Hello everyone!

I'm Razgriz, from Russia, and I am considering buying a Bengal kitten in the near future. In fact, I joined this forum so that I can learn more about the breed, because my wife and I are debating getting a Bengal, a Maine Coon or a Siamese cat. We both have had cats for all of our lives (we have almost 7 decades of experience together!), but they were all stray cats, or half-breeds... from purebred cats "having fun" outside of the house with stray cats!

We have a 9 year old daughter who is very gentle with animals in general and has grown up around cats, and 2 strays, a 7 year old male and a 5 year old female, who are used to each other and aren't too aggressive towards other felines.

I hope that your stories will make me fall in love with that breed, and that I'll be one of yours soon!

Have a nice day.

Welcome to our forum. There are distinct differences between the breeds you've mentioned. We hare have experience with bengals. Whatever experience you have had with cats gets tossed out the window with a bengal. They are nut your ordinary cat. They have wild blood from the Asian Leopard Cat. However, bengals are domesticated, have a very sweet temperament. They are very social and want to be around their people. They are high energy. Must have tall cat tree and lots of toys for play time. They are very vocal and can yowl rather than just meow. They are curious, can get into all kinds of trouble if you aren't careful. They are highly intelligent as well. But, they are great kitties. If you want a more docile cat, then the Maine Coon is the way to go. You can find a slew of information online.

You might want to watch a few of the videos here at Animal Planet: https://www.animalplanet.com/playlists/cat-breeds-a-b

These are short videos about the various breeds.

It is great you are doing research before selecting. Know, too, that price will vary among the breeds. And selecting a great breeder is important. So not only do you have to research the breeds, you have to research the breeders of the breed. There are a lot of bengal breeders in Russia. I don't know about the other breeds. Feel free to ask us more questions.

Thanks for the description! I know that Bengal cats have a radically different character when compared to other cats, and that's why I created an account here. I'd like to learn more about that breed, I've already watched videos and read articles about them, but I'd be glad to have the occasion to discuss these cats with owners, both before buying said cat and afterwards. What I learn here will be one of the reasons according to which I'll choose what breed I'll be bringing home.

Given that you have two adult cats already, I would probably avoid adding a bengal. You never know how it will work out, it will depend on the personalities of the cats, the size of your home, and your skill getting them to live together, but in general I think that would be a very tough to make work. Bengals tend to be very much "alpha" kinds of cats. Or to use Jackson Galaxy's nomenclature, they are often "Napoleon" cats. I don't have any experience with Main Coon's, but my siamese (actually oriental shorthair) is a much more easy going, and "amicable" type of cat, who would probably get along much better with resident adult cats.

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The little monsters 3

If you want bengal experiences, I got my bengal when he was six years old and it has been a true experience. I've been around cats since I was a child and nothing prepared me for a bengal -- videos, articles -- nothing. Raiden is definitely an alpha cat. He yowls at the top of his lungs. He was an outdoor cat when a neighbor gave him to me and since he was a fighter (and has wounds to prove he lost most of the battles), I decided he could no longer run wild outdoors, so we take two walks a day on a leash and he has a large enclosure on our deck that he can access 24/7.

That being said, he is always into something. He knows how to get attention. His sleep pattern is about a 2 hour nap, get up, eat, complain, mope around the house, take another nap, repeat. We play in the evenings, but he gets bored very quickly and decides that jumping up on everything suits him better,

I also have a domestic short haired cat who is nothing like Raiden. He sleeps most of the day. He is an indoor/outdoor cat but we rarely know he is even in the house. I'm guessing a Maine Coon would be more like a regular cat, but I don't know.

Hopefully, there are other avenues on the web for Maine Coons and Siamese that you can other opinions on those breeds. I love my bengal with all my heart but he can be a handful at times and the yowling can definitely get on your nerves, especially at 2 a.m. Right now he is sleeping next to me after a 10-block walk this morning. They certainly look adorable when they are sleeping. But can be a little terror when he wants to be.

I certainly do not want to dissuade from getting a bengal, but there are definite challenges in dealing with a hybrid cat.