In this article we answer the question ‘do Bengal cats catch mice?’
If you’ve got a mouse problem at your house or property, then you might be thinking that a cat is a great option to sort the issue out. After all, with the price of professional pest control these days it’s probably less expensive to buy and keep a cat!
It’s well known that cats can be excellent “mousers” – but what about Bengal cats?
Are Bengals “all show and no go” despite their wild looks that would indicate to most they are good hunters? Bengals certainly look the part – but does that mean they are any good at catching mice?
Let’s see if Bengal cats do catch mice effectively – or if you are better off to look elsewhere for a good mousing cat.
The first thing to note is that all domestic cat breeds are good “mousers”. That is one of the reasons why cats were domesticated many thousands of years ago – humans kept cats around due to their handy ability to catch pests like mice and rats.
Bengal cats are certainly no exception to this rule, and are most definitely no worse than the “average” domesticated cat at catching mice.
In fact, Bengal cats can actually be better at catching mice than other breeds of cats.
This is due to the Asian Leopard Cat ‘lineage’ in your Bengal cat (see our guide to the history of Bengal cats here, and learn more about the fascinating development of Bengals).
Because of that more “wild” nature, not only do Bengal cats catch mice – they often excel at it.
Bengals are excellent hunters, very athletic and incredibly powerful … so watch out if you’re a mouse about the house! Same goes for rats and other types of pests too.
There are – however – a couple of points to note:
1. Because Bengals are such good hunters, this may also lead to creatures other than mice and rats being caught. You need to be wary of your Bengal catching birds, for example (especially if you have any rare or native birds who frequent your property). Other creatures that are at risk include chipmunks, moles and squirrels.
2. Although as a rule Bengal cats are good hunters, there are always variations and sometimes it is just down to the personality of the individual cat. For example, our Bengal cat (Kala) has basically never caught anything in her entire life. She is athletic and fast but has simply never bothered with catching mice or rats. Our old cat (an Abyssinian) would often catch multiple mice or rats in a night and leave them at our door step. Therefore, you shouldn’t rely on a Bengal cat as your only source of pest control as there is no guarantee your pet will do a good job!
Do Bengal cats catch mice?
As a rule, they sure do – and are often excellent hunters due to their Asian Leopard Cat lineage and powerful build. However, be wary of your Bengal catching non-pest wildlife, and also the fact that there is no guarantee your cat will be any good at hunting either.
If you have a big mouse problem at your house, then you are probably better off investing in professional pest control. That being said, chances are your Bengal will be all too happy to try and help out with catching mice as well.
Is your Bengal cat good at catching mice? Leave a comment below and let us know how YOUR pet does with catching mice and other pests.
