One of the downsides of pet ownership is the smell.
Nothing can put you off your pet faster than some disgusting odor emanating from your cat.
Without being too “stereotypical” the good news is that cats generally smell a whole lot less than dogs.
But cats can still be smelly creatures from time to time!
What about Bengal cats?
Do Bengal cats smell? Let’s find out!
Do Bengal Cats Smell? – What You Need To Know
The good news is that Bengal cats are generally not very smelly cats.
There are a couple of key reasons for this:
- Bengals are short haired cats. As you might expect, long haired cats have a greater tendency to be smelly because of the risk of dirt etc becoming trapped in their thick coats. This is not really a problem for Bengals with their short coats.
- Bengals are known to be fastidious in cleaning themselves. Most cats are generally fairly hygienic in terms of cleaning themselves, but Bengals like to take this “to the max” when compared with many other breeds of cat.
Does this mean that your Bengal will never smell? No – there are various reasons why your Bengal might come to be smelly, the three biggest ones being:
- Age – As cats age, the chances of them become smelly increase. There are a few reasons for this, one of them being that your older cat may struggle to clean him/herself adequately. However, this isn’t guaranteed to happen. Our Bengal (Kala) is nearly 14 years old and does not smell badly at all.
- Illness – Some illnesses and infections might cause bad body odours. If you suddenly notice your cat smelling particularly bad but cannot see any obvious external cause or issue (I.e. your cat hasn’t accidentally walked through a big pile of dog’s mess or something like that) then you may wish to consult a vet, especially if the issue lingers or reoccurs.
- Dirtiness – Your Bengal cat rolls in dirt or somehow gets covered in something smelly. In this case, your best bet is to give your cat a bath with a good quality cat shampoo. Check out our guide here to the best shampoo for Bengal cats for more information on what shampoo to use with your Bengal. There are many great options to pick from.
Smelly Litter Box
One other thing to note is that Bengals are generally diligent, fastidious users of their litter boxes (if you’re not convinced, then read our guide here on whether or not your Bengal cat needs a litter box).
This does mean, however, that their litter boxes can come to smell quite quickly.
It is therefore important that you change your Bengal’s litter frequently.
In fact, we’re generally recommend that you have two litter boxes for your Bengal (a good rule of thumb is that the number of litter boxes should equal the number of cats in the house plus one).
Check out our guide to the best litter boxes for Bengal cats, as well as the best litter for Bengals for more information on this critical “piece of the puzzle”.
Conclusion – Do Bengal cats smell?
As a rule, no! However, this doesn’t mean they can’t, or won’t ever smell.
As a cat ages it is more likely to become smelly (as with all creatures) so prepare yourself for this potential outcome.
We also noted that Bengal cat litter boxes can have a habit of becoming very stinky, very quickly. Therefore, ensure that you have a good quality litter box for your Bengal cat (check out our buyer’s guide here) and also that you are using the right litter for your cat as well (read our guide here to the best litter for Bengal cats, as this is something that is important to get right). You might also wish to consider investing in more than one litter box as well.
While Bengal cats generally don’t need frequent bathing (and many will go through their whole lives cleaning themselves only) you certainly can bathe your Bengal if you want to. If so, then ensure you use a good quality shampoo – check out our guide here to the best shampoo for Bengal cats for more information on what product(s) you should be using,.
