Advice and Help Needed

andy7561 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2015 6:42 pm **Posts:** 24

Brilliant advice and help so far - thank you so much. A week away from bringing Ben home now, does anyone have any links to decent tall scratching posts/trees and large sized litter trays as advised in earlier posts please?

Thanks in advance guys, I just want to pull on your expertise and give Ben the best start in life.

lalune93 · **Joined:** Sat Aug 01, 2015 5:30 am **Posts:** 147

There isn’t much I can add which the others haven’t already suggested, but I will give you my opinion anyway.

I got my boy from interstate and when we brought him home, he was very scared and not interested in us. He was running away, hiding, walking low to the ground and scratching/biting us. It took 2 months for him to bond with me. Only me.

Now, this is probably usual behaviour for any Bengal brought into a new environment. It will most likely take longer for a rescue who has been mistreated. But, with the right approach and frame of mind, you will get there and you will have a friend for life.

First of all, give him space. When you bring him home, don’t try to force yourself on him, just let him be. Put him in a room, give him food and water, a comfortable place to sleep, somewhere to climb, and some interactive toys to play with. He will most likely be very intimidated by you. Do not try to approach him in the first couple of days. Simply go in the room with him, sit on the floor and just, be. Read a book, do work on the computer. Just be there without actually touching him so he gets used to your presence and your scent.

Secondly, offer him treats. Cooked chicken breast, bits of steak, tuna, etc. Find out which he likes best, which is his favourite. You will know, trust me. Then, use that favourite treat of his to trust you. First, just place it near him. Then, try to offer it from your hand and get him to come closer and closer to you. He may take the treat and run off. That’s okay. Just keep doing it until he is comfortable enough that he just sits near you waiting for another treat, and doesn’t run off. At this stage, you can try to give him a pat, if he accepts it. If he doesn’t, that’s okay. Give him time.

Try to engage him in play. Da Bird is a great toy – invest in one plus a few extra attachments for variety. He will love it, trust me. It is a great bonding activity. Talk to him gently while he is playing.

It can sometimes be upsetting if an animal is not responding and is still scared of you. Please, try to stay positive. This is the best thing you can do. You need to send out a happy vibe. If you don’t, he will feel your negative energy. My boy responded so well to my positive attitude. One day, I was very upset and was crying. He could feel this, and didn’t want to come near me at all. As soon as I was back to myself again, he was all over me.

Just try to be patient with him, you will get there!

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Andy, please keeps us informed on how it goes for you with Ben.

XplosiV · **Joined:** Sat Sep 13, 2014 11:54 pm **Posts:** 181

Jollies pet food superstore do a half decent large litter tray, hooded, with air filter.

You can find many fat trees on amazon for a decent price. An Amazon search for Heidi cat tree will bring up what we have two of, joined together. Various colours, under £50 Inc shipping.

spitspot · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:26 pm **Posts:** 734

All our stuff was from good old Amazon UK

Kerbl cat Opal maxi scratching post 78 x 39 x 39 £18.09 (very tall so allows a full on stretch and scratch)

TekTake Cat tree activity centre Barney £41.99 (Oscar lives on and in this and its incredible value as it's large)

Ferplast maxi bella cat toilet home 65.5 x 50 x 47 £34.40 I took the door off but keep the lid on as Oscar finishes peeing standing up bless him :rolleyes:

I have three! One upstairs and two downstairs

Catit scratching boards. Oscar loves these as he likes to scratch on the carpet and I have these in each room. He also chews them. Bengals seem to like chewing cardboard!

Flying frenzy cat wands with various attachments!

Not forgetting the Willows Monstrous Snuggle bed from pets at home! Go on spoil him :lol:

You may also want some feliway plug ins for when Ben arrives to calm him.

I'm so excited for you! Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Yes Amazon is fab for cat trees and scratch posts etc!

We also have a very similar tree to the tektake cat tree, I have a really big scratch post, trixie 43551 scoria scratching post, 45 x 45 x 80 cm, they don't keep pulling this one over as its wide and square, and they can sit on the top.

With the cat tree, read the reviews, you need a solid base so it doesn't fall over when a full size Bengal throws itself at it. Ours rocks but it is in a corner between a sofa and chair and near a window.

Litter trays, we just have the bulk standard ones from pets at home, jumbo size, don't go smaller, we started on large and had to upgrade! They are uncovered, our two have a weird way of pooing in that they put their front paws on the rim and do pretty much stand up poos which they can't do with an enclosed one.

Keep to the litter he's used to when he comes to you, but if it isn't clumping, I would change over once he's settled. I was forever cleaning trays to get rid of the stench of cat pee before I switched to oko plus cats best, it's more cost effective too.

Amazon is also fab for toys. Flying frenzy is the UK equivalent of da bird and is a massive hit here and would be great for you to bond with Ben.

Other favourites here are small bouncy balls and coloured springs. Hendrix likes to play fetch with the balls, and jagger loves the springs. It will be trial and error to see the type of toy that Ben likes. He will love all the boxes that his many presents will be arriving in too!

Please let us know how it all goes and lots of pics once he arrives and is comfortable enough! I get the impression Ben is going to be a very happy boy and will be spoilt rotten - like every other Bengal on this forum!

Good luck!

andy7561 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2015 6:42 pm **Posts:** 24

It's like the night before Christmas - tomorrow we collect our cat, I can't eIt to meet him and bring him home,

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

I bet you can't, life will never be the same again lol

Look forward to hearing how it all goes!

andy7561 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2015 6:42 pm **Posts:** 24

A tad apprehensive though, I hope he doesn't turn out to be too much of a handful lol.

spitspot · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:26 pm **Posts:** 734

Just stay as relaxed as possible, confident but calm. Don't worry too much. The first couple of weeks he will be settling down so you probably won't see the real Ben for a while! We are all so excited for you and any problems there is always someone with the knowledge to help.

Donna741 · **Joined:** Wed Feb 05, 2014 9:03 pm **Posts:** 1048

It will be amazing. It may take time for him to adjust but it will all be worth it in the end.

Munashi · **Joined:** Sat Aug 29, 2015 5:35 pm **Posts:** 87

Be sure to let us know how things go! Good luck! :3

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

I'm sure you'll be a worrying parent! But relax and just give it time. Hoping Ben settles in quickly. Just remember, he's a kitten and a bengal kitten at that, so once he does settle in, he will be wound up most of the time. We hope you'll post lots of pictures.

andy7561 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2015 6:42 pm **Posts:** 24

He's home bless him, so timid and s seed. We took him to his room, let him out of his box and he eventually came out. He had a quick look around and then hid in the cardboard box that we put his bed under.

He has water and some food and his litter tray, we will have dinner and then go and sit in the room and chill with him whilst browsing on the computer (reading this forum!!!)

My hardest task will be keeping my wife reined in as she wants to play with him already lol.

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

How exciting! Yes, definitely give him a chance to settle in, we brought home brothers who had each other for support and they still hid for a couple of days, next minute they were looking for a lap to lie on! As long as he comes out to eat, that's the main aim right now. It might take him a while to use his litter tray, ours didn't use it for a good 12 hours and we were getting a bit worried.

Your wife will soon get more than enough chances to play and he will wear her out lol

He will bring you plenty of laughter once he finds his feet and keep you on his toes. You will think you have every base covered and he will find something you didn't think off! Pulling the sound wire out of the TV is a great game apparently...

Keep us informed!

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