SO YOU WANT A BENGAL KITTY?

WHEN I FIRST GOT OUR NEW BENGAL CAT LAST OCTOBER I SOON GAVE A SWEEPING ENDORSEMENT OF THE BREED AND HOW DESIRABLE THESE FUN LOVING CATS ARE.

BUT ON THAT FIRST WEEK-END IN GREEN BAY THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO CAUTIONED ME ON HOW PESKY A BENGAL CAT CAN BE.  IT WAS RENEE, WHO TOLD ME A STORY OF SOMEONE SHE KNEW THAT HAD A BENGAL CAT THAT SOON BECAME ABUSED BECAUSE OF BEING INTO EVERYTHING AND EVERYWHERE.

NOW THAT WE’VE HAD A BENGAL CAT IN THE HOUSE FOR FOUR MONTHS I’M REMEMBERING HER WARNING, AND I’M BACKING OFF ON MY BLANKET ENDORSEMENT.  BENGALS REALLY LOVE PEOPLE AND IF YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SPEND WITH THEM THAT WILL BE A PROBLEM.

BENGAL CATS ARE WAY TOO INTERESTED IN FOOD.  IF YOU THINK A KITTY CAT SHOULDN’T BE ON YOUR KITCHEN TABLE OR COUNTERS, A BENGAL MAY NOT BE THE CAT FOR YOU.

BENGALS THINK THEIR FRONT PAWS ARE HANDS AND LOVE TO PICK THINGS UP OR BAT THINGS AROUND. FOR EXAMPLE THEY MAY JUMP UP ON THE DESK AND BAT THE COMPUTER MOUSE ON THE FLOOR, OR YOUR CIGARETTES.  IT REMINDS ME OF A HOKEY PLAYER SLAPPING THE PUCK ON THE ICE.

THIS ALL LEADS TO SOME CHANGES AROUND YOUR HOUSE.  THE FIRST TIME WE LEFT “AZ” HOME OVER NIGHT AND DIDN’T COME HOME HE CHEWED THROUGH A CARDBOARD BOX OF VANILLA WAFERS, AND THEN CHEWED UP ALL THE COOKIES.  IT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD SNOWED COOKIE CRUMBS THOUGH OUT THE FRONT HALF OF THE CAMPER.

THE SECOND TIME, HE CHEWED OPEN A BRAND NEW PACKAGE OF COOKIES AND DID THE SAME THING.  YOU’RE GOING TO BE CAT-PROOFING YOUR HOUSE. NEVER LEAVE FOOD ITEMS OUT ON THE COUNTER.

OUR BENGAL KITTY HAS TIGHTLY BONDED TO REX.  WHEN I’M HOME, HE IS ALWAYS THERE.  HE FOLLOWS ME AROUND FROM ROOM TO ROOM, IF I’M ON THE ‘PUTER OR WATCHING TV HE’S IN MY LAP. FINALLY TWO WEEKS AGO HE GAVE UP SLEEPING WITH ME OVER NIGHT AND CURLS UP IN HIS CAT BED.

BENGALS DON’T REQUIRE THE NORMAL 16 HOURS OF SLEEP PER DAY. “AZ” IS READY TO GO ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT, AT LEAST FOR ONE DAY.  OUR SECOND DAY OFF HE NEEDS AN AFTERNOON NAP.

TWO OTHER PROBLEMS THAT ARE COMMON TO BENGALS ARE JUMPING ON PEOPLES SHOULDERS, AND EXCESSIVE TALKING.  WE DON’T HAVE EITHER OF THESE PROBLEMS, “AZ” DOESN’T DEMAND THINGS VOCALLY AND IS A QUIET CAT.

SO IF YOU’RE GONE FROM HOME DAY AND NIGHT I WOULDN’T RECCOMEND A BENGAL KITTY.  IF YOU DON’T WANT THAT PRETTY SPOTTED FUR BALL IN YOUR FACE FOR EVERY PROJECT YOU DO ALL THE TIME, DON’T GET A BENGAL.  IF YOU DON’T LIKE PICKING UP AFTER SOMEONE, DON’T GET A BENGAL.

PERSONALLY I WOULDN’T GIVE UP “AZ” THE BENGAL KITTY FOR ANYTHING. HE IS TRUELY MY BUDDY FOREVER.

 

(THE CURRENT “DOORS AND DRAWERS” SCORE: 9 DONE, AND 41 TO GO.)