Why did you get or not get a second cat? We're you worried about disrupting your existing bengal or was he in desperate need of a play mate?

I think getting two bengal kittens together is fine. I got mine when he was 6 years old. He is now 9. He is so territorial. He wants to rip apart any other cat he sees. There is no way he would accept another cat and I do not want to have to deal with the proper introduction and/or separating them from fights. It's just easier to have Raiden as an only child. However, I do feed an outdoor moggie and, while many times Raiden will ignore him, there are times he will attempt to go after him. I walk Raiden on a leash, so I can contain him and the other cat doesn't seem to mind the swatting that can happen.

I decided to get a second bengal (a girl) when my boy Magic was 4 years old, he seemed to be bored alot of the time meowing for attention, no matter what I did or how many toys we played with he still seemed like he needed a companion.

Since having Pearl (she is 7 months now) he is a changed cat, they run around chasing each other, they groom each other it's lovely to see.

They both seem happy with one another.

Wish I had 2 from the start.

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

I cant really say about adding a cat, so I apologise if its not what youre looking for, but my 2 are so much more important to each other than I am to them. Not from their perspective, but from mine. They spend more time with each other than with me, they understand each other more than me, and given the (horrible) choice, I would have them move away together and leave me behind rather than keep one. They have a beautiful bond that I have the privilege to watch. I think they thrive as a pair!

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The little monsters 3

My two were a package deal. I adopted them from a rescue group when they were 4 months old. I only wanted one, but they said they were never apart and siblings so they needed to be adopted together. I never had two cats and the responsibility seemed huge to me, but I went for it and glad I did. I could never keep one of them entertained and happy. They don't always interact with each other but I think they have more confidence not being the only one. They have very rigid routines, and I do my best to maintain consistency to make them happy. This morning I was getting ready for work and they were on the cat tree behind me. Grace was totally covering Blondie and licking and biting her. Blondie was hissing and wiggling to get free. I slapped one of the platforms and said "HEY." They both stopped and looked at me as if to say, "what's wrong?" Then they went right back to it. I think Blondie was on one of the platforms that belongs to Grace. They seem to have divided up everything. Anyway they still play at 2 years old and entertain each other.

My two aren't Bengals they are just ordinary moggies and I was after just one kitten originally but when I spoke to rescue centre they had two brothers and I didn't want to separate them.

I'm so glad we have the two of them now as it's just such great fun watching their antics and as Brian said it takes the pressure of you having to play with them constantly.

We are also away a bit (just one or two days at a time) as our family live some distance away and they keep each other company whilst we are on these short spells away.

Another advantage of having two is that they have completely different personalities. One is very cuddly and gentle oh and lazy lol and the other is full of beans, very funny but doesn't like to be held onto. So they sort of compliment each other :)

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Oscar and Jasper (or one ear and two ears as dh calls them) black rescue mogges

RIP my sweet baby Dexter, Snow Bengal 19/5/14 to 5/3/15 and my lovely dear old friend Muskey, Brown Burmese put to rest aged 15 on 14/11/15.

Debbie

We have two, and we decided to go this route so they would have each other for company. However, to balance out the responses, this can also cause problems when they are older. It has been lovely to watch them playing together and the cat v cat interactions etc. But when they reach social maturity they can become very territorial and this can cause issues.

I first heard of this when we took Hendrix to the vet a couple of weeks after they both came to live with us. The vet immediately asked if they still got on as they can end up fighting etc. Now this vet had been attacked by a stray Bengal so he probably wasn't their biggest fan, and our two were sleeping together cuddled up, playing together, groomed each other and were very bonded. I had later read that what the vet was referring to usually happens at age 2. But I smugly thought they were way too bonded to ever fall out.

Unfortunately, it did happen and Jagger would mercilessly bully Hendrix, it started probably last November and it got pretty bad, to the point I thought I may have to rehome one, which would absolutely have broken my heart.

I contacted a behaviourist who has her own Bengals and things have been resolved, but it has taken a lot of work and I have no doubt, will continue to do so! In fact, there was a lot of hissing and growling again this week but I think the situation is now back under control. I actually blame myself as I hadn't noticed the Feliway plug-in needed changing. I think I will always need one of these plugged in now. But overall, they share again now, (or conduct a timeshare system) - they have even been spotted laying together which had become unheard of.

Two Bengals can bring a lot of joy and I'm definitely not saying don't do it! But you do need to be aware of the potential pit falls and that if this does arise, you have to be prepared to seek help.

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

I'm not arguing, just making sure you are aware of what can happen. I'm sure it doesn't happen to all, but it is something to keep in mind and to look out for signs of aggression between them etc. Bengals are very strong and dominant personalities, and I have two males, who both want to be top cat. Which can result in aggressive behaviour and fights.

As I said, I spoke to a behaviourist who runs a Bengal Cat helpline - she offers behaviour advice but they also take in bengals where the owners can no longer deal/cope with them.

There were several aspects to the advice I was given. I had both on Zylkene to help calm them down. It's a natural product - mammals milk protein. I had to face Jagger and push him away when he was being aggressive towards Hendrix so Hendrix knew I was protecting him. I had Feliway plugged in and will probably have to keep that plugged in now - but I had never needed it before. I also used a spray. I pretty much banned all play between them - I was told to assume nothing was play. To be honest, it is very clear when it is play and when it isn't despite how rough Bengal play is. That's just a short version of the advice I was given!

It is a long haul - I am still all over them now, keeping an eye on things. They now play again, chasing each other around the garden etc. But if it gets really rough and there is any squealing on either side, I break it up. They groom each other every morning, and occasionally I have caught them laying together again as well. It's not so frequent now, but relations are pretty good again. But I work at it!

Oh and you also have to really careful to give equal affection - they get really jealous if they think one is getting more attention than the other!!!

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

I got my Bengal kitten, Rajah, after my two elderly cats passed away, leaving me with one female domestic, Nahla, who seemed lonely and bored as an only cat. In hindsight, that was a mistake. The Bengal kitten was too playful, almost aggressive, for her and though she loved being part of “the gang” with the other two cats, Nahla did not appreciate this new kitten. She tolerated the kitten when he was small, but as he got bigger and played rougher, tensions rose. So, now we had a problem and I wasn’t sure how to fix it. We decided to foster-to-adopt a young tabby – Pasha, a male, about 5 weeks younger than the 5 month old Bengal. This solved all of our problems: the two young males hit it off almost immediately. They are both energetic and love to snuggle, groom, and play together. The Bengal no longer tried to play (stalk, leap on, etc.) the older female and Pasha is almost a bridge between the cats, because the older female tolerates the tabby better than the Bengal. Occasionally, when Rajah the Bengal is in his “crazed” mode, he can get a little rough with the tabby, but Pasha can handle it, and at times gives it back with equal energy. They are now 7 and 8 months old. I think cats are happiest with “a friend,” especially if they are left alone during the work day or on weekends. And I agree with other's comments that a playmate for the Bengal takes pressure off me to keep the cat active and entertained! Ironically, even though my Bengal can play a little more aggressively when he’s in that mood, I would not call him the dominate cat. Pasha the rescue tabby is the explorer and instigator, and the Bengal follows his lead - kind of like the street kid showing the little prince how to get into trouble. Rajah had never gone on the kitchen counters, but the two were up there within hours of Pasha's arrival! The Bengal is also a slower eater, and the two domestics will push him off his food plate once they are finished with theirs, and Rajah just lets them – he’ll sit and watch them eat his food if I’m not there to shoo them away. If someone comes to the door, the Bengal will hide while the tabby checks out the newcomers and Rajah will only come out once he deems it “safe.” So, really, so much depends on the personalities of the individual animals. We were lucky that we finally got a combination that works!

Many times things can be solved with a third cat. On the other hand, many times it can cause bigger issues! What works for one doesn't always work for someone else, so happy that a third cat solved the issue for you, Bella.

Yes, I am very happy that it all worked out in the end. I didn't plan to have three cats again, but everyone is happy now, so that's the main thing. The foster to adopt option was a good way to see if the personality fit was good before making a firm commitment to adopt Pasha. (That particular animal rescue organization uses foster homes for their adoptable pets). Here are my two boys, Rajah & Pasha. They really are an adorable duo!

Rajah and Pasha are so handsome.