F2's and other EG/LG's as pets?

Suntouched · **Posted:** Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:31 pm

There have been some very interesting posts on the forum recently about some F2 Bengal pets (and breeders) and their owners.....and very happy and successful stories they are too.

I would like to point out a few things to the (inexperienced) pet owner who might just be thinking of buying an F2 (or similar) kitten, as it may not always be the success story as is posted here. There are many bonuses and plus sides of owning an F2 Bengal-type kitten, but there are also the down-sides with some of them that prospective pet purchasers may not be aware of.

Although many F2 kittens can be homed as pets without any problems, if you are unfortunate enough to purchase one that hasn't been reared correctly or just isn't 'pet material', then you may have a problem or problems with your new F2 baby. Potential problems you may encounter could be any or all of the following:

F2's aren't always easy to litter train.

They aren't always easy to handle.

Sometimes they can be semi-nocturnal, and have you up in the middle of the night to play!

Some F2's will need specialist feeding, and there are those that will only eat raw meats or even dead day-old baby chicks.

They can develop a strong bond with one person and may be badly affected if that person leaves or the cat needs to be placed in a cattery.

They don't always like to picked up and cuddled, and may never accept this kind of treatment that is normally expected of a pet cat.

Having said all this, there are many pet F2's that are bred by and owned by responsible and experienced people and have no problems whatsoever. This can be down to the (right) breeder and the way the kittens were raised, the genetic make-up of the cat, or your own household circumstances, with some good experience and training thrown in!

If you are thinking of purchasing an F2 (or similar) kitten, then please do your research first, and LOTS of it. Ask advice from people who have owned one as a pet, before you commit to buying one.

Whilst it may work out happily for one family, it may not be suitable for yours. This forum is a great place for posting questions, so please do ask plenty before going ahead and buying one. :wink:

miki129 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:46 pm

Great advice Karen... I agree with everything Karen has said....
Before i got Rudy, i sourced every bit of info i could, read everything and also took advice from an experienced, reputable EG Breeder other than the one i bought Rudy from...

I also read some stories of people who had bought EGs blindly and could not cope with the kind of cat an EG is, they are quite different to the SBT Bengal.. Everything is intensified with an EG, which may seem like something most Bengal owners would want....But in reality is it??

I have heard also, that when you have 1 of the EGs as a pet, they bond so strongly to their owner, that to rehome 1 would break the spirit of such a cat, so it is a commitment that should last the lifetime of the cat, come what may...

I am happy with the breeder i chose for my Rudy, she is 1 of 4 in total of the breeders i considered in the whole of the UK..
She did a great job with Rudy and a good breeder is very important with any pet, even more so with a specialist pet such as an F2...

I am happy i have Rudy, but it is definitely not for everyone...

Miki xx

miki129 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:10 am

junglerose · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:29 am

Thundercat · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 1:56 am

I feel compelled to contribute to this thread having had previous experience with EGs. However I feel it is premature to say anything based on previous experience before I bring my new boy home, as all EGs are very different from each other, and it is inevitable that this experience will be new and different.

As soon as I have him home and I can be confident that he has settled, then I will happily share both positive and negative EG experiences that I have had in the past and with the new boy.... But I am all too aware that anything I have to say now could be radically different in a few weeks time when I have this new cat.

All I can say for now is that I echo all of the above comments. Deciding to buy an EG is not something that should be taken lightly. As the breeder of my first EG cat told me "You have to remember this is essentially a wild animal you are adopting" those words can be reeled off the tongue very easily, but I suggest they are contemplated for some time by anyone thinking about this decision, as they can be promptly forgotten. So for anyone thinking about getting one think long and hard and do your research before deciding.

If you ARE committed to taking on the responsibility, and you get a well socialised, well raised cat that has not bonded strongly with it's breeder (another thing to be wary of and a fine balance for a breeder to strike) then they can be very rewarding pets - more so than any other cat. However they are definitely NOT for everyone.

.

luvbengalz · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:50 am

miki129 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:53 am

miki129 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:43 pm

monstu · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:15 pm

miki129 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:46 pm

monstu · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:15 pm

miki129 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:26 pm

lou · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:26 am

interesting thread, and although iv'e no wish to purchase one of these i would hope breeders and sellers are more vigilant about whom they sell these f1/f2 cats too perhaps even insisting on home visits otherwise god forbid they'll be a Bengal ban in a few years when chavs want one on a lead :!:

Thundercat · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:57 am

miki129 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:32 pm

F2's and other EG/LG's as pets?

Who is online