Thanks For Sharing A great post with us. You will need to have an area in the house that is very quiet for her to have her kittens behavior. Some breeders have them born in their bedroom so they can keep an eye on them at all times.

Hi all! It's great to find a forum with so many Bengal enthusiasts!

I have a beautiful 3 year old Bengal named Samson.



About a month ago Samson developed struvite crystals in his bladder (which I was able to detect from experience from having other cats have the issue) and had him quickly diagnosed and treated for. He had to go through surgery and is now on a special cat food to remedy the development of any crystals. Soon we will be able to start mixing his food back in and get him back on his regular diet.

My issue is this: He naturally associated the litter box with pain after this issue. I have bought special retraining litter, religiously kept the cat boxes clean and bought a kitty water fountain to encourage more frequent water drinking. After bringing Samson home from the vet, we did the necessary monitoring to clear him of any further issues. I noticed Samson would jump on my lap and pee. I'm conscious of the fact that he was having litter box association issues and was looking for a more comforting location so I did not get mad at him and only positively encouraged him when he did go in the litter box, while making sure to immediately clean the spots he was not suppose to urinate.

For a while I had him wear a calming collar as he seemed to be exhibiting unusual stressed behavior from being anxious due to the whole surgery/vet/pain process, but he still "marks" sometimes. I've noticed it is mainly on the bed, the favorite blanket we use together, or on myself. I've had to close him out of the bedroom since he will automatically pee there. I know this causes him stress and it makes me sad as I miss having him sleep between my feet. I somehow feel that since his bladder infection, he feels the need to "mark" whats his due to insecurity and when around my other cat that he dislikes. (I have 5 cats, but he does not get along with only one of them. Bullying and chasing her.)

Any suggestions on how I can reintegrate him into the bedroom and prevent the marking on the bed and favorite blanket? I feel like I've tried every solution, but it's like one step forward and two steps back. He's such a wonderful cat and I completely adore him despite his issues, I'm just trying to fix what seems to have broken since the bladder infection. He never did this before.

It sounds as if stress for Samson is the main factor and fear of litter box and painful peeing! Bless the little fella! When you say he is marking, do you mean a full pee or spraying as this could change the actions you need to take. Do you have a litterbox in your bedroom? I know it's not ideal but if he is stressed at the moment it might help him to have an appropriate place to go. I would also get some new litter trays to add to the old ones that look and smell different to ease the association factor with his litter trays he used when he was having pain. Have you tried Feliway plug ins and spray? Also another poster a while ago whose cat peed on the bed suggested making the bed immediately so bed was smooth and not having any fluffy throws etc that they can ruck up and kind of dig in! Also Brianj posted something a few weeks ago if I remember rightly titled " why does my cat pee on my bed" In this instance I think you are right not to banish Samson from the bedroom as the separation from you could make him worse if its stress. I think this will take time and love and a huge amount of patience which it sounds like you have in buckets. It's not many people who would be understanding if a cat peed on their lap. You obviously love Samson dearly. Good luck to you and Samson

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Hi Melissa and thank you for your reply!

I'm not 100% sure if it is peeing or marking. I don't think it is just peeing, as he only does it now in certain spots or situations. My assumption is that it is almost a marking thing. Maybe it's nerves? I know when I first brought him home from the vet, it might have been a control thing, since you couldn't pick him up without him "leaking" on you. But now that he has that under control, it seems to be only in certain settings or situations.

I will try your litter box suggestions though as I am willing to try anything. We did try a calming collar, which is another brand of Feliway.

I've been reading many posts today about the different behaviors and do believe I read the one by Brian. I did find it very interesting and also read the one talking about making the bed immediately. I will try this as well.

Poor guy, I know it's been difficult for him. He was always so good about the litter box before this and never marked before, so I do feel this is somehow related to what he went through. Thanks again for your reply. I appreciate the feedback. :)

Just a thought but i would repost your problem with samson in behaviour section under a similar title but a whole new post. I bet lots of people don't realise you are a new post and probably just think it's someone commenting on an old post! Think you will get lots of other advice if you do a new topic. Hope its going ok x

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Hi all.

New to this site.

Rehomed my Bengal almost a year ago, first couple months he was urinating/spraying outside his litter but soon stopped after he settled in!

Few months ago it started again, not sure what triggered it. Whether it was the fact that I took a week off work so was with him all day and everyday. Then I went away for a few days with work so he didn't see me at all.

There was also a stray or local cat coming around our backyard so this could be annoying him!

He's sprayed/pee'd in most corners of the conservatory, windowsil in the kitchen and by our French doors(all look out the back of the house).

I put his food in one corner of the conservatory and his bed in another.

Hasn't pee'd by his food but will move the bed and pee in that corner.

We've bought roller blinds for the conservatory and kitchen window, granted only two days ago but first night nothing. We thought great stuff, now this morning he's pee'd all up one of them.

Vets have suggest stuff to us which haven't worked ( calmex and defuser) they've also had an urine sample which was a little high in protein but not to concerning!

He's also been neuter at a young age.

To my knowledge, previous owner didn't have an issue with the behaviour.

I'm running out of ideas and could really do with some help please as I want my boy to be happy.

Thanks in advance.

Kind regards

I believe you reposted in another topic.

Hello Bengal owners,
I have been reading your forum for a while already but never posted, as i always found some really good advices here. I am a very happy owner of 2 bengal cats, sister and brother. The boy, Leo has been already neutered with just over 3 months and my baby girl has not been yet neutered as the breeder told me to wait until she is just over 6 months. But, the day she became 6 months she entered for the first time in heat. It is like hell came over. Really really hard meowing or calling and of course, her appetite dropped and the only thing she does is holding her ass in the air to her brother or to us and she is aleays tolling on the floor. But with this also an incident happened. I normally do not bring them in the bedroom as they tend to hang and play around the cortain so they come every day a bit but not too much. So one evening i brought them both up as they seemed to be sleepy and i said while i am watching tv i can have them with me. But as soon as i arrived Minnie came on bed and she peed. You can imagine my shock as she was never peeing outside of her box and their boxes are always clean. So , i have a very good enzyme cleaner and i immediately cleaned it and dry it so they do not feel the smell anymore. But another thing i have been noticing i saw sometimes she was wet on her back paws and i smelled it and it seemed to be pee. So i am imagining that somehow she is marking in the house. Monday i will have her neutered, but my question is will she stop doing that?? And second question is how can i really know where she marked since i have a lot of carpets and she could have touched a lot of places even my sofa with her soiled paws with peepee. Please i could use some advice. Thank you in advance. Love to all , Andra

Hi Andra. Welcome to our great forum! I'm sorry you are having this issue, however, your female should have been spayed much earlier. I know many vets do not believe in early spaying, but it's much easier on the cat and humans. Many breeders spray the females before they go to a new home at 12 weeks. Once a female goes into heat -- all bets are off. So, if she has not gone in for her spay, get her in ASAP.

As for the marking ... many cat owners think only males spray. Not true! I'm thinking your female is probably spraying and not peeing. Unless you have seen her doing this. Squatting is peeing, standing with her tail up in the air is marking.

Unfortunately, there could be a couple of things going on. She could have a urinary tract infection, which your vet should check for. The other thing is that her behavior may or may not stop after she is spayed! I have a friend with a spayed female who has continued to mark for years.

Purchase a "black light." Shine it like a flashlight and it will show any areas where the phosphorous in the urine is present. You can purchase one at your local pet store or online through Amazon, Chewy, etc.

I am so sorry you're going through this. It probably would have been avoided has your female not been allowed to experience her first heat.

Hi Sherry,
Thank you for answering me back. The thing is that i live in spain and here the vets are more precocious before making a major surgery as spaying a female cat. I insisted to my breeder that she takes care of my boy at 3 months just before having him so i did not have to go through this. But i live in a different city than my breeder so the vet here said to me that my female cat is a very small cat to have this surgery so early. So i only insisted when she came into heat, this was at exactly 6 months. But before thus i know many cets here do not want to do it. So she was just sterilized on Monday morning and since then my life seems to be a hell. She is normally a very active cat and she likes to play with her brother for hours. Well when we came back from the vet she was just hissing on him so he rejected her after like he doesn't recognize her anymore. Of course this is also because of her e-collar which she gad to wear from day 1. Of course she tried to pull it of many times and she actually managed to do it and like second day post-op she pulled half stitch out. I got super scared got her another bigger e-collar supervising her every single minute literally and she was very good except with a little bump she has there around the incision. So i took her to the vet he gave her another injection of antibiotics and an inflammatory and he said if the bump does not go sunday i must go that he sucks it out with a seringe. I must say the trips to the vet for her a complete hell she is literally screaming in the car. She had like 2 months ago a urinary infecition and we had to take her several times to the vet so now she is completely terrified of the trip. I must say i am super careful i bought them everything they need a water fountain, they eat the best food royal canin and some wet food gourmet good and they have soo many tots and attention from me. But today i left ger in the room by herself because inwanted to go running and i went for exactly half an hour and she pulled a stitch completely out and she was read and a bit bleeding in the area. So after almost 5 days watchjng her day and night she does this . I am suffering so much i hope it is vetter in the morning ot otherwise it waits us another trip at the vet.

Oh, Andra, I am so sorry to hear this! Please know that things will get better as the spay wound heals and the stitches are taken out or absorbed. Unfortunately in the mean time, your life can be a living hell.

It is very common for there to be rejection among two cats when one returns from the vet. There are new smells on the kitty that are not acceptable to the other cat. A cat's sense of smell is 14 times stronger than ours, so what you can't smell, the other cat can. You can try rubbing a towel on the female and then rub the smell onto the male, or vice versa.

The key here is that the spay has been done and now it's just the recovery period. I know vet visits are terrorizing to many cats, but they are necessary if the cat is to receive proper medical care. Hopefully, things will be better for you and her two weeks after her surgery. That's still a ways away, but know that things should improve.

{{{HUGS}}}

I do have another doubt. So almost 2 weeks after the spaying operation, minnie she has a pretty big bruise around where she has no hair. Should i worry about it or not?? The vet did not seem very concerned, but he asked me if she hit hersefl there. I said no i don't think so buy she plays a lot with her brother and maybe this is how it appared. The bruise is at least 3 days already. I don't want to take her againnto the vet because she is so stressed always. I want to wait a couple of days but i also don't want to over think this. So should i worry or not??

A bruise means a blood vessel has been compromised and blood has been released under the skin. Normally, this is not a concern. Most bruises will start to diminish in a week and the color may change during that time. If the bruise does not heal, then it's a hemotoma that has to be dealt with by a doctor.

Your vet isn't concerned -- the same vet that did the spaying that got infected? As long as she is eating and drinking and using her litter box and her behavior appears to be normal, I'd wait a few more days and see if the bruise is starting to heal. Take pictures if you have to and then compare them day to day. (You could also email the pictures to your vet.) If it is not looking better, then check with your vet. I personally have never seen a bruise on a cat, but I'm sure it can happen. And possibly rough playing with another cat can cause this.

Hi all! My name is Laura and have a gorgeous Bengal girl called Alice, she's nearly 4. I recently moved out of my parents house into a flat and couldn't take Alice with me, so mum and dad have kept her. Last month she got attacked by another cat (this is the 6/7th time this cat has attacked Alice now). She's OK and was taken to the vets straight away. Since then she has sprayed in the house 3 times and my mum is now at her wits end. She has said we need to think about rehoming Alice as she can't handle the spraying. In my opinion, the stress of the attack and the difference of me being moved out is what is causing Alice to spray. Is this the possible reason??

I will be absolutely heartbroken to rehome her and I don't have the strength to do it, she's my fur baby! I've managed to get my mum to agree to see how she gets on over the next few weeks - but just wanted your opinions on this. I'm trying to visit more so Alice still sees me regular (actually staying over tonight & Alice is cuddled up-to my legs). There's some great advice I've read on here already so thank you.