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I lost Indy about the same time you lost Max and have been asking myself similar questions so I'm really glad you brought this up Lance.

For me having experienced a bengal (all be it for a short time of his life) I can see what extrodinary amazing cats they are. But the way I lost him has made me fearful of going back for a pedigree cat in case the same sorry affair happens again. But I'm unsure a moggie will be as intelligent or ever live up to him.

I have also looked at the rescue root. But it worries me the kittens may not be 'socialised' or an older cat may have issues (spraying, health etc).

For now I think we are spending a bit of time cat free as the other half is saying no anyway, but I will be watching this topic with interest too

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I guess I got the both of two worlds... Sammie is a purebred rescue. So not only did I get a kitty a home, but I was able to have a cat that otherwise I might not be able to afford. She is kind of quirky, and has so issues with biting and what not because she was not socialized well by her first family, but she's gotten better and has made a wonderful addition to my family!

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Well, all my cats are rescues. Mikesch was a stray and therefore I knew nothing about him when I took him in. We think he's a Bengal and he certainly looks and acts the part. No behavior problems with him whatsoever, unless you count the Bengal-typical nonsense and his habit of spraying before he was neutered. Luckily he stopped that the moment he was fixed. He loves everyone who comes through the door, and everyone who comes to the house immediately loves him, too. Binky was an older barn cat who grew up as a feral, so he is a bit shy and hides from any strangers coming to the house. Most people stopping by won't even notice he's here, but when we are alone he is the biggest lap cat ever.

In addition to those two, I've fostered a couple of rescue cats. Right now I have two adorable foster kittens on the verge of becoming young adults, one a black DSH and the other an orange-white DLH. No problems with either of them, other than the typical kitten-mania and my oldest (who is supposed to be on a diet) trying to sneak kitten food any chance he gets. The orange-white one is a little bit jumpy sometimes and hid the first two days, but I can't blame him since he was caught in a trap. He has become a lot more trusting and he purrs like crazy when I manage to catch him for a good belly rub.

Getting a rescue cat can be very rewarding, both for you and the cat. Many of these cats wouldn't have a chance at a happy life otherwise and they seem to know it and are so grateful to have a home. The downside is of course that you never really know what you are getting. While there are many rescue cats that are just perfect pets, others certainly come with a bit of baggage. Some have been handed around so many times that they have become insecure and need some time to settle again. It helps to ask a lot of questions, e.g. why did the cat end up in rescue? Did the previous owner give him/her up due to behavior, allergies, too many pets, moving to a no-pets-allowed place, etc? Is it a feral kitten that was trapped young? Did the cat grow up inside a house with human contact? All these questions might help determine what kind of problems, if any, you might run into with that cat.

i was thinking about adopting too. my hubby was like, why we are not getting a cat from a shelter and we have to buy some bengal....
I am getting a cat for my dog, so I wanted more active, doggy-like cat etc...all the bengal personality. I didn't want a cat that just ingnores my dog and does her own thing...Also a young kitty wouldn't overpower my dog (at least at beginning;-)), so he still would have the feeling that he is the boss of the house.That is why i also wanted a very young cat, so a bengal breed+ very young age of the cat = good for my dog.
I would be worried about some rescue cats, what they have behind., behaviour problems , no interest in my dog etc...
Bengal was the only breed I was interested. My previous idea was a Rhodesian Ridgback dog, because is a hound with the same facial expressions as my beagle/daschund, but I felt that would owepower my dog easily (with its size) and my dog would feel intimidated. That is why i turned to cats - bengals only.
Actually I was looking for a bengal kitty in bengal rescues, but with no luck:(

So, when deciding for adopting, it is the same as approaching a breeder. You have to know what you can expect (hopefully), what you want and which kind of conditions you have at home....

Next I would just get an older cat/dog from a shelter. At this moment a dog and a new kitty is enough.