Hi, I'm excitedly awaiting the arrival of my first Bengal kitten. I've only got 10 more days to wait until I can collect him from the breeders. The house is already filling up with toys, beds and cat trees. The only thing i am currently unsure of is whether I will allow Fitch to be an outdoor cat, or keep him indoors. I know i'd be devastated if he didn't come back, but worry he'll be bored cooped up in the house.

Hi!

I too am a new Bengal owner…have to wait 2 weeks for my two to come home

Not sure if it helps, but we plan to let our kitties be outdoors cats. I think it's unfair to keep a cat cooped up inside, they have instincts which need to be fulfilled…exploring, exercise, socialising, etc.

We let our old cat outdoors, and found that after a while he was content to just chill in the garden or on the roof…the furthest he would go was 3 doors down and sit on their fence!

We are quite lucky in that our back garden is joined on all sides by a row of houses, so their is no way our cats can get onto a road. The only thing I'm slightly worried about with mine is them getting into a fight with other cats, but i intend to remedy that by neutering them and introducing them to some of my friends cats so they learn how to behave around strange cats!

The only thing that would stop me letting my cats out would be if we lived near a busy road or if weren't planning on getting them fixed…in that case i would walk them on a leash as i still think they need the stimulation, and experience that only the outdoors can provide!

Indoors is definitely the safest place for a cat. If boredom is a concern, have you considered harness training your boy and taking him for walks? That way he can explore outside safely.

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Guardian of Zelda - Brown Spotted Bengal

Hello and welcome to the forum!

You must be beside yourself with excitement - not long to go now though!

Only you can make the judgement call about whether Fitch is an indoor or outdoor cat. A lot depends on where you live, if there are any predators in your part of the world, what the roads are like near you etc. But as already said you could harness train him or even build him a cat enclosure so he gets to go outside in a safe environment. You could also put up fencing in your garden that is designed to stop cats getting out - and also in.

My two do go out, but I don't settle until they're home and worry about them all the time they are out! They're certainly not allowed out at night. Foxes are my main issue, Jagger has been attacked by one in the fox breeding season and they seem to think our garden is also theirs. I think the cubs are starting to move on now but I have often come home to find foxes sleeping in our borders or fighting over food that one of our neighbours puts out for them.

Looking forward to seeing lots of pictures once Fitch arrives home with you!

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Oh how exciting -- Congratulations!!!! Please know that you're going to have to keep your new kitten inside for a while. I'm not in favor of allowing a cat outdoors. There are a lot of dangers lurking out there. Train your little one to walk on a harness and leash and go for walks. Think about buying or building some type of outdoor enclosure to keep your kitty safe. I do not understand how someone can pay a bunch of money for a purebred cat and then allow it to roam the outdoors. My Raiden was a free-roaming cat for 6 years -- mainly because the owner didn't want to deal with the hassle and the constant crying. Raiden paid for it dearly with several trips to the vet for abscesses from fighting with other cats. His left ear is torn as a result of one of those fights. How he managed to survive for 6 years is beyond me. Once I took ownership, I decided Raiden could not run free! He would still want to be that cat, but we do twice daily walks and he has a large outdoor enclosure to keep him safe and sound. I'm a member of several lost pet organizations here in my area and it breaks my heart to see the missing dogs and cats, knowing that in 53% of the cases, the cats are never reunited with their owners. There was the post where the owners put the cat outside the day they moved into a new house and the cat wandered off and did not come back. The cat is probably trying to find its way back to its original home -- you can't move and just put your cat outside and think it will stay around all the new smells and an unfamiliar area.

Do indoor cats get bored? I guess if you don't offer them any type of stimulations or play time. Cats do sleep a LOT! Even my Raiden will take 3 good naps a day and sleep all night. Do 3-year old children get bored? Absolutely ... but you don't put them outside by themselves in the hopes they find something to amuse themselves.

Whether to allow a cat outdoors is a personal decision. You ask, and you'll get a million different opinions. You have to decide if you're prepared to lose your kitty! Whether to a cat fight, dog fight, poisonous snake, kids or adults who get a thrill out of injuring a cat, someone who would trap it and relocate the cat because they don't like your cat, someone seeing a spotted cat and taking it because they know it's worth some money, getting hit by a car, wild animal. The list goes on and on. Your kitty may return day after day and then suddenly does not and you're frantic with worry. For me, it's not for the pain and anguish I go through.

Thanks, I think i'll try taking him out on a harness and keep him as a house cat. There is a fair amount of traffic near here and i'd be gutted if he didn't come home... 9 days! Eek!

Traffic is a huge problem for a cat. We have a cat who follows us on our walk and he about got run over twice this morning. It's really too dangerous. There will be one crazy person who will aim for the cat instead of avoiding it. Walks with your bengal will be awesome once you get him used to the harness. I'd wait at least two months before I'd actually take him out. You can always spend the time getting him used to the harness, which could take a while.

Aww, Fitch! What a cute name! What type of Bengal is he?

You’ll have a lot of fun with him!

I have a very strong opinion for keeping my cats indoors. It is not only for my peace of mind, but also for their own safety. You never know what they can get up to or what can happen while they are roaming outside. They could be hurt, bitten by another animal, hit by a car, or even stolen. Bengals especially, being such beautiful cats, are recommended to be kept indoors only as they do get stolen. They are also very good hunters and would be killing a lot of wildlife if allowed to roam freely as they like. In my opinion, I would not risk my cats’ safety. If they are stolen, injured, or if they die… I will have no one to blame but myself, and I could never live with that guilt.

I am 100% for supervised outdoor time. Bengals are very easily trained to walk on a harness and you can take Fitch out for daily walks, knowing he is safely enjoying the outdoors. This will also create a strong bond between the two of you.

As for being bored inside – very unlikely if you provide them with the right tools. Mine have a 2.5 meter cat tree which they love to climb and sleep in, as well as several other scratching posts. Plenty of toys, cosy spots to sleep, etc. Yes, if they are cooped up in a house where they have nothing to entertain themselves with, they will get bored. But if you invest in some cool cat furniture, put up cat shelving and make it fun for them, they will love it.

Hope this helped, and good luck with your boy !

Hi lalune93: he's a brown rosetted boy, thanks for the advice.

Eight more days .......

1 week today

I missed the comment from Molrol who plans to let two kittens roam the outdoors. It's so scary! All cats are different. Most people find, initially, the cats stick close to home ("oh they never wander far" they say). But a cat, male especially, will expand his territory as he gains more confidence and cats have been charted to roam a 5-mile radius. There is no training a cat not to roam down the street. I think the biggest threat are alpha male intact cats. A cat that has been neutered will still wander and will still fight. It's great when a cat returns home, but one day, they do not and we have a frantic owner desperate to find a cat and I just find it difficult to sympathize with them when it all could have been avoided. I'm dealing with a neighbor's cat (they live three blocks away) whose gorgeous kitty stays at my house. They have 10 cats -- 5 indoor and 5 outdoor and this sweetheart gets beat up and bullied by one outdoor and one indoor cat. They refuse to keep this cute guy inside because they feel he is happier outside. Well ... I've seen him almost get hit by cars twice now. They claim to love this cat, but if they truly loved him, they would make sure he is kept safe. They come by and get him and take him back home, but let him out again and he's right back here at my house. Raiden doesn't like him much, but I do give the little guy food so he's not killing birds, moles, mice, and squirrels to eat and I spend some time giving him head scratches and attention.

There are so many other options to allow your kitties to enjoy the outdoors safely. I hope your kitties stay safe in the outdoors, I really do.

Sailormoo -- one more week!!!!

One more sleep - if you can! Bet you're excited now!! You will never need an alarm clock again lol

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

The wait is almost over for you! Let us know how things go.