Do Bengal Cats Get Sick Easily?

Welcome to Authentic Bengal Cats.

Our aim on this site is to answer your most pressing Bengal cat questions!

In this article, we are going to quickly look at the following question:

“Do Bengal cats get sick easily?”

Cats are generally fairly “hardy” creatures.

But what about Bengals? Are Bengals more or less prone than other breeds of cat to falling ill.

Let’s find out!

Do Bengal Cats Get Sick Easily? What You Need To Know

The truth is that Bengal cats are no more or less prone than other breeds of cat to becoming sick. However, when we say this we are talking about sickness that your cat might acquire from another animal or out in the wild.

For example, your Bengal is not more or less likely than other cats to get sick from eating “off” meat etc.

However, there are some definite concerns and considerations for prospective Bengal cat owners when it comes to genetic/hereditary conditions.

All pedigreed cats have a greater predisposition towards hereditary/genetic health problems. The Bengal cat is no exception!

Bengal Cat Hereditary Health Issues

As mentioned above, pedigreed cats like Bengals do have a tendency to have worse genetic and hereditary health problems.

The most common issues that Bengals can face are:

• Cataracts
• Progressive renal atrophy
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Distal neuropathy

We’ve covered these conditions in more detail in our guide to common Bengal cat health problems, which you can read here.

Just because there are some known hereditary issues, don’t let that put you off Bengal ownership.

This doesn’t mean that your Bengal is guaranteed to suffer from any of these issues.

Most Bengals live long, happy and healthy lives.

However, it is important to understand that there is a greater than normal chance your Bengal might wind up suffering from one of these hereditary conditions.

It’s also testament to the importance of choosing a reputable breeder who is aware of these issues, who screens for them, and who takes steps to eliminate (as much as is possible) from their bloodlines.

Conclusion

Do Bengal cats get sick easily?

No, your Bengal is no more likely to pick up any form of illness than any other cat (at least as far as we can determine).

However, you do need to carefully consider the fact that Bengals – like all other pedigree cats – are more prone to genetic/hereditary conditions as we outlined above.

Therefore it is crucial that you get a Bengal from a reputable breeder that screens (as far as is possible) for the lowest chance of this occurring.

Reputable breeders have processes in place to mitigate – as much as possible – the risk of these types of hereditary conditions.

Unscrupulous breeders do not, and are not concerned with the long-term health and wellbeing of the kittens – only how much they can sell them for and their profit margin.

If you have any questions or concerns, then feel free to leave a comment below. We always appreciate all feedback and comments.