I have a 13 week old bengal girl which we love to peices. I am getting another from the same breeder it will be her half brother. We will get him in 8 weeks any suggestions on how I should allow them to meet and how to intergrate him into our house. I know I will keep him locked up in a safe room, my bedroom, for the first week as I did with her. When will it be a good time to introduce them and how do I do it???? Please help concerned Bengal Mom!!! Thanks!

_________________

For bengal kitten to bengal kitten introductions, I wouldn't make too big a deal out of it. I'm sure it will go fine. If it were me, I'd probably introduce them right away, and see what the reaction is. If it's acceptance and they want to play, you're good to go. Safe room is still a good idea just so he knows where the litterbox and food and all that is and doesn't get overwhelmed, but having a friendly kitten playmate will help alot. If the initial introduction doesn't go well, keep them separate for the rest of the day, and try again the next day. I really don't think it will be difficult in this case. It's when longstanding adult resident cats are involved that things get tricky.

As far as integration into the house... be sure there are two sets of dishes, 2 litterboxes, 2 beds, 2 perches on the cat tree etc. When they get older you don't want them competing for "resources", that's when you can run into behavioral issues.

_________________
The little monsters 3

thank you for your help the kitten that I have now is very outgoing but she is my baby she follows me everywhere I cant do anything without her but I guess that is because she is a bengal. I was just worried about her being jealous with having to share my attention,but she is fine with our dog. I hope all goes well. We have a litter box for her and we have one for him and an extra just in case. I dont have a bed because she sleeps on the sofa or her cat tree. I will have to get another one of those and probably a bigger one that they can share. Thanks for your help I am looking forward to getting our new baby I hope all goes well!!!!

_________________

This is coming from a COMPLETE newbie (me) so please take it for what it's worth.

I wonder if it would be harmful to either kitten if you got something from your 13 week old (a blankie or something) and let the breeder have it for your new boy? He would then get familiar with his new sister's smell BEFORE he came home? (even if he got the smell-blanket just a week before?) Or vice versa: You give a blanket to your breeder for your new boy (or two blankets...one you can give to his new sister and one he can bring with him?) and then a week before they meet, she gets it around the home...

So the smell from the new sibling comes BEFORE the new sibling?

Again, I don't profess to know about this stuff...so please take it at that value.

I think the new kitten will be more accepting than the old one so the scent swapping, Ted described, may work well the other way. Can your breeder provide you with a blanket that smells like the new kitten?

I agree with Brian in that i wouldn't be too worried as kittens are very accepting. They will be so happy to have another kitten to play with. So interaction is rarely difficult at these early ages.

One thing i will say is that, please make sure your new kitten is vaccinated before introducing to your older one. It is best not to make introductions before just in case. This maybe is not so much of an issue because they came from the same breeder but it would be best to be cautious. It might be that he is already vaccinated so then there would be not much to worry about and i'm not entirely sure a full week in the safe room is necessary.

The age of rehome makes a difference to how they act. I am assuming that you had your girl before 12 weeks of age so possibly 8/9 weeks. This will explain why she is a little clingy perhaps and follows you around like a shadow. She will have missed been part of a 'group' and looked to you as her companion. The new kitten will want to do the same if he is the same sort of age. Providing the new kitten has settled and is vaccinated, i would probably try to get introductions done fairly quickly (especially seeing as they are from the same breeder, otherwise there would be a concern about cross infection but this is minimal in this case).

I would send a 2 blankets to the breeder. When you collect you kitten, bring both blankets home. The new kitten will have one as a security thing for the first day... so they feel comfortable. But give the other blanket to your old kittie so they can smell the new smells....

Your new girl may get upset if she usually sleeps in your bedroom and cannot now, so be prepared.


And.... we need pictures!

_________________
Lollo

That a really good idea the breeder does send home part of the balnket the kitten was born on and he will have his first shots wormed and microchipped before he comes home. We get to go see him in two weeks so Ill take a blanket with me and let him have it.I doubt there will be anything contagious from either cat all of her cats at the cattery are indoors and our kitten has been indoors well except for visits to the vet to get her booster shoots.Yes I did get to bring her home at a little over 10 weeks and he will be the same so maybe he will bond with me too. I know that they will bond eventually but she is a mama's girl I hope her bond with me doesnt change. But about her sleeping with me that wont be a problem because she runs around all night the only time she has slept in the bed with me was when we first brought her home after that is bengal madnesss after dark. I guess its the ALC because she is a night bug! In anyone's experience will her bond with me change when she has a kitten to play with, we have a dog and she has bonded with him and play together will it make a big difference?

_________________

_________________

I don't have pictures of Thai yet he is only a week old today I will post some of them both when I get them

_________________

I think her bond will change a little. At the moment you are her surrogate mom and so you bring her comfort. My kittens get rehomed 13/14 weeks old and are a little more independent because of the extra few weeks. So although they bond closely with their new owners, they are not clingy. I am not a fan of rehoming before 12/13 weeks and the vaccination course is complete as so much can be learned in those last few weeks. That's all i will say as i've mentioned this in lots of threads. At least yours have been given their first vaccination.

Your girl will now have a kitten almost her age to play with so will become best friends. You will probably have a special bond with her but i suspect it will change a little.

Whilst infection is probably slim it is not impossible. Cats pick up things quite easily at the vets and it is possible to tread stuff in. The same applies at the breeders the difference there is that there are more cats for whatever to spread through (so happens quicker). This is probably small possibilty but do not think cats are completely safe from things because they don't go out. And whilst your breeder is good not all are and upset tummies are very common..... point to note for other readers.

I am betting that they will become best friends fairly quickly.

I am surprised she is letting you visit so early on, most breeders prefer to wait untill at least 4 weeks. Enjoy yourself.

_________________
Lollo

He will be four weeks old when we go see him in person. we have exchanged emails and phone calls since he was born I was on the waiting list so I got the pick of the litter. She was kind enough to hold him and put us on the list without a deposit so we are going to see him before we pay for him to make sure he is what we are looking for. I know everyone has told me not to get a kitten before 12 weeks and she will hold kittens until she feels they are ready as for our girl all of her litter mates were already gone and she was the last one left. I know there is so many things that can be passed from cat especially in a cattery, but she does test all of her cats yearly and the kittens have a full health exam by her vet and mine before the purchase is final. As far as upset tummies he will stay on the food that the breeder has him on until he is a year old which is Royal Canin 36. Do you have any tips for me as far as keeping the cats quartined or anything. My girl goes tomorrow to get her last set of shots so she will be protected but my little guy Thai will only have his first one or two shots depending on how early she lets him come home like I said she will keep them up until 14 weeks if she feels they need to be with their mom and litter mates longer. I am very worried though about passing diseases such as FIP and things of that nature because neither will be protected. I am a new bengal owner the girl I have now is my first and the boy will be my second so any advice will be appreciated. Thank you!

_________________

I remember asking my breeder if I could drive down to see my boys in April (I had a week off). She said that they'd only be six weeks and that she doesn't allow visitors until after eight weeks (and they've had their vaccinations).

That really impressed me.

With regards to FIP there is little you can do to prevent it other than minimise the stress as that has been highlighted as a reason for the coronavirus mutating to FIP. A breeder can minimise the risk of kittens being positive for Coronavirus by making sure they isolate the kittens at all times, although this is not foolproof. It is thought that there is a predisposition for developing FIP and research is being done to see if there is a genetic marker as FIP can follow lines. It is quite difficult for breeders to have a coronavirus negative cattery so maintenance of good hygiene for them is a must. Good litter box hygiene is very important as Coronavirus is passed on from poo to mouth. Minimise stress... I would ask the breeder if she has had any kittens in the past suffer from FIP. Young cats and kittens are at greater risk of FIP than older. This is probably down to the increase in stressful events at this age, vaccinations, rehoming, neutering, vet trips etc....

I thought the kittens had just been born and you were visiting soon... that is why i said i was surprised so 4 weeks is ok.

I mentioned tunny problems but i was referring more to parasites/infections than tummy problems from changing food. This kind of tummy problem gets passed on in catteries/breeding cats very easily and can go round and round in circles when they keep reinfectiong each other. With regards to food. You can change the food over to another one, it is just recommended to wait 2-4 weeks for them to settle before you do start. If you want to change just do it very slowly over a couple of weeks. I would be wary of feeding an all dry food though because it increases the risk of kidney problems from chronic dehydration, cats have to drink a lot more to compensate for the food.

I have some very strong views about letting kittens go before completing their vaccination course. It is worth noting that it costs about £100 ($150 however the costs of things vary so may be different in the US) for a breeder to care for a kitten from 8 to 12 weeks and i do wonder if breeders rehoming early pass on teh price difference to the new owners. I do not breed bengals but the same principles apply to any breed. I noticed such a vast difference in my kittens at 13/14 weeks from when they were 9 weeks. It was quite noticeable, a couple of the kitten buyers who visited often noticed as well. They went to their new homes full off beans and ran out of their boxes to investigate their new homes. The socialisation aspect is very important because you cannot undo any damage. WIth regards to vaccinations, kittens rehomed before having any are at a great risk. Those rehomed after the first lot are also at risk, they are not fully covered but also reactions/allergies happen after the 2nd shot so if they are to have a reaction they will be in your home rather than the breeders. Severe reactions are rare but minor reactions are not. Kittens often get a bit of a tummy issue or cough after vaccinations and can be unwell for 24/48 hrs. That is why, in the UK, we vaccinate at 9 and 12 weeks of age and rehome at 13 so they have 1 week to get over their vaccinations.

_________________
Lollo

We do the same as far as vaccines here,but bengals are very likely to have reactions to shots so my vet gives them benadryl when they get their injections. I am really worried now about my new kitten being exposed I know they will be parasite free before we purchase them as her vet and my vet does a fecal smear before we leave and the kittens have their own room. The breeder did tell us that we can look but no touching the kittens until they are 6 weeks and have had their first shots. I am really worried about FIV though as they are not protected and my kitten is not either! My vet recommended we wait until she is 16 weeks before we do that being that in his experience bengals are so common to have mild to severe if not fatal reactions to this shot. I am worried now am I doing the right thing by bringing him home at 10 - 11 weeks. Should I wait I dont know what to do I am worried sick. But as far as FIP the breeder has never had a kitten or cat have it and she keeps in touch with everyone that she sells to (its in the contract) But i still worry I have lost a cat from FIP before and it was horrible this was many years ago but the memories are burned into my head and these are the first cats Ive had since then. All I can do is make sure I take precautions to keeping everything clean and I know the breeder her house was amazingly clean and honestly I would have never imagined she had 9 cats in there. I am very confident in her and her cattery I am just worried about something I might do by taking them to the vet or whatever the case maybe.

_________________

I do not agree that bengals are at a greater risk from vaccinations than any other breed of cat. I have heard it mentioned before but there is no research that shows this. It is assumed that it is down to the ALC but that is unproven and once bred to bengal the same rules do not apply. I believe precautions should be taken for any breed of cat not just bengals.

Do your cats need vaccinating for FIV or FELV?? If they are to be indoor only then there is very minimal risk and so little need to vaccinate.

I personally would wait untill the second vaccination has been given. That is what i recommend but you have to do what you feel is right for you. I do not mean to scare you i just want you to be aware of the other side. I do hear a lot of breeders from the US saying that they rehome at 10 weeks, it seems to be slowly changing though but breeders that have been doing it a while tend to stick to what they know and have done for years..... I can be a bit pig headed when it comes to things like this. 10 weeks is a grey area.... 8 weeks is clearly wrong but 10 weeks is much better.

_________________
Lollo

I actually dont plan to get their other shots other than the boosters they need as they will be a inside at all times no matter what. The thing with breeders is you really never know I think BB is going to be fine she came home at 10 weeks and she is a great cat and as far as the second vaccine, I am picking him up on a Thursday morning and have an appoitment at 4 that afternoon to get his second booster and dewormed. I hope everything goes well! I am so excited its hard for me to even wait 9 more weeks!!

_________________