How To Care For Bengal Cats: 12 Basic Things You Should know

Looking for how to care for Bengal cats? If that is why you clicked on this link then you are in the right place, because we will be discussing all you need to do to take proper care of your Bengal cat.

I asked how to care for Bengal cats in different groups and online forums specifically Facebook groups and Reddit groups.

This is groups of people who have Bengal cats, at the end of the day i got lots of answers from direct owners of Bengal cats.

I gave out many questionnaires for different questions and got different replies, which i will be discussing in this post.

The only part i didn’t cover is the health aspect which will be a topic for another day.

In summary, I distributed questionnaires and got replies from over 250 owners, because I want original information from these owners.

Before I made this post I made sure I chatted with some vets. So this is not just base on the owners of these cats alone.

So grab a cup of coffee and let’s rock and roll, as I take you through how to care for Bengal cats.

Don’t forget to check out this post: Bengal Cat Size vs Domestic Cat | Size, Color, Price, Personality & More.

How to care for Bengal cats

Caring for Bengal cats is never a funny experience no matter what you know, it is always hard to care for Bengal cats in the kitten stages.

As the grow and learn more things like using the litter box, answering their names and more life becomes more easier for both you and them.

However, there are some basic activities you will need to carry out on a daily or weekly basis, even as they get older.

So let’s start to outline and explain what you should be doing to care for a Bengal cat.

Teaching your Bengal cat the basis

To have a well-mannered Bengal cat you need to start by teaching them the basis of living with humans.

Remember that Bengal cats are still animals so the will behavior the way you want them to.

Here are some basics things you should teach your Bengal cat;

  • Get the required pieces of equipment: get the drinking can, eating can, litter boxes, bed, cat trees, grooming tools, etc.
  • Answering its name: this is the first thing you should do once your Bengal kitten hits your doorstep.
  • Teach your cat to use the litter box.
  • Teach your cat the position of the drinking can.
  • Teach your cat the eating spot.
  • Let your cat explore your house together with you.
  • Start brushing as early as you can.
  • Socialize your cat as early as possible.
  • Show your cat shelves and cat trees to explore.
  • Teach your Bengal cat how to do tricks.

Vaccinate Your Bengal cat

Vaccinate your Bengal cat according to your local laws and vet’s advice, as this will help your cat to stay healthy.

Depending on your Vet advice, immunizations are started at 6-8 weeks of age and are repeated every 3-4 weeks until the kitten is 4 months old.

Remember these vaccinations will protect your kitten from the most common diseases: feline distemper (panleukopenia), feline viral rhinotracheitis (feline herpes virus 1), calicivirus, and rabies.

Always contact your vet for professional advice. A vaccinated Bengal cat lives happier and free from unnecessary illness or pest attack.

Groom your cat regularly

How often you should groom a Bengal cat
How often you should groom a Bengal cat

Grooming your Bengal is important as it has lots of benefits to your cat.

According to the result from the questionnaire we issued out, it is recommended you brush your Bengal cat’s fur weekly.

Here is a recommended brush you can use for your Bengal cat.

Here are some advantages of grooming your Bengal cat;

  1. It keeps your cat coat healthy
  2. It helps in Proper circulation of blood in your cat skin.
  3. It informs you when your cat is developing a skin disease.
  4. It keeps you informed about pest attack if any.
  5. Your cat will be free from Hairballs.
  6. It reduces circulation of fur in your home

So How often do you trim your Bengal cat nails? Find out from the pie chart

How often do you trim your Bengal cat nails
How often do you trim your Bengal cat nails?

Here we had different views over how often it should be before you trim your Bengal cat nails.

However, from my chat with some vet and direct owners I therefore recommend that you should trim your Bengal cat nails once in 45 days.

What to Avoid

According to WebMD here is what you avoid;

  • Never try to trim your cat’s nails when your cat is upset or when you’re in a bad mood. This makes the process more stressful.
  • Never rush a nail trim. You may cut too deep and nick the quick. 
  • Don’t scold or punish your cat for resisting. This will only make them avoid trimming further.
  • Don’t try to trim all your cat’s nails at once.

Play with your Bengal cat and exercise them

Play with your Bengal cat regularly, so it can burn off energy. Spend as much quality time with your Bengal cat as possible.

There are many ways to keep your Bengal cat entertained at home which is also a part of caring for your cat.

Play time with kitties is always important and remember all cats love anything moving.

Get a feather on a string, and move it slowly on the ground and this will make your Bengal think it is alive.

Move it slowly, shaking it a little back and forth, until your Bengal pounces.

Play the fetch game with your Bengal cat to help burn out excess energy and keep them aggression free.

Remember the best form of exercise for a Bengal cat is playing the fetch game for at least 20 minutes.

Keep the litter box clean

How many litter boxes you should have for Bengal cat?
How many litter boxes do you have for your Bengal cat?

Scoop up soiled litter daily and deep clean the litter box weekly.

According to my study and research, it is recommended you need at least 2 litter boxes for your Bengal cat.

Caring and cleaning the litter box is one of the common ways to care for a Bengal cat.

Dirty litter boxes comes with lots of things like transmission of infectious or diseases.

Your Bengal cat can get the following from a dirty litter box;

Give your Bengal water

Water is important to Bengal cat because of their high energy level, so make sure to provide clean water.

You can provide clean water in water fountain since Bengal cats love playing with water.

Make sure you have at least 3 water can around your home and in place that are safe from dirty air.

Water help keep your Bengal cat hydrated all the long and also reduce chances of unnecessary health challenges.

Feed your Bengal cat high-quality food

What you should feed your Bengal cat
What you should feed your Bengal cat

Feed your Bengal cat a healthy, balanced diet.

According to the result of my studies on how to care for Bengal cats, feeding your Bengal cat with grounded beef or chicken is better.

On the other hand this is subjective because someone vet i contacted suggested wet canned food.

Canned wet food is expensive and is difficult to handle or store for average people.

Dry food comes with its own pros and cons of not having all the required nutrients and causes your Bengal cat to be dehydrated.

Grounded beef and chicken will still require some recipes as well, and preservation is also another issue.

So, what do i suggest?

The stomach system of Mr. A Bengal cat differs from the stomach of Mr. Bengal cat, which means what MR. A gave to his cat may be sensitive to MR. B cat.

In the end it still boils to the advice of your vet, on what to feed your cat with.

Which ever type of food you chose to feed your cat with, it is important to stick to what is working for you until it stops working before you change.

What i think is good!!

Canned wet food is the best, but since it’s very expensive, you can try the homemade grounded beef or chicken and see how your cat react to it.

Remember it’s important to incorporate fruits in your cat food schedule.

Again do not change what is working for you until it stops working.

Get your Bengal cat dewormed

Whenever you notice changes in your cat feeding behavior try to contact your vet for treatment.

They are lots of worms that can attack your Bengal cat so seek the advice of your vet on when to deworm.

When your cat vomit, don’t ignore it if it continues, talk to your vet, as worms can cause lots of damage to your Bengal cat system.

Get a second pet for your Bengal cat

Get a second pet for your Bengal cat
Get a second pet for your Bengal cat

According to my research Bengal cats are better off with other pets than without other pets.

Get your Bengal cat a companion if you don’t spend much time at home. Also, teach your kids how to safely play with your Bengal cat.

Give your Bengal cat space when it wants to be left alone. And do not bug your Bengal cat because they are qre prone to play aggression.

If you really want to know how to care for a Bengal cat then get another pet to keep them busy.

Keep multiple climbing perches in your home

Bengal cats need cat trees
Bengal cats need cat trees

Provide your Bengal cat with scratching posts. Place one cat tree beside a window, so your Bengal can climb and watch birds through the window at the same time.

As you can see from the result of the outreach on how to care for Bengal cats we made that 95% of people we contacted have one or more cat trees.

Remember, Bengal cats are good climbers therefore be sure to provide lots of places they can explore when bored.

Give your Bengal cat interactive toys to keep it occupied

This is the main deal because Bengal cats are extremely energetic and spirited.

The more toys you provide the more the stay happy and healthy.

From the result of the outreach on how to care for Bengal cats, we made here are the top 6 most recommended toys for your Bengal cat;

  1. PetFusion Ambush Interactive Electronic Cat Toy.
  2. Potaroma Electric Flopping Fish.
  3. Catit Design Senses Circuit Cat Toy.
  4. Catit Senses 2.0 Food Tree Cat Feeder.
  5. PetSafe Bolt – Automatic, Interactive Laser Cat Toy – Adjustable Laser with Random Patterns.
  6. Petstages Scratch & Play Tower Track Cat Scratcher Toy with Catnip.

Take your Bengal cat to the vet

How often your should take your Bengal cat to vet
How often you should take your Bengal cat to vet

Different people with their opinions, it is very funny to see replies I got from the outreach of how to care for Bengal cats.

However, regular medical check-ups solve lots of problems for you and your Bengal cat.

If am to suggest, irrespective of the results of my outreach, it is ideal to visit the vet once in 4 months.

Always take your cat to the vet when you notice changes.

This post is already long while we’re discussing how to care for Bengal cats, so I will try to make how to look after a Bengal kitten in a list format.

How to look after a Bengal kitten

Here are the basic ways you can look after a Bengal cat kitten;

  • Microchip Registration of your Kitten.
  • Consider taking out pet insurance for your Bengal kitten.
  • Neuter or spray your Bengal kitten.
  • Give all recommended vaccination by your vet.
  • Feed your Bengal kitten 3 to 4 times per day.
  • Get a scratch post for your Bengal kitten.
  • Start grooming as early as possible.
  • Socialize your kitten with other pets.
  • Give your Bengal kitten clean water.
  • Give your Bengal cat kitten a litter box that has a cover.
  • Get your Bengal cat kitten dewormed.
  • Give the Bengal kitten mental stimulation, so it doesn’t get into trouble.
  • Help the Bengal to bond with all members of the household.
  • Create playtime for your Bengal kitten.
  • Crate train your Bengal kitten.
  • Get lots of toys for your Bengal kitten.

Here are other interesting topics you can read through for more information;

  1. How Big Can Bengal Cats Get: Growth Factors & More.
  2. Are Bengal Cats Aggressive: 7 Causes & Solutions.
  3. Why Do Cats Find New Homes – 5 Best Reasons & Solutions.
  4. 6 Best Pets For Small Apartments.
  5. How to stop a cat from wanting to go outside: 13 Steps To Take.

Cheers!!!

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Samuel Ogbonna
Samuel Ogbonna

I'm Samuel Ogbonna, the founder of allpetspot.com. I grew up with lots of pets, with 15 years of experience living with pets. My love for pets made me start allpetspot.com, I'm here to share his experiences with pets.

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