I got Benji at 6 1/2yrs old and he didn't like being picked up at all so I picked him up every time I came in so he would be used to it. When i did pick him up I never held him but just put him on my arm so he didn't feel restrained.He was too polite to struggle but would just lean away from me until he either fell off my arm or I put him down.

18 months later he is much better and will jump on my lap demanding cuddles but is still not keen on being picked up but will tolerate it. He is the easiest cat I have ever owned to get into a basket, just pick him up and put him in, then take him out at the vets even to have an abscess burst!

She sounds entirely normal (whatever that means with a Bengal!)


Heather

Miss Kitty doesn't like to be held- she doesn't like to be constricted in any way. She is super friendly, loves to be pet & will curl up on our laps to sleep but only when SHE wants to! I would love to pick her up & hold her close to my heart without her squirming but oh well.

My Bengal boy doesn't like to be held at all really. He loves attention, and will lay on the couch next to you, but if you get up and walk around he is done. Starts fidgiting and trying to get down. Just like people animals have their own personality that comes with likes and dislikes.

Khan will tolerate being picked up and held for about........10 seconds, then kind of pushes himself off you. He loves sitting on my lap tho.

Cats certainly differ, I had one that used to love being carried around, and another one that adored sitting on my daughter's shoulder whilst she rode her bike.....do wish that I'd been able to get that on film.

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myfirstbengal

My boy likes being held, but only for short periods. He is a lap cat on his own terms, sleeps on my legs while I watch TV and curls up by me in bed. Took a lot of work to get him as socialized as he is though. My breeder even said she didn't have as much time to work with him as she was in the hospital for a week when he was around 3 weeks old. He was more into playing with the other cats. He did however warm up and is more loveable than I ever thought he'd be. The kitten I had that passed wanted to be held or lay on me every minute I was home.

My boy hates being held but loves sitting on laps where as his sister doesn't mind being held but never sits on laps! I've tried to persist with Koba but to no avail so I just leave him be now until he wants a cuddle