Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your baby. I don't know if you're familiar with early-generation bengals. They have a lot of the wild blood of the Asian Leopard Cat in them. Many can be socialized. If yours is not well socialized by now, it will take a lot of time and effort from you to socialize him.
You're doing the right thing in keeping him in a smaller area for the time being. It takes time for a kitty to adjust to a new environment and he's been tossed back and forth a few things here, so patience is absolutely necessary. Let him accept you at his own pace and do not try to rush it. TIME AND PATIENCE!!! I cannot stress that enough. Each cat is different in the amount of time it needs to have the confidence to greet the new world in front of him. It's normal for a new kitty to hide away. They feel "safe" there.
For the time being, all you can do is be in the same room with him, talk softly to him, try to engage him in play with a wand toy. He will eventually come out to you. The more you "drag" him out of hiding, the more he is going to want to retreat. When he does come out, pet him and rub that little belly. When he's had enough, he'll move on and you need to accept that.
Many bengals do not like being picked up and held nor will they sleep on your lap. And I'm guessing this one will be one of those. However, once his confidence comes up and you let him have the run of the house, you may find that he follows you around and wants to be in the same room as you. He may even sleep with you at night. Just give him some time. How long will this take? A couple of weeks, a month or two. It just depends on the cat.
I suggest you read up on the bengal breed, especially the early generation bengals. Many local ordinances ban owning an EG bengal. Many EGs require special treatment that novice cat owners cannot handle. This was probably the case of the previous owner. You've taken on that responsibility now so we really want this to work out for you.
We are also here to help you, cheer you on, and share in your successes at every turn. Give your new kitty time and space and you will see a difference. They may be subtle at first. Please keep us posted on how things are going -- even daily. In a few weeks, you can come back to this post and see how much improved things are for you and your kitty.
|