Hello all I adopted a male Bengal at 14 months he is nearly 2 yrs old. He has always been an indoor cat. We moved to the country 2 weeks back and I would like him to be able to roam the garden in the day so I started to walk him around the garden. After three visits he decided to look deeper into the bushes and we have horses in the adjoining fields. He was chased by the horses and flew through the bushes ran through th house to the top. Since then every noise makes him jump. I have various calm gadgets plugged in and spend lots of time in the house with him. But he seems sad. He looks outside the conservatory window with nervous eyes. I have bought a pets safe kit (invisible fence) which will be installed around the garden next week. But I am still concerned with how traumatised he is. Any suggestions please. Thank you.

I would not worry too much. He just needs time, lots of it! Being chased by horses for an indoor cat was probably pretty scary. When i got my rescue boy, he had always been an outdoor cat. After three weeks I let him out and expected him to immediately investigate his surroundings. It actually took him months and months to be properly happy outside. It's great you are getting cat fencing to keep him safe as he has only known the indoors and will not be used to the big wide world. It sounds like you are doing the right things with him. Just don't force the issue. Let him go out in his own time if he wants to. Good luck Monty

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

I'm a city slicker, so what do I know, but I have heard horror stories of people having their cats stomped to death by a horse, so that really doesn't seem safe to me. You are talking a 100-200x mass difference between horse and cat. Your cat's instincts and fear are well founded imo.

And I'm also real leery of "shock therapy" to keep your cat inside a confined area (the whole "invisible fence" thingy). That can't help a cat's confidence and sense of well-being. Would any of us want that?

But anyway, that aside and to answer your question, I think the usual ways to rebuild your bengal's confidence is to get him to play "hunting" games with interactive toys. Get his mind off his troubles and onto some other more productive goal. That and give him high perches to sit on and feel safe.

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The little monsters 3

I agree with Brian! Cats can be traumatized! And a couple of years ago, a member posted here that a horse had killed her bengal. I don't honestly know why people are so quick to want their bengals outside! It's not a great place for a cat, period! And the invisible fence? There is a member on here who has one and says her bengal has gotten used to it -- however, I see posts EVERY SINGLE DAY on lost pet sites where the battery went dead and the dog escaped!

You need to completely bengal-proof your garden. A cat enclosure is a great thing -- I have a 12'x12' one on my deck for my kitty. We also walk twice a day. Raiden loves his harness and leash! I am amazed at the number of bengal owners who are creative and build enclosures to keep their kitties safe. I don't know how someone can spend money on a purebred cat and then think the outside world is going to protect them. It simply doesn't happen that way.

As for getting your kitty to calm down -- check out Jackson Galaxy's Spirit Essences and see if something there might fit the bill. It will take time! Cats do not forget! Just moving for a kitty is stressful enough and you opened up his outside world. He needs to build up his confidence and needs reassurance from you and certainly does not need to be brought back outside any time soon. Just know that while an invisible fence may keep your kitty IN the garden, it will not keep other predators OUT of your garden.

Invest into some window perches, a tall cat tree or two. Make time to play with him and if you want to take him outside, get a walking jacket (or harness) and leash and you be at the other end of it! (However, he needs to get used to the harness inside your home before you EVER take him out on the leash). He is counting on you to protect him.

It is a big old world out there, and if you've never seen a horse before, let alone chased by one, I'm sure it was very scary for Monty! I was chased by a horse when I was a kid and it frightened me to death!

When our two started going out, Hendrix was terrified, wouldn't leave the patio, just crouched down and trembled with fear. Now, there's no stopping him. Jagger on the other hand just loved it the second he went out! We had many traumas for the first few months, the worst was when Hendrix went up on our roof for the first time and met some crows with youngsters and who dive bombed him to the point he fell off the roof. He was okay, although he had very well filed claws (they were very blunt from trying to stop the fall) and he didn't go out for a couple of days unless we were with him.

He did get his confidence back, but even now they can both run into situations that shake them up, or come across an unfriendly neighbourhood cat etc.

Just let him progress at his own pace. If he shows interest in exploring your garden again, go out with him and help him gain confidence. always make sure he has free access back into the house in case he gets scared again.

For the first year, our two were only allowed out if we were home and then we had a cat flap fitted to allow them to come and go as they please.

Good luck!

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

Thank you all for your positive comments. I am so grateful for your words of encouragement and wisdom.

Thank you all for your positive comments. I am so grateful for your words of encouragement and wisdom.

My cats strut around their patio like big game hunters. All it take is a trespasser or yard man to walk by and they fly into the house to hide behind me. Then they won't go out for hours. They really are quite sensitive.