Hi all,
Im a newbie here - myself and my fiancé are wanting a bengal, as their character and personality really appeals to us - as well as their looks obviously!!

My last cat, bless him, had very similar characteristics to what you have all described on here, except he was a South London Tom!!

I have now rescued Valentino- who is not an overly confident cat, and seems to be bullied by other cats in the neighbourhood. However, he gets on really well with kittens and female cats, and plays incredibly well.

I am generally asking, are bengals really dominant versus other cats - would it be a bad idea for me to get a bengal to join my Valé?

Oh, and Valentino also has access outdoors at all times - although with the cold at the moment, he has decided to stay a bit closer to home! Most posts I have read talk about Bengals being indoors cats........or have I just been reading the wrong things???!!!!

So looking for general advice people- hope that you can help!!!

I would say there is a dominant trait, but individuals vary widely.

I have 2 moggies and two bengals, generally speaking it works out fine. Toshi is a bit of a bully toward the moggy Spike sometimes but Spike handles it. Toshi and Spike are the only combination that do not play together, although they will sleep together and wash each other on good days.

Bengals are cats, the indoor/ outdoor issue is the same as with any other cat. I guess the only significant difference being a Bengal is a very attractive cat so there is a greater risk of theft.

Personally I would never let any of my cats free access to the outdoors, Spike was let out once by an idiot lodger and was missing 5 days and then spent 3 weeks in hospital saving his back leg after a RTA.

For me the risks are just too high in this day and age and with ever increasing numbers of cars on the roads and idiots deliberately hurting and killing cats to let my cats outside unsupervised, mine only get to go outside on a leash so I can protect them.

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I would say it would probably be a bad fit to pair a timid moggy cat with an ultra-active and confident bengal. Really, I don't think the two of them would have anything to offer each other and bullying would be likely. The other thing is that it wouldn't make much sense to me to spend a bunch of money on a pedigreed cat and then let it run free outside. But others certainly disagree. Some breeders will not even sell to a potential owner if they know that the cat will be an "outdoor cat" (or "indoor/outdoor" for that matter).

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The little monsters 3

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Hmmm it's a tricky one. I have introduced a Bengal to a moggy (both female) and they have been ok, not close buddies, but I put that down to the fact that they weren't kittens together. I now have two bengals (the five year old mentioned above and a kitten) and I would say that their relationship will be the same i.e ok.

The moggy was my daughter's cat who left with her when she left home, this cat was very timid and hated the outdoors where as my bengal would scream and scream and become very distressed if she couldn't go out. I have to say I don't like any cat going out but that has nothing to do with monetary value only fear of losing them or being hit by a car.

You people who talk about your indoor cats and cats in jackets and on leads!?! are selfish beyond belief. You seem to hace no understanding of feline nature. If you really love your cat, move out of your city slums and go and live in the countryside. Honestly, you would be better off with a cuddly goldfish.