Hello everyone! X

Hope you are all well.

Only seven days left until our baby Eddie comes home to us! Yay!!! X
So exciting, I am counting the hours

Cat carrier - check.
Food (wet and dry) - check. I ordered tons of good quality grain, vegetable free and high protein food. I got what the breeder uses plus spent more on various wet food recommended from your posts on the forum.
Numerous bowls for food and water - check.
Numerous toys including the dragonfly and da bird - check.
Big cat tower with four beds and scratching area - check.
Soft beds scattered around the house - check.
Feliway - check.
Cat litter and huge XXL catit closed toilet. Same litter that the breeder uses - check.
Grooming kit - check.

Am I missing something? Thank you for all your kind words of wisdom.

Did your breeder use a closed litter box? Some cats do not like that enclosed feeling!

Make sure you read your contract with the breeder. Many state the cat must be seen by a vet within 3 days! You should always schedule a wellness visit so a medical chart can be started on your kitty. It sounds like you have covered the bases. Make sure the food and water bowls are ceramic or stainless steel and not plastic. Plastic can break down over time. Make sure you have some first aid supplies on hand (great for humans, too) with gauze bandages -- you just never know when something will happen to your kitty and require some type of first aid. They may even make kits specifically for cats. Always be prepared!

Understand that Eddie may be fairly terrified when he first arrives and will want to hide away. That's fine. Let him be. He needs to acclimate to his new surroundings and not be overwhelmed, which can result in peeing accidents, etc. He may not want to eat the first 24 hours or so ... and that's normal. I know you want to get your hands on him immediately, but let him go at his own pace. He may surprise you and be fine from the beginning, but if he's timid, let him be. He needs to get his confidence up and he will soon be running around like a proud member of your family.

Awww thank you Sherry, you are so knowledgable and very informative X

The breeder uses mixture of closed and open litter trays I believe, I should invest in an open one too. Will go and buy one promptly. We did get ceramic bowls, I don't like plastic ones
I work in the medical field so no problem with first aid. Hopefully won't come to that.
Eddie will have a room to himself where he will get acclimatised and we will just be there without picking, chasing him up so he gets to know us better and develops confidence. I will post to say how we are all doing.

I have taken annual leave for the first week so I can take Eddie to the vets. One question please, do I need to research about finding the best vet practice in the area or are they all similar? Sorry if I sound silly, I just want the best for him.

Thank you x

When my two kittens came to live with me I put out a covered litter box with high sides and pine pellets because that's what my last cat used. My new frightened kittens hid under the night table and didn't use the litter box for 24 hours! I got nervous and called their foster mom and learned they were used to an open litter tray with low sides and arm and hammer clumping litter. I ran out to the pet store and got exactly that and brought it home that night. They jumped in and used it immediately. They had been holding it for almost two days! I felt so bad. I had a lot to learn about raising kittens.

CMYKjill x

Your story made me laugh I will endeavour to get everything right but I understand there will be loads to learn, experience and laugh about in this great adventure. Even if I get it wrong the first time there will be a chance to get back on track.
It is amazing what we do for our kitties xxx

Your new baby looks gorgeous, I know how exciting it is waiting for them to come to their forever home, I can guarantee you will have endless fun with your boy, life is never ever dull with a bengal, my boy magic is 3 and he is still like a kitten

_________________
Clare
Magic (brown spotted boy born 31 March 2012)
Pearl (seal Lynx Point girl born 1 October 2015)
Bristol, UK

Sounds like you're definitely ready to go. You might pick up some freeze dried treats, or some deli meat or something like that. Don't go overboard on it, but it's actually not a bad thing to hand feed some treats to your kitten as that makes it really clear that you bring good things to him.

_________________
The little monsters 3

If you can find a vet who has treated bengals, that's a plus! Ask your neighbors for recommendations if they have a cat. I'm sure you can find the purrfect fit! One that has extended hours is good, too. Hopefully there are emergency vets that are open when the regular vet clinics are not. Keep lots of phone numbers in your phone.

And, treats are always good!

Thank you very much everyone, your advise is invaluable Xx
We bought all of the remaining bits today and found good local vets. Now wishing the days to go by very quick and get baby Eddie home!!!

It's only a week!!!!! Probably less than that! I know you are super excited -- but enjoy the peace and quiet now because once Eddie shows up and gets used to his new home -- he will keep you on your toes just about 24/7.

Things you seem to have forgotten:

1) Relax and enjoy the peace and quiet whilst you can.




I am sure that you have cat-proofed your house already, but Eddie will surely assist you by pointing out the stuff that you haven't Bengal-proofed in the coming months.

Oh yes. Kittens can find things you never knew existed in your home! And you have about four more days of peace and quiet before the little munchkin starts driving you a tad crazy! Your lives will never be the same. And that's a good thing. You will realize how boring and mundane your life was before Eddie came into it.

With my serious head on, and thinking back to when my little monsters were little-er monsters...

A very handy thing was Grannicks Sour Apple spray - it is a bitter tasting spray that is completely harmless - to the point that I understand vets can put it on wounds to stop over-grooming. My 2 were determined to try and eat/bite EVERYTHING at least once - especially cables - spraying Grannicks on a few things saved me a fair bit of damage and them from a few nasty shocks.

Congratulations on your new baby. I'm so excited for you. I'm still waiting for my two to be ready to come home, which won't be till the end of december I'm super jealous.
I've been getting things ready myself, and I just can't wait.
Sending good vibes your way, and wish you and Eddie good luck

Yay, four more days!

Our house is going to officially become a home!
We can't wait for the noise and the play to commence. It has been as suggested by Sherry very mundane and too quiet since we moved in this year and Eddie is going to be truly our first baby together. Exciting times ahead. Before you know it I might start asking for one more fury baby

Thank you for all the support and the very good tips, I am learning loads and I love it.

Love and hugs to everyone Xx