Negativity about the Bengal breed

Eggman · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:22 pm **Posts:** 730

Hi there.

I'm a member of a few cat forums not just this one and now and again someone will put a post up about the Bengal breed in quite a negative way such as their temperament, or they don't agree with the way the cat was bred, their physical characteristics (i.e., the extra vertebrae some of them have) or they don't agree with crossing wild cats with domestic mogs etc etc.

I almost feel a little ostracised sometimes for owning a Bengal!

Anyone else come across this attitude? Just interested to hear your thoughts on it.

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Hi Debbie

I'm only a member on this forum and fortunately have not come across this attitude! The people making these comments don't seem to know much about the breed though if they are negative about their temperaments - my understanding is that they are bred to have lovely temperaments and my two are testament to that, and from what I can gather so is Dexter!

I'm sure there are many breeds that can be traced back in some way to breeding with wild cats, but Bengals and Savannahs are the most recent and as such people have opinions on it. In fact I believe the domestic cat originated from the African wild cat.

I knew nothing about the breed before we got Hendrix and Jagger, it was Jon who had researched the Bengal - but I find them extremely rewarding and loving, and incredibly special cats! Yes, they can be challenging but they are worth it!

At least you're not ostracised on here!

Eggman · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:22 pm **Posts:** 730

Thanks Clare. I like to come on here as I can boast about my Bengal without drawing unnecessary bad attention. Not that I have really had anyone comment personally in that way to my posts but there's a general 'feeling' amongst that community.

It does seem to be mainly breeders of other cats such as Ocicat and Orientals who seem to take a particular negative view.

I research the breed before I got Dexter so knew what to expect although I admit what I researched didn't really come up with too many negatives and I didn't read too much information about how they were bred apart from the obvious.

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Each to their own, I say!

When we had to take Hendrix to the emergency vet Boxing Day, the vet frightened me to death (I just remembered this). He was on reception and asked if we had a Bengal (think it was the noise Hendrix was making!) and when we said we had twin brothers, he told us we were brave and asked if they still get on. Then he started to tell us how males can go feral when you let them out and how he had to deal with a stray Bengal and despite wearing leather gauntlets, the Bengal got inside them and shredded his arm and he had to go to hospital.

Well as you can imagine I was panicking a little bit at this point! I still worry about them one day not getting on, and I was terrified about letting them out, but so far so good. In general they will come if you call them and don't really go far. And they have their own places indoors that they 'own' so have enough of their own space if needed, so fingers crossed!

So yes, people do have negative opinions (although to be fair to the vet he had been on the receiving end of a very scared Bengal!) but a lot of it is down to how they are brought up and whether they are given plenty of love and attention - as with all animals/pets.

Eggman · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:22 pm **Posts:** 730

I think any cat could do something like that and not necessarily a Bengal.

Just been on that site and they are moaning on again about Bengals. Someone responding to a thread about breeding has just said they should be banned!

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

This is the only forum I'm on. The bengal breed is what it is. Too late to go back and change any part of it. Savannahs and bengals are gorgeous kitties and I'm happy we have the breeds. Raiden's vet treats several bengals and they've been Raiden's vet since he was 12 weeks old. He does yowl in the waiting room unless there's a big dog around there. I would not know about the breed had Raiden not found my back door in 2013. I thought he was a leopard at first. Now that he belongs to me, I find the breed intriguing and I'm so happy to have such a sweet kitty cat. I think ignorance on the part of other cat lovers is the problem.

junglerose · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:51 am

Almir · **Joined:** Wed Dec 26, 2012 10:32 am **Posts:** 54

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Eggman · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:22 pm **Posts:** 730

I've just put a post on there now and a lot of them are saying they don't notice any negative comments but I've seen plenty. They are going on about the cat being prone to health problems HCM and "problematic characteristics". Any pedigree cat can have health problems including my old Burmese who are prone to diabetes but you don't see them laying into that breed the way they do the Bengal just pi**es me off!

I honestly believe that they think we own an Asian Leopard cat and their comments are totally ignorant and ridiculous. Rant over!

Lacemoat · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 6:00 pm

They just a ill informed and I'll educated, which is a shame on their behalf really so being so ignorant.

I saw a post on a facebook group other week slating Bengal breeders, how bengals are wild animals and shouldn't live in family homes....then later on they put a picture up of a 'bengal' and it was a serval on a lead :lol:

well you can imagine the flack they got lol

Eggman · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:22 pm **Posts:** 730

Ha ha that's a good one!

There was also a post on this site saying that someone was attacked by a Bengal stray that was wild.

Any cat that is a stray could possibly attack someone if approached.

Anyway I've left the site as can't be bothered battling with certain members and I'm probably being a bit over emotional myself because I own the breed.

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Agreed, any scared/stray animal will attack to defend itself if it feels threatened.

I definitely think leaving that forum is for the best if it just winding you up!

jacqueline · **Joined:** Mon May 06, 2013 5:25 am **Posts:** 334

When my hubby and I had decided to get a kitty, we had planned on a rescue. Once we saw 7 month old Diablo, it was love at first sight! We knew nothing about Bengals, but didn't care.

When we first brought him to the vet, they told us they had prepared big heavy mitts to handle him as Bengals "are known to bite and be aggressive". They could not believe how calm and quiet he was. He did not growl or hiss as a thermometer was stuck up his behind, and whatever other probing they did.

I have been owned by many kitties, but never one like Diablo. Yes, he is different, but I have never been so entertained, so in awe, or laughed so much as with him.

Eggman · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:22 pm **Posts:** 730

Love Diablo, he's beautiful.

Dexter has bonded very strongly with me. He tolerates my dh much better now but he loves me!

He reminds me a lot of my old Burmese who passed away last Boxing Day. Will never get over his loss.

That cat was the most affectionate and loving cat I have ever owned and Dexter is a comfort as he resembles my old boy so much.

Negativity about the Bengal breed

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