Hi, newbie here just signed up this forum. I am the owner of 3 stray cats, but I dream to have a Bengal cat as a companion to my stray cat. Just want to know the behaviour and whether the Bengal could get along and happy with my cats, or the cat would be the cat, nothing much different about the different breed.

Welcome to our forum and congratulations on wanting to do your research on bengals. The first thing you need to know is that the bengal is nothing like your ordinary cat. A bengal will not behave like your other cats. Many bengals come into a household and get along fine with other cats (and dogs). Some bengals do not. Bengals have huge personalities -- and they are all different. If you plan to get a bengal kitten, that may be easier to integrate than an adult bengal.

Bengals are social creatures. They love to be around their humans. They are highly vocal. This means they can yowl at the top of their lungs for no apparent reason. They have sweet dispositions. For having wild blood, they are very domestic. They have a lot of energy. You will need to play with them (wand toys especially) throughout the day. They will not sleep 20 hours day. A short nap and they are ready to become the Energizer bunny. They are adventurous -- not much scares them. They can be challenging. They do what they want. They can be easily trained to walk on a harness and leash. They need stimulation or they get bored easily.

They really are a beautiful breed of cat and the members here have a bengal for different reasons. Some also have other DSH and breeds in their household. My 11 year old bengal gets along for the most part with my 6 year old DSH, but they still tangle at times.

If you plan to get a bengal kitten, you will need to research breeders. There are many adult bengals in rescues and breeders, at times, have retired queens and studs available. These are usually posted on their websites or Facebook pages.

As long as you are prepared to invest your time in a bengal and you have the patience in introducing a new cat to your existing kitties, then this could work.

Just wanted to add... be sure to find a good breeder. This breed does have some genetic health issues such as progressive retinal atrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. You want a breeder that screens the parents. You won't want to bring home a kitten that appears healthy and years later deal with vet bills and heartbreak. Stay away from breeders on craigslist, research, ask a lot of questions, and if they say the kitten can go home at 8 weeks, run the other way! Bengals should get longer social time with their mother/siblings and go to the new family around 12 weeks.


They are a high energy and sometimes INTENSE breed and that is why I love them, the spots is just a bonus.

My 1st bengal did not get along with DSH cats but did fine with other bengals, this was simply because she was too energetic and played hard. Others have them with DSH cats without issue. It just depends on personalities and how tolerant some cats are.

Thanks a lot, Sherry and also tamberav. All of you brief me a very complete guide or at least general tips about this Bengal cat. Unlike my stray cat, nothing much I play around with them. I need to change my lifestyle if I want to get serious to take care of the Bengal cat.

You will be much more involved with your bengal than with your DSH. They simply require more of your time for interaction. Hopefully, you can find a bengal that loves to sit on your lap and cuddle. They are out there, but many bengals do not like to be picked up or be right on top of you.

Researching a breeder is extremely important. There are tons of GREAT breeders out there. Most have websites or Facebook pages, so you can read up. You probably want to find a breeder that lives near you. When you are ready, feel free to post and I'll give you the names of some good breeders that are near you.

Sherry, My impression is that Bengals are unlikely lap cats nor do they like to be picked up. They are very affectionate, and like to be close. So close that they seem like they are trying to push you off the bed or chair. Mine does alot of head bumping while drooling. The bumping is so enthusiastic that I call it "head punching".

Mine also likes to sit on a couch above people and groom their hair.

Their diet does require more protein. My Oberon is a very picky eater and won't touch kibble. He only likes certain brands of canned cat food. When he doesn't like the food, he makes burying motions like he is trying to dig a hole to China, I think he wants to send the food to all the starving cats there... Sometimes he pulls down a towel or a piece of clothing to cover it up. I supplement his food with raw beef heart and chicken necks.

And the voice! I describe it as a voice even a mother can't love. But of course I love him.

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Thanks for all of the input and tips. I have quite a busy lifestyle. I wonder if I left the Bengal cat 8 hours to 10 hours at home, what would the cat do to feed the boredom, yep, personally, a lot of things need to look into before deciding to take care of Bengal cat.

I see pictures of bengals laying on laps -- so some don't mind being there. Mine loves to lay on my husband's lap for a massage, but he is generally NOT a lap cat. Since the summer days are so hot, I usually carry him home from our walks and he allows me to do that. Poor little thing gets tired and hot easily.

Usually, bengals are not recommended if you are gone much of the time. They get bored and will get into things. A kitten, especially! They do say if you get one bengal, you might as well get two from the same litter. That just adds to everything and would create a big kitty household for you.

However, the decision is yours and yours alone. Read up as much as you can on the breed. We don't know your situation or your other kitties personalities.

Hmm I don't think I would have Bengals if they were alone long periods. They like interaction and being around their people... Mine follow me around and chill in the same room with me. Sometimes Bengals can be pretty drastic in letting you know something is not to their liking and decide to start urinating outside the box to get their message across.

I agree that Bengals hate being left alone for long periods of time. I had a bengal mix who would poop on my bed every time I worked overtime. She would wait til I walked in the door then go running for the bedroom. That behavior totally stopped once she was no longer the only cat in the house, so I think she definitely benefited from having a friend during the day.
However if your bengal is exhibiting extreme behavior I would in no way suggest that getting another cat will stop the problems. I have an acquaintance who bought a very poorly socialized bengal from a breeder. He was very aggressive, was visibly stressed out even being around people, had litter box issues, and would tear apart her house while she was at work. The breeder told her the problem was the cat being alone during the day and convinced her to buy another poorly socialized kitten to "help him with his loneliness" . After that her problems just doubled. She ended up taking them both to a rescue after the breeder refused to take them back.
I believe that if your kitten has been properly socialized then many of the quirks of the bengal breed can be the very reason you fall so hard in love with them.

Arabica, that is such a sad story, especially when the kitty is not to blame. I have to remind myself that I have a bengal and he behaves just like a bengal. And his yowling and high energy is just part of the package. As much as it irks me some of the time, I love him and made a commitment to love and protect him until one of us goes.