Try wearing long pants and always protecting your skin. Nail trims once a month will save a lot of bandaids too. My girls are 2.5 years old and I am nursing a couple of nasty gashes I received while playing with the Flying Frenzy. They get so wound up and start chattering and anything can happen. They do calm down a bit as they age though. I remember how irrational kittens can be. Good luck.

have you tried laser pointers? I find it a great (read lazy) way to drain their energy

Some cats seems to go bananas with laser pointers. Oscar does not even register the dot. He has zero interest in it. I would love to be able to sit on the sofa and exercise the cat!!! What does totally get him going is using the wand of the flying frenzy under rugs and blankets. He literally goes crazy pouncing on it. Thats when I give him the kikaroo to wrestle with. He has stalked the prey, pounced and caught it and then he gets the kikaroo and shreds it with his back legs. This seems to really cater to his needs and he is very calm after a session of 'bug under the rug'. I guess, just like humans, cats have different likes and dislikes with play.

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Hello, Spitspot & duffman316 - My Crash is curious about the laser dot but it doesn't drive him into much physical activity. And he has no interest in the kickeroo, at least so far. But the flicker wand drives him wild so we use that a lot! Thanks for your responses!

With the kickeroo it's best to give it when they are going crazy so you just throw it down when they are in their play frenzy mode otherwise normally they don't have much interest in it. Also spraying everything with catnip can really help.

My two love feather toys and my girl loves anything that makes a jingle noise and jingle balls, we have a little track with light up balls in that I play with with them and they will just push the balls around. Every Bengal is different and some love some toys and others don't, also my old girl and my little boy love catnip mice.

When playing usually what interests them in trying to make it seem more like a hunt and they are stalking prey. Move the toy slowly at first until they are internested and then get it moving faster. Another toy that I found my two really liked was the one like a butterfly (maybe because my boy loves chasing and eating bugs) and then when playtime is over I just throw down the kickeroo so they can attack that instead of the toy. Also the catdancer toy works in a similar way and moves like a butterfly.

I have found that catnip sprays can help if he likes catnip. If they are getting bored watch him and see what he likes to do and try and mimic it within play. Some like chasing mice, some prefer birds others insects or even fish and just work with that. Does he like watching birds through the windows? Does he like to catch bugs or lizards? Do you have fish does he like watching fish (my previous Bengal was obsessed with an old aquarium we had) My two also adore water and I've found that giving them a washing up bowl or mini cat pool with some water in gets them to play for hours.

With bengals when they play together you will find they have very particular habits they like to take turns chasing each other and flipping each other around, one will sometimes go and hide and then pop out of nowhere on the other one and then jump on them and roll around wrestling. I can't help but feel what he's doing is trying to reinact how he would play with another Bengal with you. My previous girl who was an only Bengal often liked to play tag and chase with me in the garden she would hide in the bushes and jump out tap me on the leg and then rush off.

If you can't find any toys that will help or that he's interested in maybe the best solution is to clip the ends off his claws and ignore him when he does it. He does seem to be acting like he wants another cat to play with rather than actual hunting behaviours.

If he loves the wand toys try making it go up and down his cat trees or maybe up and down a flight of stairs and get him to rush after it, also that would tire him out faster so it would be easier on you and your poor arms. Then at the end of playtime you throw him the kickeroo or one of his favourite toys and he catches that. If he loves wand toys I really recommend the da butterflier as well as the da bird (which I think everyone with a Bengal owner swears by) my girl also loves the da mouse. If you are still having issues and are willing to take him outside you could look into getting a custom made cat harness for him and take him out for a walk around your garden.

I think there's a thread on here somewhere with toy recommendations but see if you have any of these I've found these are the toys my two love and I can play with them.
Da bird
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000F9JJ ... ref=plSrch
Da butterflier
https://www.amazon.com/Go-Cat-Butterfli ... B001C6BZ8C
Da mouse
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000LPOU ... B001C6BZ8C
Catit track
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A4A7U ... SX200_QL40
Catit play and scratch (my two really adore this one)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GA096 ... +scratcher
Cat tunnel
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0024EAC ... ref=plSrch
Catdancer
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006N9I ... h-keywords
Kong figure of eight track
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BJZ5D ... kong+track

For treats the only ones my two love are Thrive which are a UK brand of freeze dried pure meat treats. I would think if you look you may be able to find your countries equivalent of freeze dried chicken treats which are just chunks of freeze dried chicken and they usually go nuts for them other commercial treats don't go down as well.


Arya really loves her Da mouse lol

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- Sarah
Arya 24/04/16 - Seal Lynx Point Rosetted Bengal
Griffith 16/04/16 - Silver Seal Lynx Point Rosetted Bengal
Mina (in my avatar)- 1999-2016 - Seal Mink Spotted Bengal (Snow) - run free at rainbow bridge

Sarah, the picture of cross-eyed Arya is too cute

Alana, hi and welcome! I am a cat lover most of my life but am totally new to our little girl Bengal, about 15 weeks old. I don't have any advice for you but just wanted to give you support with Crash. My wife and I are in your age group and Lucy plays rough with me at least daily. I know she is playing because if she really wanted to harm me she could. I invited the behavior because I thought it was cute, until I noticed how gross my forearm looked. She let me trim her nails (which helped with blood loss) (joke) only one time. Do I understand Crash doesn't exhibit the behavior towards your husband and granddaughter (or others)? I ask because Lucy doesn't dare bring out the claws or teeth with my wife. I hear my wife often say, very sternly, "no biting". That seems to work for her. It's starting to work for me also. I noticed the behavior happens when her tail is all poofed out. I totally ignore kitty with the poofed tail and that also has been working. The folks on this forum have been a great help with my questions, so good find! Someone wrote a book titled "First do everything wrong", apparently Bengals are different than people. They are intelligent creatures and will take every liberty you give them. You could try wrapping foil around your legs, but someone might have you committed. I don't know what the thumb nail on a cat is called, but that thing is most dangerous. I don't think she has much control over that bugger and it has actually stuck in my skin. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone, they are a precious breed!

Rich

Seraph - thanks so much for the links for toys - I've put some in my Amazon cart already! By the way, your photos remind me so much of my precious snow marble Baby Boy - he's the one we had to euthanize in December after 16 wonderful years with him. He couldn't have been more different from Crash, and for that matter, almost all other Bengals I've read about. He was a lover and snuggler from day 1....

RichF - yes, Crash only attacks me! And he is absolutely serious, not like his usual playful behaviour. When he's playing he takes swipes at me with his soft little paws - can feel a little bit of claw but it's sheathed and he's just trying to get my attention. The attack mode is downright scary - when I've ignored it in the past, he has leapt on me with claws and teeth digging in! But I'm trying some of the things mentioned here and he has not drawn blood since Friday so I am greatly encouraged!

Especially laughed at your idea about the tin foil as that has helped me break bad habits with other kittens - not that I've ever had to use it on my legs - hahaha!

Not sure about the tin foil ! What about falconry gauntlets and cowboy chaps?? Your wife might like the look too!!! Total protection from the bengal beastie. As someone once described them (cranberry, I think) Bengals are like Exocet missiles with in built grappling hooks. That is the best description I have ever heard.

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal