One of the more common questions we get asked here at Authentic Bengal Cats is ‘do Bengal cats need to be walked?’ – it seems that a lot of Bengal owners are interested in walking their cats!
If you’ve done any research about Bengal cats, then you’ve probably come across images and videos of people actually taking their Bengals for walks, usually with a harness and leash:
Doesn’t that look like fun for both you and the cat (and your family if they want to be involved too?!)
But do Bengal cats actually need to be walked? Or is it something you can do more if you feel like it?
The answer to this question really depends on the “living situation” of you and your Bengal cat:
- If your Bengal cat has plenty of opportunity to go outside and explore and exercise (e.g. you live in a house with a garden) then there is no need to walk your cat. However, you may choose to walk him/her because you want to, or because they seem to enjoy it. In our experience, this is the most common scenario.
- If you live in an environment where there is little opportunity for outdoors exploration (e.g. you live in an apartment or near busy roads etc where you would prefer to keep your Bengal cat inside to stay safe) then leash walking your Bengal is a good idea to encourage exercise and mental stimulation, as being cooped up indoors all day is not ideal.
- Maybe you are concerned with the safety implications of letting your Bengal ‘roam free’ outside. so would prefer to walk them instead of letting them run around the garden etc. Once again, this is down to your judgement of the safety of your home/property and surrounding area, as well as your level of risk tolerance. Certainly, if you live by say a busy main road with a property that is not well-fenced, then walking your Bengal cat could be a great idea to reduce the risk of injury or death.
Strictly speaking you don’t need to walk a Bengal cat – as long as they have some room to play and explore (either inside or outside) then that is fine. However, we do believe that if your Bengal is largely confined to living indoors, then it is a good idea to walk your cat.
If you are interested in walking your Bengal cat, then you can read our guide to doing so here. We also recommend you take a look at our recommendations for leashes for Bengal cats, as well as the best harnesses. If you are going to walk your Bengal cat, then it’s important that you have the right equipment to do so, and also that you invest adequate time and effort into the training process so you can walk your cat in an enjoyable and safe manner!.
To conclude, do Bengal cats need to be walked?
No, there is no specific requirement to walk them. However, it is something you certainly can do – and is also a good idea if your Bengal spends most of his/her time cooped up indoors due to your living environment. Another great reason to walk your Bengla cat on a leash is if you are concerned about safety (e.g. you live in a property where it would be potentially dangerous to let your cat outside).
Remember that if you are going to leash walk your Bengal, it’s important to have a good harness and leash to get the best possible results from training and make the whole experience as easy as possible.
