One of the most common questions we get asked on this website goes something like follows:
“Is a Bengal cat right for my family?”
Prospective owners are always curious to know whether or not a Bengal cat is a good option for a pet, and whether one is likely to fit well into your lifestyle and family requirements and routine.
In this article, we cover a few bullet points that will help you to determine if this exciting and exotic breed is a good choice for you and your family.
Is A Bengal Cat Right For My Family? What You Need To Know
Provided you are willing to make a lifelong commitment to your Bengal, and be patient and forgiving, a Bengal is a fine choice of pet for you and your family.
Here’s what to consider when deciding if a Bengal is right for you:
- You need to be in it for the long haul – A Bengal cat is a lifelong commitment. Most of the common problems we see arise for Bengal owners comes from those who have not gone into the process with a sufficiently long-term mindset. Are you committed for life? What about your family? Or is the Bengal likely to be a “fleeting novelty”. This is the most important consideration by far in our opinion. If you are happy to put up with the ups and downs of Bengal ownership for life (yours, or more likely theirs) then everything else is likely to fall into place.
- Bengal cats aren’t cheap – Ensure that you are willing and prepared for the financial implications of Bengal cat ownership. There’s more to the process than just the purchase price (see how much Bengal cats cost here). You need to factor in food (view our guide to the best food for Bengal cats for more information on what you should be feeding your cat) vet bills, toys and other costs like litter and litter boxes. Ensure you are in the financial position to make this work.
- There will be frustrations and difficulties – Accept that Bengal cat ownership won’t always be positive. You are going to experience challenges along the way. From getting your kitten housetrained, through to the challenges of owning an older cat that is likely to become more vocal and difficult to deal with, ensure you are prepared for this. Don’t go into Bengal cat ownership assuming it will be plain sailing the whole way, because it simply won’t!
- Patience is a virtue – You and your family will need to be patient with your new pet. Housetraining, behaviour modification etc all take time. Do not expect everything to “be perfect” overnight (in fact, you will probably never reach perfect). Patience is a virtue – perhaps even a requirement – when it comes to Bengals.
- Buy for more than just looks – We all know that Bengal cats are strikingly beautiful animals. However, we believe you should only bring a Bengal into your home if you are interested in more than just the looks. It is our experience that owners who buy only for the looks of a Bengal are often those who are not fully committed, because their primary interest is in having what amounts to basically an ornament for display. Instead, ensure you are happy with the personality of a Bengal, and the looks are a nice bonus.
Conclusion – Is A Bengal Right For your Family?
If you can truly say that you are in it for the long haul, that you are happy with the potential for expense and expenditure, that you can accept the potential frustrations and challenges, and that you aren’t just hoping for a “moving ornament”, then a Bengal is going to be a great addition to your family.
Our aim on this website is to make Bengal cat ownership as easy and as straightforward as possible (for both yourself and your pet).
Please take your time to check out our wide array of articles on Bengal cat ownership. We hope you find them helpful and useful when it comes to bringing a Bengal into your home.
If you have any questions, you can leave a comment below or contact us here.
