Hello
so i thought i would try this forum to try and get some answers about behaviour issues with our 11 yr old female Bengal,
She is basically driving everyone insane that lives in the house now , Has been like this for about the last 3 -4 yrs now,
She 's yapping away no stop for hours and hours , nothing to do with no food / water / no attention, there is no reason at all it would seem to be like this
She very rarely goes outside anymore, is dead scared of the rain , hates being picked up she just claws very hard,cant take her to vets
and when we do eventually get her in the box after a struggle she brakes the door normally pushing with her head,
Its alway's a major struggle to just get flea drops on her , normally ends up with some nasty cuts,
we have been tried all sorts of ways to make her more friendly but nothing ever works.
and she bites sometimes when on my lap when i want to go
does anyone on this forum have any bengals that are aged 10+ ?? how do they behave ?
Any ideas ? ,
Jack

You really need to get her to the vet to be checked out. She needs to get a clean bill of health you deal with whatever ailment she may have. I'm not sure why your bengal is getting more vocal as she gets older. It could be she's experiencing some pain. Don't be so quick to judge her behavior. I mention the pain because she's attacking you if you pick her up. She could be arthritic. But you will never know if you don't get her to the vet

You should be thankful she is not wanting to go outside. It's much safer for her inside. Her behavior is not normal for a bengal. And you said this started no more than four years ago. There's really nowhere to go with this if you don't find out if something is medically wrong with her. There are ways to get a cat into a carrier -- I have one that opens at the top, although I have the most gentle bengal out there and he goes in the carrier just fine.

You seem to be at your wits end here and you've tolerated this for a long while. You have three choices: get her to a vet to be checked out, continue to tolerate this strange behavior, or find her a new home.

You did not mention whether you have children or other pets. That can cause severe behavior problems in some cats with stress. Another thing I might recommend is http://www.spiritessences.com and see if maybe one of those holistic remedies may work for your kitty. I hope you are able to get your kitty the help she needs. Good luck.

Much of what you've said is pretty typical for bengals. They are often very vocal, strong-willed, and often don't like being picked up, and being made to do things that they find unpleasant, like going to the vets, or being imprisoned inside a carrier, or putting stinky unpleasant drops on their back. For that stuff, they are going to resist, which can be a considerable amount of resistance given their strength. None of that is atypical at all. Those are things that you have to expect when you share a home with a bengal. You mainly just need to learn how to deal with those things better and accept that as bengal behavior. For example if she's able to break out of her crate, then you don't have much of a crate. Get a better one. And if you are getting badly scratched up when trying to manhandle her, wear something to protect your skin and develop other tactics. There are lots of discussions on this forum for stuff like that, or just ask.

But the thing that is concerning is that it just doesn't sound like you have much of a bond with your cat, nor are experiencing any of the very positive things about owning a bengal. You say that "we have been tried all sorts of ways to make her more friendly but nothing ever works". What does that mean exactly? What exactly have you tried? What is her daily routine with you like right now? And is any of her behavior now a change? What was it like before that? What else has changed in your home that has corresponded in these changes in her?

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The little monsters 3

I was anxious to see what Brian would recommend. He gives the best advice on this forum (thank you, Brian). My concern with the OP was that this change occurred in the last three to four years, meaning things were better in the beginning (unless they've only had the cat for 3 to 4 years).

Bengals are bred to be friendly and have sweet dispositions. They are not lap cats nor do they like to be picked up and held, but they are not angry kitties, which is why I said there could be something medically wrong. I'm not sure where you are located, but where I am, we have "mobile veterinarians" that will come to your home. It may be a solution to get your kitty checked out since it seems she has not been examined by a vet in years.

Bengals are very bonding kitties. They love to be around their owners and interact with them. They love play time. Mine loves to be massaged and get belly rubs. Bengals are not cats that go off in a corner and sleep for 20 hours. They are highly active, have more energy than we'll ever have. They become a member of the family.

Do you have a cat tree for your bengal. Bengals love to climb. They want to be high above us! Do you engage your bengal in play time? They need to wear off that energy that they have. I think you need to change the way you think about your bengal and make her a huge part of your life. You may gradually notice a change in her.

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The little monsters 3

Are you saying you do not have a litter box indoors for your kitty? It's difficult to force a cat outdoors to go to the bathroom when the weather is bad. A litter box and litter is not expensive and it can save the accidents happening inside the home.

Just because your kitty has seen a vet in the past doesn't mean something hasn't changed health wise. As for the crying/howling -- that's a bengal through and through. They are extremely vocal! And they will howl and cry for no reason.

Are you sure you're feeding your cat enough? I'm guessing if the cat is 10 pounds, they need 10 ounces of wet food. Most recumbent 3/4 cup of dry food. Most cats don't over-eat. Mine nibbles at his food and will go back every 30 minutes or so until he's finished the wet food.

I tell people my Raiden is like a three-year-old. Really! But, he's a typical bengal, through and through. He loves to be with us. When we are home, he's right where we are -- many times sleeping at the foot of my husband's recliner. At night, he sleeps at my feet in our bed! Bengals want to be with you! I know some people do not like a cat in their bedroom, but Raiden sleeps through most of the night. He will get me up to feed him (and I do ... because I've got to go to the bathroom anyway) and then he comes right back to bed and goes back to sleep. I love having him around us and that's where he wants to be.

Don't be so sure about this kitty being put down. An experienced bengal owner can take this cat and the cat would flourish! People get a bengal for its beauty and it is so far opposite of a rag doll. Bengals have wild blood in them. Not everyone is up for caring for a bengal. This looks like a huge mistake for your family, especially if you are not prepared to catify your home for the bengal -- litter box, cat trees, lots of toys and play time. There are bengal rescue groups all over the world that will take the bengal and find it a suitable home.

In the mean time, you'll have to put up with her behavior, which is really just being a bengal who may not be getting the proper attention and exercise that is needed.