Kitten 1:
pros
-comes with TICA pedigree cert from the breeder
-my first ever bengal crush that made me really want one
-very pretty rosetted donut
-cattery close enough for me to drive there for a visit
-reasonable price for such a nice coat patterns compared to other breeders/importers in my country
cons
-seller doesn't want to send a video of the kitten before I actually go in person
-the cattery is very new
-over budget, about 3/4 more than the amount I initially wanted to spend (but still an amount I can consider paying)
-already almost 4 months old (I'm fine with getting older kittens but am worried abouy possible bullying issues. He should be fine with my older cats but I also have one younger 3mo house kitty at home)
at 2.5 months
latest


Kitten 2:
pros
-the black eyebrows spots on his face make an endearing expression
-I quite like his temperament (from the videos sent by the seller)
-kitten+transport+cert = less than half the price of kitten 1, cheaper than others with similar coat from more reputable breeders
cons
-not as nice a coat
-neither his parents has such eyebrows markings and the seller warned that the eyebrows could possibly fade as he grows older
-not from a professional breeder (father has a cert from Japan and mother from my country, seller claimed that a cert can be made for the kitten for an additional fees)
-kitten lives in a different city and will have to be flown in/ I have to pay the full sum beforehand without meeting the kitten.




Personally, I do not prefer catteries where kittens need to be reserved from a very young age since I can't be sure of what I'll get and that narrowed down my options. Prices can also be very prohibitive where I live (Thailand) where there are very few breeders/importers and many I see on the market are from bybs. I've had a nice experience with getting one of my cats from a byb in the past but for a much smaller sum of money and from a seller within my own city. This would be my first time dealing with the seller mentioned above if I were to go with kitten 2.
Due to monetary reasons, I'm leaning towards kitten 2 but still feel like I might regret the decision of settling for kitten 2 instead of kitten 1 one due to the constraint.

Advices please?

I'd go for option one purely because you don't have to fly the cat in which would be stressful and don't have the opportunity to meet the kitten beforehand.

If it was me I would also want to buy from a reputable breeder. Buying a cheaper cat may be tempting but if you end up with a kitten with health problems that could cost you a lot more in the long run.

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Oscar and Jasper (or one ear and two ears as dh calls them) black rescue mogges

RIP my sweet baby Dexter, Snow Bengal 19/5/14 to 5/3/15 and my lovely dear old friend Muskey, Brown Burmese put to rest aged 15 on 14/11/15.

Debbie

Both kitties are gorgeous, but I think #1 is the best choice for you. Flying is stressful for a kitty! They do recover, but it can take a while. However, YOU are the one who will care and love the kitty. It's really what cat you truly want to spend the next 1-1/2 decades with.

It's tough to advise, because knowing what I know now, I really wouldn't be using any of the criteria that you are using to select this kitten, nor most of the pieces of information that you have supplied. To me the important things are that the kitten is well raised and bred, and that the kitten is healthy and well-socialized, and ideally shows indications of having a good rapport with me. So indications that might give clues about those things are what I'd be looking for, more so than minute aesthetic details or whether or not the kitten will have to spend a few hours on a plane. To me those are relatively unimportant. I guess the one piece of information that you supplied that would be relevant to me is that one was bred by a professional breeder and the other by an amateur, so that would definitely weigh on my decision. Especially if we could discern details about how and in what kind of environment each cat was raised.

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The little monsters 3

You know, we took the above advice. We went to the breeders, and looked at all the kittens. Pixel was playing the most out of all of them, she was the most energetic and curious. Then we brought her home and she turned into a basket case and hid and cried. Now she's warmed up to us, but is SO quirky, even if something is out of place, her mood could flip any second and she looks at you like you're the worst person on earth, for no reason.

From that, I learned that the separation experience must be one incredibly awful feeling, and also led me to believe that how a kitty acts at a cattery isn't necessarily how they will be when they get home.

I think in your heart you prefer option one so go with that. Re older kitten my girl was 4 and a bit months and she perhaps wasn't overly confident when she came home but she soon settled and I never had any problems with my older moggie and her getting on. Nor did I have any problems with the dog getting used to her and her getting used to the dog so I pull say don't let that put you off.

I also wouldn't worry about your younger kitten. If you get the first option, the two are only a month apart. They will likely become great friends!

*UPDATE*

I went to visit kitten 1 today and I think that was the right decision. Even though it's my first visit, he let me pet him, scratch his belly and did not struggle at all when the owner's young daughter placed him in my arms (though he's talkative when carried). He's curious about this new stranger, but calmer and more affectionate than his other mates. Even though there were other half a dozen bengals around his age there, he was the one that clicked with me the most.

However, there's also a two weeks old kitten that caught my eyes. They have around 10 very young kitties (from 3 different litters) open for reservations and I'm now in a dilemma. Should I wait for the little ones to grow a bit more so that I have more options to choose from? There's only one other bengal that is around kitten 1's age and still available, which I'm not interested in. But again, I can't really tell the young kitten's personality from such a young age. Getting both also isn't an option.

I'm going to think things through for at least a week before I decide whether to take the plunge. The bengal smell wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but my mother who accompanied me for the visit found it unbearable and highly object to me getting one. I've never considered this before, since the cat will be living with me in my house (which is right beside my mom's+we share the garden) and not hers. However, I really don't want this to become an issue with my headstrong mother.

Experienced owners, what are your thoughts on this? I'm completely new here so any advice is welcomed.

Being indecisive is not easy! Personally, I'd go with the first kitty! But that's just me. You've been given a lot of advice in this topic. I don't know what you mean about a bengal "smell." They don't have a smell! The cattery may have an odor simply due to the number of cats there -- it's difficult to control the smell there. You've held this kitty. It should be ready to come home with you soon. You can sit and wonder and wonder and then once you've made the decision, your choice of kitty is gone!

As for you mom, I'm sure she will get used to your having a kitty. You may have to keep it out of the garden. This is your kitty and your decision. Go with your heart.

There is no Bengal smell. They are very clean. The only smell associated with one or any cat is the litter box and that is up to the owner to keep clean and odor free. I scoop after my cats use the box and use a Litter Genie. It is a great invention that traps the solid waste into a plastic container lined with a strong plastic bag. Once it is full, you remove the plastic liner and put it into the trash. The Litter Genie keeps the odor trapped and the room doesn't smell.

I love the Litter Genie. It is so easy and simple and a refill lasts me at least two months (Raiden does a lot of his business out on our walks). It absolutely takes the odor away. The only problem is when you need to throw the bag away -- and you see just how much crap your cat has done in the past two weeks. Note, the refill is a huge long tube and you cut it and knot the end to use as a 'bag." When the bag inside the genie is full, you cut it on the cutting blade, pull more of the refill down and knot the end and do it all over again. I don't want to confuse anyone who is not familiar with this incredible product!

*FINAL UPDATE*


New cat!
Thank you everyone for the help. I'm glad I decided to visit him in person before I made the decision
My mother seems angry but she's on trip right now and would hopefully have calmed down by the time she is back. My bro really loves him though
Btw, it's actually my younger cat that is bullying him

What a beautiful baby. Congratulations. Make sure your other kitty stops the bullying or your will have a behavioral problem with the new kitty! They should have been separated for two weeks and swap scents before you actually put them together to meet! It's just one of those things that most people do not do. And then they start to have issues. Try to engage both kitties in play in the same room. Enlist your brother's help with one of them.