Hi all.. I adopted a little boy, he is 7 months old now and is a joy to have around. I looked into getting a Begal cat because I read that they were active and playful. But as I've read more, I've seen a lot of complaints about their vocalizations. I've seen youtube videos of quite alot of random yowling and seems they can be quite loud.

It does not bother me but I am worried about neighbors. Seriously, if I was a neighbor and I heard some of the calls that youtubers have recorded I'd wonder if someone was torturing the cat!

So far my boy hasn't been a problem.. he's talkative but its fine. But he's bonded so well with myself and other cats here that I would really hate to have to find a new home for him. So I'm worried.. Is there a problem developing? are there things I can do now to train him to stay quiet for an apartment complex? If I can expect his temperament to be as it is then everything is golden. I just worry that a few months down the road I'm going to have a problem.

Oh, I should mention.. he's not neutered yet but soon will be.. he has an older neutered playmate and and still slightly older spayed housemate. So far everyone is happy and no troubles. I'm just trying to prevent a problem before it occurs.. any thoughts? I hope I haven't made a mistake!

First of all, welcome to the forum. Second of all, calm down! Yes, bengals can be extremely vocal. But it varies with the individual cat. Mine is a yowler and goes to town whenever he sees another cat in the yard. I'm sure he is loud enough for the neighbors to hear if they have their windows open. Mine also yowls when he decides it's time for his walk outside. That can be quite loud and annoying. That being said ... yours is not that way now and may never become that way. Many bengals howl for attention or food. If you keep them happy, you probably won't have an issue. People post videos that show the dark side of a bengal. Even I have one posted of mine crying waiting for his walk.

You can't spend your time worrying about something that might not happen or even thinking about rehoming if it does. Life is too short. You need to enjoy your little guy and go with the flow. The less anxious you are, the less he will probably attempt to wake up the neighbors.

Mine has actually gone quieter (she is 13 months). She used to be a yowler, but not so much anymore. She is chatty, but not very loud.
I think it depends a lot on their personality and if the associate food or any other positive attention with meowing, then they'll be much louder.

Quasar is going on 5 years old now. He has never been a yowler. He talks and chatters when he gets excited, like when he is watching the birds at our feeder. I think it's cute. It's never been annoying.

_________________
~ Kyenta

Your video clearly shows playing, but I do worry when the teeth come out. Those canine teeth are extremely sharp and can put deep punctures into the other cat, usually causing a severe infection if not treated immediately. So please make sure you are supervising them while they are playing like this and never ever leave them alone together until you are sure they are going to be okay.

Note that F2 and F3 bengals are still considered "early generation" bengals. I'm not sure how much noise the ALC makes, but I do think many bengals just love to hear their own voices. Mine is quiet since he returned from his morning walk. He will start his yowling in another hour or so and will not let up until I get him out for his afternoon walk. That's just how it goes in my household and I'm used to it.

Your kitties are beautiful, by the way.

All three of my cats have gotten louder with age. Vocalizing is also a sign of confidence (obviously), so in that sense it is good. But yes, living in an apartment with a bengal who is a "talker" can certainly spell trouble. I think your best bet is just to be ultra-conscious going forward, that you are never rewarding/encouraging your bengal to "talk". In other words, if he screams for affection or food, make sure you wait until he calms down to give him what he wants etc. If you do that, I think you stand a better chance to avoid him getting too loud.

_________________
The little monsters 3

Thank you, that's exactly the sort of concern I was wondering about. I'll have to try my best to be careful not to accidentally reward noise making.

@Sherry.. These two are not the first cats I've shared my home with. I had 3 others before my current 3. (They died of old age basically.. around 18yrs). Calvin is just my first cat where I've gone to a breeder for a specific breed before. The rest have either adopted me or I found them in a shelter.
I say this just so you wont worry.. I've seen cat's play and I've seen cat's fight.. and I've got the scars on my hands and arms to prove I know how sharp their claws and teeth can be :)

You'll be happy to know that Calvin and Theo don't get out of hand on their own. I have to separate them sometimes but that's usually if I have been playing with them first and so I caused the escalation. I also trim their nails from time to time to try to help prevent accidents.

Natsuki, you're a good kitty parent!!! Just as siblings tussle, kitties will do the same. There can be some rough playing and usually one of the cats will walk away when it has had enough. I take care of an outdoor kitty and Raiden wants to attack him at times and other times, they are touching noses! I just never know what will happen when the two of them are near each other. The outdoor kitty follows us on our daily walks. Raiden is on a leash, the other kitty is free to go wherever. I hate that the other cat has to stay outdoors 24/7 but I know Raiden would not tolerate having Legs in his territory, period. Thankfully, the outdoor kitty has a heated cat house and two heated beds for the winter and he's started using them.

I've not noticed any change in my mix over the years, but he has managed to teach the other cat how to yowl.

My kitties didn't make a sound unless we were on our way to/from the vet for the first couple of years. Now the chatter all the time. I imitate them, they imitate me or other sounds they hear like the ducks or a dog barking. We have created our own little language in order to communicate. I encourage them to make noise.