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 Post subject: "A Typical Bengal"
PostPosted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 12:30 pm 
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Bengal Kitten
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Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:48 pm
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Hello

As some of you may or may not know from my other post Esme our Bengal is currently in at specialist for the weekend due to a chronic none healing hock wound.

Anyway.... They called to update us yesterday and the vet in question made a comment about her being a "Typical Bengal" and went on to say she fine in her pen but not so easy when we handle her.

Now I know she will be different as is not with us and away from home. But actually with everything she has been through she has had the patience of a saint (she seriously deserves a medal) and it is just now after several months that she is starting to loose her patience. It didn't help that they made a bad first impression on her as well, the vet tried to tip her out of the carrier! (Once we have her back I will be making a complaint about this).

So have any of your come up against breed stereotypes before?

We all know Bengals are sensitive, intelligent cats, that can take time to trust but they are also individuals and it doesn't sit well with me to label them in such a way.

Thoughts....

Emily x


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 Post subject: Re: "A Typical Bengal"
PostPosted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 6:44 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm
Posts: 9217
Emily ... you may need to find a new vet! I have read topics where vets are hesitant to even treat bengals due to their wild reputation. Raiden's vet has treated him for almost 10 years. Raiden is a good patient until they prick him to draw blood. Last time he scratched the tech. But, he has never bitten anyone. Our vet treats many bengals and they are all experienced in handling them. Some bengals may be more resistant to being handling than others, but I'm sure some regular domestic cats are problems as well (I know when I had a stray neutered, they insist I pick him up immediately after his surgery as he was thrashing about in his cage trying to get out).

Some vets may think bengals have a typical behavior due to their wild blood from the asian leopard cat, but that is not the case. Also, if a vet tenses up because it's a bengal -- then the cat is going to sense that. Also, it is possible your cat is afraid of "stranger" and will react. Raiden doesn't like strangers unless I am right there with him. If you're not with your kitty, then it is probably terrified and may act out.

Hopefully, your baby will be home soon and on the road to recovery. Most areas have a multitude of veterinarians, so you might want to call and see if they have bengals as patients and what their experience has been with them.


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 Post subject: Re: "A Typical Bengal"
PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 9:26 am 
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Bengal Kitten
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Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:48 pm
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Thank you for the reply Sherry.

Our regular vet is wonderful with Esme and has no preconceptions about her behaviour and in fact he has seen how wonderfully tolerant and patient she can be. I would agree though that a large part of that comes from her getting comfort that I am there holding her.

Unfortunately she is at a specialist referral vets at the moment, it's the first time we have used them and they are the ones that made the comments.

Anyway hopefully she will be home today. Fingers crossed xxx


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 Post subject: Re: "A Typical Bengal"
PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:01 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm
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I know you will be so happy when she comes home -- and the specialist may be as well. I'm guessing they have the same feelings about savannah cats, too. Just the fact that these cats are hybrids and have wild blood in them could send fear down their spines.


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 Post subject: Re: "A Typical Bengal"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 11:46 pm 
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Bengal Kitten

Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2017 11:19 pm
Posts: 7
Bengals do have 'typical' behaviours, but being at the vet is an individual like or dislike. Our last bengal, Oakley was a dream at home and loved everyone, but take him near the vet and they needed leather gauntlets on! He was as viscious as they come. His claws were extremely long and razor sharp and he would bite them too. Charlie, on the other hand, is a right misery guts and frightened of his own shadow, but as good as gold at the vets! He lets them do anything and they all adore him. I agree about getting a new vet though. Tipping a frightened, poorly cat out of its box is a vile way to treat it. Even when Oakley was vile, they were very understanding that it stemmed from a real fear.


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 Post subject: Re: "A Typical Bengal"
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 12:29 am 
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Asian Leopard Cat
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Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 9:03 pm
Posts: 1048
Several of the folks at our vet were apprehensive when we got Diesel, but he won most of them over pretty quickly by coming out of the crate and purring and rubbing on the vets.

However -- when he had his knee surgery he earned every single bit of the "crazy Bengal" reputation and now we're "the people with the crazy Bengal" to the vet who did his surgery :lol: :lol: :lol: It was so bad they moved all of the other cats and small dogs out of the recovery room into triage crates and they shut the door to the room. They had me go in and get him out - and he tried to take my arm off in the process :redface:

I can't blame Diesel though, he was in pain, in a strange place, in a strange cage and absolutely terrified plus my friend told me later that the pain meds they gave him *can* make cats freak out :rolleyes:

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Dallas, TX USA
Diesel - snow Bengal born 09/01/2013 adopted Feb 2014
Tuck, Chloe, Buddy, Lewis & Tia - rescue kitties
Clyde, Bleu & Coal - Great Danes


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