Hello everyone

We are new to the forum, and new to the world of being owned by Bengals! Loving every minute so far. We've got two boys - a snow named Oscar, and a Brown named Monty. We've had them for a week so far, and they are generally settled in and causing havoc They were born on 22nd July, so they are 16 weeks old today. I'll put up some photos and a proper introduction in the appropriate board area later. However for now, I was hoping to get a little help and advice regarding teaching them their names and training them.

They both seem to be bonding well with both of us, will come running up to us when we come in to the house from being out somewhere, or anytime they want to be fed . They will happily come and sit on laps for cuddles / to sleep and will often purr loudly when they get stoked or played with (which is most of the time). I am struggling, however, to get them to respond to their names and wanted to know if there is something else I should be doing, or whether it really is too soon yet for them to respond. We softly, and clearly repeat their name (and only their name) to each of them whilst being stroked, or getting a small treat, saying the name 3-4 times each time we do it. We've never used their names anything other than in happy and gentle tones. So far, they ignore their names when called - is it just too soon?
I can make them come if I mimick one of their noises - Monty was from the off the more intrepid of the two and was out exploring the house within 12 hours of being home, however he would make a sort of trilling noise like a bird to encourage his brother to come out of hiding - I find if I mimick the trilling noise they will both coming running up to me.

The other question is around how to train them - I would like to train them to stay off the dining room table etc, and have tried making a hissing noise (without staring at them directly) when they get on the table. Oscar seems to get the message and leaps off, however the hissing noise seems to make no difference to Monty whatsoever - he will keep going for whatever it was he wanted to do (trying to climb in the dishwasher, up my trousers, on the tables, through the washing machine window etc etc). It's very early days, and we are of course getting used to being bengal slaves, so neither of us are overly worried, but is there anything else we should be doing or trying with Monty to give him the message that he shouldn't do something? they are both so well tempered and natured & there is a lot of mutual love going around and we don't want to upset him, but we want to get the boudaries established firmly and fairly now.

Sorry for the long winded note, hopefully some of you can stay the course to read it though!

Hi and welcome to the forum. Can't wait to see pics....

My two kittens are a similar age (born on 13 July) and they have been with me since they were 9 weeks old. They have only just (in the past week or so) been responding to their names. I thought it may have taken longer as there are 2 of them and so they may have been a little confused!!

Regarding training them, I am not sure on this one! My two also keep getting on the kitchen table and I say no and remove them but they go on again and again and again.........hope somebody on here with more experience may have some tips that I can pinch for this!

Lisa
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For teaching them names, it's just a matter of repetition and context. You're doing the right things, only I've usually used their names more broadly. When greeting them, calling them to me, giving them treats, picking them up, playing with them, petting them etc. As long as they know that the target of my action is them in particular, then using their name reinforces it. But it will take some time. Part of the problem of course is that a cat may know his name, but getting him to respond to it is another matter But if you keep at it, it won't be long.

I don't think you'll have any luck teaching your cats not to go on the surfaces you don't want them to. That's a really tough battle. I think the next best thing is that within a certain area of your house, you can make "appropriate" surfaces so desirable to them that they are likely to choose those 90% of the time, over the ones you don't want them to walk on. Cats like high surfaces, alternately secluded and in the middle of the action (depending on their desire at that particular time). Soft, warm things to lie on. And if there are multiple cats, places that are "easily defended". Obviously places where there is a possibility of nabbing delectable food is also a big bonus.

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The little monsters 3

Welcome to the forum.

Cats seem to jump up on things they know they are not supposed to. Mine likes to sleep on the dining room table, so I put a blanket up there for him. It doesn't bother me. He has the run of the house.

Sherry - I have to say the fact that they go on the table doesn't bother me but it does if we are sat there eating at the time! Especially if they've just come out of their litter tray lol

Lisa
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Benji is the only cat that I have failed miserably to stop jumping on my kitchen worktop, and believe me, I have tried! I now just wipe it all down when I prepare anything as I KNOW he has been up there.


Heather

Hi all

Thanks for the replies. Brian - we will keep at it, have taken your advice and are both now using their names much more broadly, so hopefully in a few weeks we will start to see some recognition.

LisaLisa - The jumping on the table when we are there is exactly our problem at the moment. We've tried to syncronise mealtimes to avoid issues - so the two little maniacs are busy eating before we sit at the table, however as soon as we come out with food and sit at the table they are all over us, and *almost* impossible to stop getting up. If we get the timing wrong (like last night) then they have finished eating, and have visited the litter tray just as we sit down, which is not a great place to be!!!

Sherry - I'm beggining to think you must be right. They seem to show less interest in the kitchen surfaces which ironically I would be less worried about as there is nothing they could really hurt themselve on, other than the plug for the microwave, and we always wash it down before and after we use it, its mainly the dining table, regardless of whether we are using it or not. Tbh we are not worried about cleaning off the table before we eat or use it at all - it's just the 'assault' that happens as soon as we sit at the table!

So true! Have you found any treats that work better than others? Ours seem to go mad for roasted chicken - I only ever given them pea sized bits at a time, the only trouble being that they go too crazy for it to be used as an effective training treat at this stage

My two won't touch treats AT ALL. I have brought a box full in today to give to a colleague who has a cat as my two hate them. I have tried dry treats, squashy treats, gooey treats, cheap treats, expensive treats........they will not touch them.

They love chicken, fish, etc but get that every day so they probably wouldn't see it as a treat.

I have even tried cream cheese, normal cheese, a bit of ham, or a tiny bit of clotted cream for after they have their medication but they walk off.

On Sunday, we were having leg of lamb. Before I cooked it, I cut off two tiny pieces of raw lamb to test them to see if they would like it. Well, they loved it - playing with it that is. They put it in their mouths, threw it around the floor, growled if the other one came near (even though they had a bit each) but I ended up binning it as they didn't eat it.

I just guess they are very fussy

Lisa
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