all answers when it comes to Bengals. Both from reading multiple books and from owning two Bengal kittens.
