Bengal - Everything you need to know about the cat breed
Brief info about your cat's breed bengal
Weight: Males 4.5 - 7 kg, females 3.5 - 4.5 kg
Wither height: Up to 40 cm
Energy level: Energetic
Lifespan: 9 - 13 years
Social need: Great
Colours: Spotted or marbled, black and/or brown with shades of yellow, brown/reddish brown or orange.
Health problems: Generally healthy but may suffer from Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Personality of a Bengal
A Bengal is intelligent, active and curious. It is usually very fun to live with but requires a lot of activation and stimulation. Bengals enjoy climbing and unlike many other cats, they often enjoy water play. It is independent, talkative and personable but appreciates attention from its immediate family. A Bengal often gets on well with other animals, such as dogs. You can learn more about how to teach your cat and dog to get along here.
Looks and fur care of a Bengal
The Bengal's leopard-like coat, size and muscles make it mimic a wild cat. The coat is short, velvety and easy to groom. You'll need to brush the coat once a week to keep it looking good. A Bengal often enjoys the brushing and likes the attention it gets.
Health problems in a Bengal
The Bengal is a generally healthy cat breed. However, some genetic diseases can occur in the breed, such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). PRA is a hereditary eye disease where the retina gradually atrophies and HCM is a disease that leads to changes in the heart muscle of the cat.
Oral health
Did you know that you need to brush your cat's teeth? Brushing your cat's teeth daily is the best thing you can do to prevent your cat from getting periodontitis, learn more about it here. FORL is a common dental disease in cats and is often associated with periodontitis. Brushing your cat's teeth can be a challenge, but with treats and a lot of patience, your cat will eventually get used to it!
Poisoning
There are a lot of things that are poisonous to cats that you may not have thought of before. One example of this is plants, learn more about which plants are poisonous to your cat here. Further examples of what is poisonous to cats are chocolate and mouse and raw poison. It's important to store things that are dangerous to cats in a place they can't get to!
