Bengal Cat Rescue: A Better, Cheaper Alternative

The alternative to your local breeder is your local Bengal cat rescue center. Most areas have at least one cat rescue center in the vicinity and it is becoming more and more common to find hybrid cats within the compound. You may well ask why such expensive and unique cats are dumped in a cat rescue center to be adopted for a fraction of their worth.

Image used under Creative Commons from markkilner.

The answer has to do with the negative behaviors exhibited by neglected Bengal cats. Yes, Bengal kittens are lovely and fluffy and incredibly cute, but as they grow into adult cats they require mental stimulation and activities that satisfy their needs to hunt and fight.

A lot of owners fail to keep their Bengal cats entertained though and their destructive behavior invariably ends with them being dropped off at a regular animal shelter, or hopefully a dedicated Bengal cat rescue center.

Finding a Bengal Cat Rescue Center

As mentioned above most cities will have some form of cat rescue center however there are still relatively few dedicated Bengal cat rescue facilities. A quick internet search will allow you to locate your nearest rescue facility and it is well worth visiting before buying from a breeder.

Visiting Your Local Bengal Cat Rescue Facility

Most Bengal cat rescue facilities are privately run by individuals or small groups i.e. organizations, who have a love and a passion for the breed. This means that a cat adopted from this type of rescue facility will probably have been given the attention and stimulation it needs to break its bad habits… and it should come to you as a well trained and loving cat.

Bengal cats that are found in normal cat rescue centers however may have been slightly neglected, through no fault of the staff, so that their behavior problems still remain. On the upside, your Bengal cat will probably have been micro-chipped, neutered and vaccinated upon arrival which is always a good thing.

In summary, it is always worth searching around for Bengal cat rescue facilities near you before turning to a breeder, simply because you never know where you might find the cat of your dreams for a fraction of the breeder’s price.

Bengals are bright, active cats that demand activity like few other breeds. If their natural playfulness and demands for activity are left unfulfilled, they can resort to destructive behavior, such as trashing their litterbox or knocking things over. If Bengal owners make the effort to meet their unique needs, they are rewarded by the cats’ intelligence, playfulness, and affectionate natures.

Marilyn Krieger, a cat behavior consultant and coordinator says Bengals require places to climb and activities when people are not there to entertain them. “A cat tree with various levels is important, and perhaps it overlooks a window is where you put the bird feeder. I suggest a Turbo Scratcher for Bengals because it’s two toys in one for cats twice as active (as most). This combination scratcher and track toy is available online and in pet stores.”

From Steve Dale’s My Pet World