Hi halfpinay515!

I think it great that you are taking so much time to make the right decision. The two Bengals that we rehomed with us were an ex- breeding queen/ tom who reportedly just didn't "take" to breeding but did bond with each other. They had spent 6 months or so in another home after leaving the breeder before arriving with us. I tracked down the breeder who has been fab about sharing info (and was understandably initially concerned that they had been rehomed without her knowledge) so I now have as full a history as I can about them both.
Although I had had (many) moggies for 30 yrs (all from kittens) these cats have been like no other cat I have ever had living with me. They are smarter, faster and more athletic for a start! That said they have blossomed into the most fabulous companions as they settled in and adjusted to the change.
We decided after talking with the breeder that we would not let them be outdoor cats unlike all our previous cats so built the enclosure. We have to juggle the needs of our resident 12 year old cat who does go out but have managed to do so without too much disruption but we are a cat orientated household so their needs dominate.
Having seen the positive changes in them since they arrived has been the most rewarding experiences ever and Malcolm in particular has become the most affectionate and human orientated cat ever.. his "wife" is a little more self contained but comes running for a fuss when she hears Malcolm being fussed over!
Which ever option (adult/ kitten) you go for I am sure it will be great but wanted to share my positive experience of having ex breeding cats coming into our household...

@tannyf & piggle13, thanks so much again for sharing your experiences.. we appreciate your advice and words of encouragement! We have yet to find any available retired queens, but we are still looking and asking around. We plan to revisit the litter of bengal kittens that we met when I first posted this thread. Now that I've spent a ton of time doing research and hearing from you on the forum, I have a lot more questions for the breeder and things I want to observe about her cats and their environment.

Now let me just say, I am wary of making an emotional decision based on the INCREDIBLE CUTENESS of these kittens. I admit, I want to give in when my bf turns to me with those pleading eyes whispering, "I want this one." (He's already madly in love with one of the baby girls who fell asleep in the crook of his arm while we were visiting last time.) Love at first sight is one thing, but a few months of research, planning, and seeking/meeting different cats and breeders could save us years of frustration and heartache caused by choosing the wrong cat for our home. Although I can still entertain the possibility of taking in a kitten, logic tells me to keep searching for a full-grown cat... but we'll see if logic can vanquish my boyfriend's puppy dog face!!

I have recently taken to looking at youtube videos of bengals doing bengal things... they remind me SO much of my dogs growing up! Very chatty, interactive, playful, and energetic! I've begun looking into things like exercise wheels (might be worthwhile depending on the energy level of the cat we end up with), effectively "bengal-proofing" our home (I've already cleared some shelves of breakables and plan to get those little plastic safety stoppers for cabinets), and seeking out reliable online cat resources (books, blogs, etc). We've also forayed into research on food (raw vs canned vs dry.. but that's another discussion for another thread! ... if you're curious where we're leaning, it's towards a mix of pre-packaged frozen raw and high-quality low-carb canned, but like I said, that's a whole different topic that will require a lot more exploration).

I will try and check back here every once in a while to update you on where we are in the decision-making process. More feedback is welcome!!! Thanks again to all :)

One thing I wanted to add is that if you start off with a kitten giving it A LOT of attention in terms of concentrated play sessions, training, walking etc. you will have an adult cat later on that requires the same amount of input. There is a fine line between stemming boredom and over stimulation. There are so many adult bengals than run into behavioural problems as a result of boredom or attention seeking behavior. Not all bengals require as much playing find attention as indicated on the forum. Yes they are intelligent cats that are, generally (Max being an exception ), athletic. But they do not always need 100%attention on a 1 to 1 basis.

When you go to visit the breeder tell the. In advance that you won't make a decision on the day as you want it to be made without influences of cute kittens so you can be more objective. Not sure how old the kittens are but don't take a carrier with you if they are old enough to leave with you. That means you have to go away and go back another time.

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Lollo

I'd say go for it.
The main thing is routine and it sounds like you care enough to spend the time you have available in a quality way, so your cat will be happy.
I think getting an adult cat is a bad idea because that routine needs to be there form a young age and it is more likely to make a cat unhappy who is used to a different routine.

As for the breeder slating, that's nonsense. Nobody knows the cats better than a breeder. Sure there are a few rogue ones out there but you can't assume a breeder is just after your money because they said it would be ok. Perhaps that was their actual opinion!
The breeder of my cat said a very similar thing and you know what? She was right!

Sure your cat will miss you, but it makes coming home all that more exciting for them (and you too).
The only thing I would say is try not to break the routine and things will be fine.

I work in excess of 9-10 hours per day and sometimes have to work away on trips for several days or a week or so. I always get somebody to cat sit and have a very happy Bengal. Sure she will be more excitable if you have been away for a couple of days but its part of the fun of living with such a special cat. Because you will also miss them and want to play when you get back.
They will probably sleep for most of the day but make sure they have plenty toys and cat trees for when they are not sleeping. And also access to clean water at all times.

The most important thing is how you spend time with your cat when you are there.

I also have a cleaning lady who comes in twice a week for a couple of hours and this helps, but this was after benji was at least 6 months old (ie the time of crazy spells).
If you have any reservations get two.
Nothing better to keep a Bengal company than another Bengal!!

Sorry I forgot to add one more thing.

Right enough you may have to come home for whatever reason (say a cat accident or illness) but I see this as no different to having kids or any other home emergency you may have to take time off work for.

But you are doing the research and asking the right questions and could do worse than visiting this forum, lots of good advice on here.

Thanks to this forum and some other Bengal websites out there (can't remember the all now - try gayzette for example) I was armed with loads of advice and information before I had even picked my little munchkin.

@gmcraib, thank you for the advice and the encouragement. :)

Thought I might give a little update-- After a lot of thought and research and conversations with other owners and breeders, we've decided to go with a kitten. We picked up little Sophie a few weeks ago (she was 13 weeks and litter trained) and she has adjusted perfectly well! I worked from home for her first week with us, and that seems to have really helped with the bonding and adjusting process. So far she is a very well-behaved, happy little girl (well, she does get a bit overexcited and has trouble discerning between prey and our appendages, but we are working on that!)

She has toys, posts, and trees GALORE, with many more to come from Santa if she's a good girl ;) She is ECSTATIC when we come home and we spend hours playing with her after dinner. She also gets play time in the morning before work (unless we lose time from cleaning litter tracks on the days she jumps in the shower then hops in her box, just for fun.) She talks nonstop, she has boundless energy, and she's just too darn smart for her own good. But she's our little snuggle muffin and we love her to death. :) :)

Thank you all again for the advice. We did it, we're bengal parents! Can't wait to see what the first year brings.

It's all downhill from here, you will have your work cut out!!

She's beautiful.