hello, I'm preparing for my two lovely new bengals due to arrive on 20th June. I work full days so would be looking to feed them in the morning before I go to work and then again at dinner time. I've read that kittens need to be fed 3-4 small meals a day but that won't be possible for me. I would prefer to feed them wet food mainly so I was thinking I could feed them wet food at am and pm but leave out some dry food (grain free) for them to graze while I'm out. Or even a puzzle food feeder?

If anyone has any advice on what they would do in this case, I'm sure most people work a 9-5 so must know how to balance this issue so the kittens aren't being deprived but aren't being over fed either?

Any help you can offer will be appreciated. Thank you

I'm hoping by your topic title, this means the kittens will be 12 weeks old by the time you get them! Congratulations!!!! Yes, kittens do need multiple feedings during the day. Absolutely leave some dry food and plenty of water out for them. I'd make sure they are in a "safe room" and do not have free roaming of your home. You will not be there in the event something happens and, unless your home is completely bengal proof, they will find trouble. Know that your kittens are not going to understand an automatic feeder or food puzzle just yet. They are babies!!! That's like asking a month old baby to feed itself and change its own diaper.

Definitely give them the wet food in the morning and evenings. They won't need a whole lot of dry food. Within a week, you will be able to gauge how much they are eating while you are gone. If the bowls are empty, you may need to add more. If there is still food left, then they are filled up. A small feeding before bedtime is also necessary. Their tummies are small, so they can't hold much and just like a new baby who needs feeding every four hours -- little babies have the same need.

A lot of people who work full time and get bengals take a couple of weeks off to get the bengal acclimated to the new environment. You are getting TWO kittens and they should play and occupy each other while you are gone -- plus sleep a lot!!! All I can say is to enjoy the adventure!!!

Being out at work shouldnt be any problem, especially as you have 2! They will keep each other entertained. Like Sherry said, you will find your feet with feeding etc. Be prepared to discover things that you didnt even know you existed when you get home though! I was at home for the first few weeks of mine and they still managed to surprise me with their investigations. Bengal proofing is an ongoing thing I now realise. You cant fully predict what they will get into and out of until they do it, and then you have the pleasure of fixing it! Good luck and congratulations, bengals are amazing little beasts that will keep you on your toes, but when they stop moving they are so adorable!

I believe the number of feedings per day for their age is more like 6 rather than 3-4, but in any case, your plan for feeding them is a good one, with the one caveat that you should try to retain some continuity, initially, with what they've been eating at the cattery if possible. And then when you do go with the food that you want to feed them, a really big component of that is what kind of food they actually enjoy eating. Be prepared to throw out/give away/return a lot of food during this discovery process, because it doesn't pay to feed a cat something they really don't want to eat, or don't have enthusiasm for.

Also, although you work all day, it would be ideal if you could at least spend 2-3 days with them when they first arrive before leaving them to their own devices. They are just babies really, so for many kittens this is a really traumatic change, and both you and they have a lot of learning and bonding to do together at the beginning.

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The little monsters 3

I got my two when they were 12 weeks old. I had 3 days off work around that time so me and the breeder decided it was ok to accelerate the handover one week so I could be with them a little more. For the first few days they only had their dry food 24h a day since thats what they were getting at the breeder's. After a couple of weeks I started giving them wet food, mornings first, then mornings and evenings, but to be honest they weren't too much into it, we tried various brands, finally settled on Hill's Science Plan for kittens which they like much more now (at least the chicken variety) than they used to. But they're actually not too picky, we were on Hill's and then settled for Origen Cat & Kitten. To this day, Lily loves dry food and never runs like hell for the wet, Noha is a little more into wet but he ends up eating loads of dry as well. They'll always find a way that suits them best. To be honest, I'm not sure how you can overfeed your kittens. If they're not sick they shouldn't eat too much.

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Thomas

Lily & Noha - Oct 7th 2015

What about an automatic feeder to put some wet food in for half way through the day.

Whenever I have new cats I always made sure I had time at home with them in the beginning, it's OK now as I don't work now, both of mine love having home all day especially Pearl being so young.

I thought I had bengal proofed everything already having had Magic for 4 years, oh boy was I wrong when Pearl came along a few months ago she was and still is into everything.

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Clare
Magic (brown spotted boy born 31 March 2012)
Pearl (seal Lynx Point girl born 1 October 2015)
Bristol, UK

We got "caternity" leave... well, not me, my partner, so they love him more.
However as mentioned, cat proof the area, choose safe room. There are some feeders out there with cold pack to keep the food fresh - wet food. Breeder had also given them some kibble to get them used to this sort of food so it was easy to leave some out and then we feed them raw when back from work. We did suffer some parental anxiety and kept wondering if anything had happened to them but that went quickly - also bought a little camera to check on them from time to time.
They grow quickly so spend as much time as you can with them :-)

I used an auto feeder for the first year I had my two kittens. It was hard to take that away when they started getting too big, but I did and they are fine now until I get home. They just sleep in the afternoon. I let them out at 4am this morning so I am sure they are zonked out at home already. They love to be outside before dawn with all the animals waking up and moving about.

Thank you everyone for the advice. Yes they will be a little over 12 weeks by the time I get them. Unfortunately I can't take time off work because I've just started a new job :-( poor timing I know.. But I will work earlier so I can get home earlier and spend 5 hours playing with them and being there in the evenings. I'll see what the breeder is feeding them currently. I know it's best to transition them slowly but I'd really like to feed them as high quality food as possible. :-) Im really excited and driving my partner nuts with cat talk.. It's amazing how much information there is out there and this breed seems to be very energetic and intelligent.

I used to get up early to spend time with my two before work when they first came to us. For the first few days, the other half was home anyway, but then went back to sea. I was in a fortunate position that I could pop home at lunch time though to give them a feed and a bit of play time.

Keep them in the safe room whilst you are at work - you'll be amazed how much trouble they can get into! You will think you have Bengal-proofed everything only for them to prove you hadn't!

Enjoy the adventure!

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Bengals ARE high energy and very intelligent!!! I think they will be fine while you are at work as long as you confine them to a single room for a while. Somewhere on YouTube there is a video of two cats literally destroying everything in their path! Ha ha ha! I'm sure it was not funny to the owner. But, they will find something to amuse themselves that you won't take kindly to.

Know that bengals are an adventure! They are naughty little kitties at times. They are very loving and affectionate and they want to be where you are at all times. Two of them will have you in stitches as long as they are not climbing curtains. Hope you have a nice tall cat tree for them since they will climb up on whatever you have that will give them a bird's eye view of you.

Yes will do! We have a large kitchen/chill out area which we are keeping as their main room. I'm not planning to let them have free roam of the house until they are older.. Will also get up early to have 30 minute play session with then each morning :-)

It's great that you got two. They can entertain and keep each other company. As kittens, we fed our two girls wet food morning and night, and left dry food out during the day. They have grown up healthy and happy!