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Shantra

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Shantra

Welcome to the forum
All good advice so far, carry on reading & researching & find a breeder local to you who would be happy to let you & your partner come for a visit. Spend a couple of hours around the cats there & see if that triggers off any reaction. Different people are allergic to different things but it is thought that the majority who are allergic to cats are actually allergic to the saliva in the coat from the cat washing itself, rather than the fur.

Once you've spent a length of time around them you will know if this triggers the allergies or not. Most breeders will be happy for you to just come for a visit without the intention of buying a kitten, just to see if Bengals are right for you & for you to get to see them in their home environment & get to know a little more about them.

Thank you all for your replies and advice.

In regards to travel: Currently I drive home 4-5 times a year. I take my GSD with me and would like to also bring the cat along as well. Granted I won't be traveling as much when I graduate, I would like it if the cat would ride decently in the car.

In regards to the Characteristics of the Bengal breed: I understand that not all bengals will have all the traits of the breed. I would not require that of my cat. There are some things that I would prefer however. I know many cats that spend a large percentage of their time "hiding." This isn't actually hiding from me, but more so, off in the closet, not with his/her people. I would want my cat to want to spend time with me. He wouldn't need to be a lap cat, but I would like to see his mug more often than just meal time.

Loving water: cool but not required
Walking on a harness: totally cool, but again not a deal breaker
Cuddly: pretty important
outgoing: pretty important
Dog Savvy: Important


Something else that worries me about this breed is regarding the number of bengals in shelters that are either front or both de-clawed. This is not something i believe in. I know feline anatomy enough to know how cruel this is. So please tell me that Bengals can live in a house, with their claws, without shredding everything. All the cats I have had were great about leaving furniture alone, granted they were given their outlets for sharpening those pointy claws.

Lastly....the dealbreaker....whether or not a Bengal will kill my BF: Since he is allergic to so much, I plan on obtaining a small sample of fur from a breeder here in my area and exposing him to the fur without his knowledge. That way, we have a better idea of how reasonable this breed is for us without going into a breeders house and falling in love with a fluff ball of allergens!

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Naomi - Mum to Leo & Zena XxX

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If your Boyfriend is allergic to cats, then he'll be allergic to Bengals no question. My OH is allegic to cats, and we thought that bengals would be ok but I have to say she still suffers a fair bit. She takes tablets and inhalers every day before seeing the cats and in the main it's controlled I think, but there are times when she's sneezing and got streaming eyes and it's obviously because of the cats. So if he finds that a problem, a bengal won't be any different I'm afraid...

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Tara, Jasper and Keeta

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Hugo, Rufus, Inca and Marley