How to Care for a Bengal Cat

Take your Bengal cat to the doctor regularly. Like all cat breeds, Bengals need regular health care for a long and healthy life. If young, Bengal cats should be vaccinated, dewormed, neutered, and microchipped.

• Microchip implanted to prove ownership so that in case the cat is stolen or found when lost, it can be returned to the right owner.
• Make sure the veterinarian cares for the Bengal cat as not all veterinarians do.

Start vaccination at six weeks of age for temporary protection. Repeat after 10 weeks, with the last shot at 14 weeks. Your veterinarian will give your cat basic vaccinations for viral disease and rabies, and will discuss leukemia and chlamydia vaccinations in cats. ^[1]

• The Bengal cat breed is resistant to leukemia vaccination. The reason is not clear but is related to the Asian leopard ancestry. There is no evidence that Bengal cats are particularly susceptible to this vaccine and there are no serious complications in this breed. ^[2]
• The ancestors of Bengal cats do not have natural immunity like some breeds, so if not vaccinated cats can become infected. However, if the cat lives in the house, you can rest assured because domestic cats are less likely to develop leukemia. ^[3]

Spaying for cats. Pets need to be spayed from 5-6 months. However, some cat breeds need to be spayed before being brought home (12 weeks of age) to avoid the use of kittens for breeding.

Deworming cats. Pets should be dewormed at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks of age with an oral medication such as Panacur. Some good drugs such as Stronghpd (UK) or Revpution (US) work within 1 month, so you should give your cat a monthly dose at 6 weeks of age.

Learn about special health problems in Bengal cats. ^[4] This breed is at high risk for Inflammation of the lining of the abdomen and chest. This relatively common disease is likely to spread in places where more than five cats live and share litter boxes. Unfortunately, breeding facilities run the risk of becoming a breeding ground for the development of coronaviruses with the potential to mutate and cause clinical peritoneal infection (FIP).

• There is currently no preventive measure for FIP, and if you buy a kitten that is carrying the disease, even with a good diet to boost immunity, you still cannot prevent the cat from developing FIP in the future. So you should stay away from possible risks.
• If you have owned cats and purchased kittens from a breeder with a history of FIP, you should not allow cats to share litter boxes. The coronavirus that causes FIP is spread through feces, so the closer a cat comes in contact with feces, the more likely they are to get sick.
• FIP usually affects cats younger than 12-18 months of age, and causes high fever, loss of appetite, and fluid leakage in the blood that accumulates under the abdomen. There is currently no treatment for this disease.
• Before adopting a kitten, you should ask the breeder about the history of FIP in the litter. If they are honest and say they have a problem with FIP or report the kitten is sick, you will have to find the Bengal kitten at another breeder.
• Some other health problems including HCM (heart disease), PkDef (chronic anemia) and an early recessive disorder can cause blindness in the first year of life. However, many breeders screen for this phenomenon and can minimize the risk of disease in cats.
• In Sweden, the Bengal cat was found to have rhinitis. The scientific conclusion is that the skin disease, especially in the Bengal cat breed, is hereditary. ^[5]

Consider purchasing pet insurance for Bengal cats. You will have to spend some money every year. However, insurance offers significant benefits if your cat has an emergency. Insurance will cover a portion of the cost depending on the specific policy, and ensure that you do not have to make treatment decisions based on financial factors.

Facilitate Bengal climbing. This cat breed loves to climb and the higher they go, the more they like it. If you don’t prepare climbing gear, they will find a place to climb, such as curtains.

• The cat climbing post is an ideal item with a design of many platforms and mattress drives. If possible, you should place each pillar in a different room. Place a climbing post near a window so your cat can climb on it and watch the birds through the window for fun at the same time.

Create entertainment conditions for Bengal so that they do not mess around. Prepare lots of toys, and play with them twice a day, each session lasting at least 10 minutes (or until the cat gets tired). Bengal cats are extremely intelligent and active, so you need to prepare toys that simulate hunting behavior. Otherwise, cats will find their own source of joy by destroying furniture in the house.

• Bengal cats are very intelligent and have the ability to solve problems. This means they will find a way to open the pantry, or even the refrigerator. It is recommended that you install locks on cabinets containing potentially harmful items (such as cleaning products) or food cabinets.

Have fun with Bengal! Playing with cats can keep you and your cat entertained. Cats love to be cared for to be in a good mood. They also like to sleep with their owners, so you should allow them to lie next to you at night! Bengal cats only have an average lifespan of 12 to 18 years, so you should spend some time each day playing with your pet.

• Playtime with cats is important. Cats love moving objects. You can tie the feathers to the rope and move slowly across the floor. This will make Bengal think this is a living animal. Pull slowly, shake from back to front until the Bengal cat catches.