Hi! I am new to the forum and I am looking to get a bengal kitten in January. I've done hours upon hours of research, reached out probably every breeder in SoCal, and wanted to know if anyone had thoughts. I've searched through this forum and found some information - but most of the posts have been a few years old. For example, everyone's favorite Amantra are on a breeding break :(

I've reached out to Leap of Faith but she seems hesitant to let me make a deposit. I'm not sure exactly how to move forward with her. If anyone could comment on their experience with them, that would be great! They are my favorite as of right now, but she's about to take a breeding break as well and i have no idea if I'll be able to get a kitten with her.

Here are a few others I am considering...

San Diego/Black Mtn Bengals
Urban Exotic Bengals
KoppieKatz
Bishop Bengals (she is a little far away from me though)
Kumbas Pride (she's also on a breeding break but I can wait!)

I'm really not concerned about markings/coat/color - but I want a healthy, socialized kitten. I plan on only getting one as I work from home and can take him/her on walks and play with them during the day. Temperament + health are my top priority! So, if anyone has worked with one of these breeders (or another in SoCal that I'm missing) I'd love to hear from you!!

I have bengals from all these breeders in my database. Probably the most from Koppiekatz. They have been breeding a very long time. If you have the time and energy, ask to visit the catteries. Even if they do not have any kittens available, see if they would allow you to simply visit and discuss things with them so you can decide. You also want to work with a breeder you are comfortable with. You will have a lot of contact with them for several months. BishopsBengals is also good and Koppiekatz has gotten several breeding cats from Bishops. Also, you can just surf the web to find reviews on these breeders. I don't have any red flags on any of them.

Thank you so much, Sherry! I've read some of your posts and you seem to know a ton about the breed so I feel a lot better about the breeders I've researched. Really appreciate your response!

I took a trip to San Diego and stopped by Euniques cattery but didn't pull the trigger. I simply hadn't done enough research and I'm way more informed now. I'm hoping to go to Bakersfield so I can meet Leap of Faith and Koppiekatz. Bishop Bengals might be too far north for us (it's a five hour drive) but who knows.

Out of all the breeders I've talked to, everybody wants a deposit from me right NOW except for Leap of Faith. She's playing hard to get! But I'm hesitant to put a deposit down when it seems like there are a ton of options. The pricing is all over the place, too. I've seen some for $3,000 and some for $800. It's wild.

That's great advice to work with a breeder you LIKE - I hadn't really considered that and now it seems so obvious. Based on that advice I *think* I've narrowed it down. I appreciate it!

If anyone else has gotten their bengal from a breeder from SoCal and had a good/bad experience, I'd love to hear about it!

LeapOfFaith is also good. Every breeder is different. Any time a red flags go up about anything -- in email communication, in person meetings, etc, move on!!! Most of these breeders do screen for HCM, etc. Unfortunately, prices are all over the place. I know many breeders do not take less than 1,800 for a pet quality cat. Price depends on a lot of things. The champion or Supreme Grand Champions in the pedigree. How long their waiting list is for cats and how often they breed their queens for kittens. I do know, for example, that TrueBengals has a overflow of kittens they are trying to get rid of at the moment ... and the price has been lowered. No breeder wants the kittens hanging around for six months, but then, you never get the pick of the litter.

I have only two cats in my DB with Euniques in either the prefix or suffix, so they are not a prominent breeder. In fact, I hadn't really heard of them until your post. You can probably talk with Koppiekatz about BishopsBengals, however, I'm sure you would find the perfect kitty before having to make a five-hour trip. If you do find the right breeder, be patient. They don't produce a litter at will. All queens require a resting period before having another litter. And almost ALL breeders requires small deposit to be put on a waiting list. They do this to ensure that you are serious about getting a bengal from them. It's not for the money. No breeder wants a list of 10 people for five kittens and then find out all 10 balk at having to finally pay for the kitten. A non-refundable deposit is very common, but usually, t's only a couple hundred dollars to reserve a kitten from an upcoming litter. And if you don't find one from that litter you want, they will usually carry your deposit over to the next litter. For example, you want a snow and there is not a snow in that litter.

Know, too, that a higher cost bengal should include first vaccinations and spay or neuter. A great breeder will take care of this so you don't have to!

Sherry! You are my new favorite person!

Ah...that's really good to know. I'm really leaning towards San Diego Black Mountain/Leap of Faith/Koppiekatz (but can't get in contact with them)/ and Bishop. Urban Exotics prices are too high and I don't recognize any of the cats (gotta love the Internet!). Bishop's prices are also really high, and the queens and studs she uses are from other programs who don't charge nearly as much as she does, so that's a bit confusing. The only place i have seen that spays/neuters are Koppiekatz but I can't get a hold of them. I seriously feel like I am hunting these poor breeders down.

Do you know at what week you typically reserve a kitten? I know some of these breeders are asking for a deposit NOW, but my favorite won't take one from me because she likes to find a good fit. I totally admire that, but I'm also like PLEASE GIVE ME A KITTEN and waiting on pins and needles. I don't want to scare her off so I'm trying to play it cool and get a sense of when I should be pressing to come visit/send her a deposit.

Also another weird thing I noticed - the only other place that was SUPER inexpensive was Designer Spots Cattery. $800. At this point it's raising eyebrows for me since everybody else is charging at least $1200. But my issue is I don't care THAT much about markings and coat. Like I won't pay extra to have a snow or silver bengal - I just want a healthy, socialized kitten! Perhaps the two come hand in hand? As in the kittens who are well adjusted and healthy also seem to have good markings thanks to informed breeders? So I'm a bit torn on what my price point should be if I'm really not into appearances as much.

I'm also planning on just getting ONE so socialization is so important. I'll be around consistently, but I think it helps.

Thank you so much for all of this information!! And if you have a preference you can direct message me if you'd like! I'm so new at this so I'm trying to learn as much as possible. THANK YOU!

Things to ask/look for in a perspective breeder:

* HCM scanning
* Medical records
* Health guarantee
* Offer to spay/neuter prior to rehoming
* Rehoming at 12+ weeks
* Breeders who are a bit "tough" about who they sell to (asking you a lot of questions about you and your environment)
* Them being up-front about providing you "papers"

Also, give some thought to getting two. It will make things a lot easier for you in the long run.

_________________
The little monsters 3

Thank you so much for the tips! I promise I will consider two. It's more an affordability thing than anything else. But who knows - maybe when I see two together I'll be forced to come up with the money! :)

_________________
The little monsters 3

Another thing, here is what one breeder will also provide. Note that her kitties are quite expensive, but their dad is a Quadruple Grand Champion:

**These prices include: two sets of vaccinations, vet checks, and health records, TICA registration, spay/neuter, microchipping, and a fully loaded kitten care package to take home (See "Home" page for a photo of all items included):

6 weeks of free pet insurance from PetSecure
Cat scratching post by Peace of Mind Pet Products (With an angled 27” long 2x4 post. Base – 16”x16”. Post – 2”x4”x27” tall and includes a toy).
Custom made kitten walking harness
Fleece kitten blanket with litter and mother's scent on it
Assorted kitten toys (springs, mice, etc - all the things they have been used to playing with since birth)
40lb bag of pine litter pellets (* please research the dangers of various other forms of kitten and cat litter - especially the clumping variety: http://www.petsgonatural.com/natural-ca ... at-litter/)
Litter box
​* I will also supply some freshly made raw food for you to take home for the transition period, along with my recipe should you choose to continue feeding raw.
Various coupons
Health guarantee against viral disease congenital defects.

Now, not all breeders provide something like this .... but it is always nice when they do, especially the health guarantee and pet insurance.

Two cats from the same litter is always nice and it shouldn't matter what the sex of each kitten is. They are bonded and used to each other and should grow up being best of friends. I've seen loving pictures of male/male, female/female, male/female. It always depends on the personality of the kittens.

I'm not sure how all breeders do it. JewelsPride takes deposits on upcoming litters. Once the litter is born, she posts pictures -- LOTS of pictures. They get names like "red collar," "blue collar," "green collar," "yellow collar." You can chose your kitten at that time. Or you can wait ... however, in her next update (and she posts updates, pictures, videos weekly), she will post "reserved for Stephanie." And that means the cat is spoken for. Depending on the size of the litter (her queens have 7 to 9), there may be kitties left over.

She does not allow visits for the cats until they are several weeks old. She socializes her kitties by handling them, getting them around other people (her kids and volunteers who help her out), they have dogs. The kittens go outside in a safe enclosure to romp around. Every breeder is different.

My main worry is that once you decide on a kitten, you may start questioning that decision. You need to just dig in and decide. Yes, many breeders charge a deposit to just get on a waiting list. However, if you wanted a snow, for example, and none were in that litter, your deposit would go over to the next litter. Know that the breeders you have mentioned produce magnificent kittens. So the quality will be there. You may want to go with a smaller cattery who does socialize the kittens as I think that is the most important thing. Unfortunately, JewelsPride is in Canada!