Any advice appreciated...

I’ve inherited a Bengal from my brother in law who rehomed one through a mutual friend (he only had her two weeks). She’s 2 years old, the previous owner gave us a lovely letter regarding her character, vet records and the breeder where she was Purchased.

Her back story is, she was the only kitten from the litter and was rejected by her mother, and the owners who took her on already had a Bengal which bullied her. I’ve only had her a week she’s very very timid she eats, uses her box and occasionally plays but you can’t really get near her before she darts off, she has started sleeping on my bed at night but again won’t let me stroke her. I’ve rehomed cats before usually exotic breeds, though never a Bengal. I know it takes time for cat to trust you etc. But mainly I want her to be happy here and not scared of us. She just doesn’t seem like the typical loud outgoing Bengal, does anyone have any tips they can share?

In addition, We do have a dog who is cat friendly as he’s grown up in a feline household he’s also tiny and loving so no threat there as such however,. Nala (our Bengal) doesn’t seem to like the dog much either... I’m hoping she’ll get used to him. She’s been passed from pillar to post and I want to give her a happy loving home that she loves.

Welcome and thank you for giving this baby a home. It could take a while for her to become comfortable in a new environment with new humans, new dog, new smells. So .... you just have to give her time. Work on bonding with her by simply sitting and talking to her while she eats. Know that bengals are very social and she will get out of her shyness. She is stressed out at the moment and your dog is a stranger to her. So try to keep them separated from each other until she is more confident. You will just need some patience and expect things to happen in baby steps. Kittens adjust much easier than an adult cat who has been re-homed several times. Hopefully, you are her last owner and she can take you on many adventures down the road. A week is simply not long enough for her, and a month may not be as well. But know she will become the bengal you hope her to be. And then you will be posting about how noisy and chatty she is and how she follows you everywhere. LOL

My experience is that my Bengal seemed to feel the emotional abandonment for a much longer time, to the point that I expected to NEVER be able to hold him and for him NEVER to accept the other 2 cat int0 the household. He had been in a shelter, gotten neutered and a tooth pulled. He lived with my friends and their dogs for around 4 month before they decided to move and give him to me.

I acquired him Sept 2017 and it wasn't until Jan or Feb before he seemed to relax and feel happy. I can actually pick him up and hold him for short periods of time. He gets along with the other cats and grooms one of the cats frequently as well as play fighting with her.

I bought a grooming bag early on because he seemed so anti-social at first, I thought the only way I would be able to trim his claws or have a vet see him would be to put him into a grooming bag as a sort of kitty straight jacket.

He is a totally different cat now. Love, patience, consistency and pheromones (Feliway and Sargeant's Calming Collars) have made all the difference. Plus getting enough food. He eats more than twice as much as a normal domestic shorthair. I think the shelter underfed him as did my friends without realizing it.

_________________

Thank-you for your response and you’ve made me feel much more hopeful. I got a little purr out of her today but reluctantly, I think. Our dog isn’t allowed upstairs anyway so he is downstairs and nala is residing upstairs at the moment. I will take your advice on board and just allow her to do things at her pace...

This isn't to say that you should not approach her or spend quality time with her. She knows you feed her so the bonding has started. She will feel your love for her and give hers in return when she is ready. The purr is a good thing. You could also try wand toys to get her to play a little. Or entice her with a treat out of your hand. You will make progress, trust me. We had a kitty on here named Bella who was re-homed and the new owner thought Bella hated her. But months later, she posted that Bella loved her now. So, it will happen. So, please keep us posted. We love hearing these stories.

A little update:

Probably 8/10 times she doesn’t run away from me when I try to stroke her. I’ve had lots of purrs and she does this endearing thing where she suckles herself when she’s next to you being fussed over. Also she tried coming up to my dog for a sniff and the dog ran away! She got to the bottom of our stairs yesterday which is the farthest she’s ever gotten to exploring our downstairs. So, We’re getting there!!!

Well, congratulations. You will see some improvement daily. She is coming out of her shell.