11.06.2022

Bengal cat care—all you need to know

Bengals are the most friendly, sociable, fun-loving, and affectionate kitties you can meet. With their impressive intelligence and eye-catching looks, they will be fantastic companions to any lucky cat parent.

These tiny leopards are hardy, resilient, and easy to look after, but they need your care and attention as much as the next feline.

What does Bengal cat care entail? Read on to learn how to meet your Bengal’s dietary, playtime, grooming, and healthcare needs and ensure their happiness and longevity.

Looking after Bengal cats—demanding or low maintenance?

Raising a Bengal cat has its challenges, but caring for your tiny leopard is not complicated once you get the hang of it. 

These kitties have a bad reputation regarding their temperament, but with proper care, training, and attention, they’ll be perfectly cuddly and well-behaved. You can expect your beautiful Bengal to be:

• Incredibly smart and intuitive, so they should be easy to train and discipline
• Remarkably healthy, which reduces the need for frequent vet visits and expensive meds
• Low-maintenance because their short coat requires little grooming
• Mesmerised by water and not opposed to bathing

Note that Bengals demand attention—leaving them alone for too long could result in aggressive behaviour. They love to play, be active, and long to roam outside, so some finicky tantrums may occur if they’re not allowed to tap into their wild nature. 

A guide for raising a Bengal cat

Raising a Bengal kitten and forming good habits from day one will make your cat parenting easier. With proper care, you’ll build a strong bond with your feline and help them reach their golden years in peak condition. 

To ensure your Bengal’s health and happiness, you need to cover the following basics:

1. Grooming
2. Playtime
3. Vet visits
4. Healthy diet

Follow a grooming schedule to meet your Bengal cat’s needs

Grooming the low-maintenance Bengal is a breeze compared to most other felines. It requires minimal effort and time, but you should still keep a regular grooming routine consisting of:

1. Brushing
2. Washing
3. Ear and eye cleaning
4. Nail clipping
5. Oral hygiene

Brush your Bengal’s soft coat to perfection

Bengals shed less than most other breeds, so many people think they're hypoallergenic. The sad truth is that there are no hypoallergenic cats, but Bengals are an excellent choice for people who don't have severe reactions to felines.

Most cats require brushing at least three times per week, but Bengals will do fine with one weekly session. You may need to do it more often during the shedding seasons or if you are allergic. To get the best results and avoid skin irritation, use a soft bristle brush.

C’mon, there’s no need to brush me again! I’m practically hairless. 

Source: Bodi.raw

An occasional bath will make them happy

Besides being easy to brush, Bengals like to bathe, which is rare in domesticated felines! 

Brush their coats and inspect their skin for abnormalities before bathing your cat. If you notice any rashes, abrasions, or bumps, contact your vet and take your Bengal for a check-up.

Gently place them in water and apply a vet-formulated feline shampoo. Massage it in and rinse it thoroughly. Use a soft cloth to dry your kitty, preferably by dabbing, not wiping. Avoid getting their eyes and ears wet—it’s unpleasant and can make your Bengal irritable.

Clean your feline’s eyes and ears

Since you cannot wash these areas, you’ll need to clean your Bengals eyes and ears separately. Instead of water, there’s a special, vet-approved cleaner that won’t irritate your kitty’s sensitive skin. Apply it to a cotton ball, remove any goo from their ears, and gently dab the area around their eyes.

Clip the scratch machines 

An essential part of grooming any indoor feline is trimming their nails. 

Clip your Bengal’s nails every two to three weeks, using sharp clippers designed for cats. Start trimming their nails from kittenhood—they’ll get used to it and be less likely to throw tantrums during the ritual.

Kitties who live outside don’t need trimming as often since the claws are trimmed naturally in contact with hard surfaces. Keep in mind that you should supervise your cat's outdoor adventures because Bengals are natural-born hunters and will go after rodents, birds, slugs, and other small animals. Their prey can carry various parasites or poison, so it's safer not to let them feast on it.

Give your indoor Bengal a scratching post so that they can indulge in some claw sharpening without ruining your furniture and giving you hell during nail clipping. 

Keep your Bengal’s teeth strong and healthy

Dental diseases, such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth resorption, can be painful and cause bad breath. If left untreated, they can also lead to more serious medical conditions, including heart, liver, and kidney problems. Brush your Bengal’s teeth daily with a vet-approved toothbrush and paste, ensuring their dental hygiene is impeccable.

Show your Bengal a good time

Bengal cats are exuberant attention seekers who love to play with their humans. If these needs aren’t met, they could become restless and aggressive or lose interest in exercise and become lethargic.

Younger felines are more energetic and require constant interaction. As they mature, their need for such activities will subside, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect them. Dedicate at least half an hour of your day to your Bengal. Releasing their energy during playtime will keep them calm and friendly. 

You missed playtime yesterday, so I get double the fun today!

Source: Rumisssa

To create a fun environment, get the following:

• Cat trees—Place them in the corners of your home for your Bengal to climb, play, and sleep on
• Scratching posts—if you want them to stay away from your favourite couch, your kitten will need a place to scratch 
• Toys—All your Bengal wants is to spend some time with you. Simple laser pointers and rubber toys that you can play fetch with will do wonders

Don’t miss regular vet check-ups!

Even if your Bengal is in their prime, regular veterinary care is essential. It’s the best way to spot health niggles in the earliest stages and prevent them. 

If I pretend to be asleep, maybe they’ll let me skip this vet visit!

Source: Paul Hanaoka

Don't miss regular vet appointments during the first year of your Bengal’s life because monitoring their development is crucial. They must get all the necessary shots, including the rabies vaccine and the combination vaccine FVRCP. Consult your vet to create a proper schedule as soon as you adopt your kitten.

Common health niggles in Bengals 

Bengals are generally healthy and resilient, but they can suffer from:

• Worms and parasites—Regular deworming meds will prevent any complications from parasite infestation
• Hereditary health issues—Purebred Bengals are more susceptible to genetic diseases than mixed breeds (half Bengal). Mini-leopards are prone to distal neuropathy, hip dysplasia, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, patellar luxation, and progressive retinal atrophy. You might not be able to prevent these diseases, but a proper diet, exercise routine, and veterinary care can delay the onset and alleviate most symptoms
• Lifestyle-related issues—Bengals are naturally fit and strong, but they must be fed a high-protein diet to avoid lifestyle-related health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and dental issues

Domesticated Bengals aren’t immune to the leukaemia virus as their ancestors (Asian leopard cat). 

Every life stage brings new challenges. Senior years often bring about frequent health problems. It’s important to offer your Bengal high-quality food from the beginning to optimise their health and keep them happy.

The ins and outs of a Bengal cat diet

Food quality and quantity play a vital role in your cat's well-being.

What’s cookin’ hoomans? I want in on the action!

Source: Vlada Kaprovich

Bengals require a diet rich in meat and fish and not much else. The most important nutrients are:

1. Animal protein
2. Animal fat

Animal protein

Animal protein helps your kitty stay lean and energetic and provides them with essential amino acids, including taurine, responsible for proper development and organ function. 

Look for cat food with meat and fish in the first place on the ingredients list. Your Bengal will efficiently digest and metabolise animal protein derived from chicken (breast and liver), turkey, salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and prawns.

Avoid plant-based protein derived from vegetables, such as soya, wheat, sweetcorn, peas, and carrots, since they don’t add nutritional value to your cat's meal plan and can hurt their tummies.

A high-protein meal plan should prevent common health issues, including:

• UTIs, cystitis, and bladder stones
• Gastrointestinal disorders, such as constipation, diarrhoea, and IBS
• Frequent hairballs and fur loss

Animal fat

Animal fat contains the essential fatty acids that prevent inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis, allergies, cancer, kidney, and heart disease. 

Cat food with a proper amount of animal fat doesn’t need flavour enhancers since this nutrient makes the meal delicious. Even if your Bengal frowns upon wet food, they’ll find products with a touch of fatty goodness hard to resist.

Regardless of the type of cat food (wet, semi-moist, dry, or raw), it should contain the following ratio of essential nutrients:

Wet food usually meets the criteria, so it is the best choice for Bengal cats.

Untamed makes looking after Bengal cats a breeze

To give your Bengal the best cat food on the market, treat them to Untamed!

Our complete, balanced, yet delicious meals have everything needed for your feline’s health and development. Untamed sticks to the following principles:

1. A lot of meat and fish
2. Gentle steaming, not overcooking
3. Ethically sourced ingredients
4. Vet-formulated recipes

Untamed provides your Bengal with a healthy meal that’ll make their mouth water in delight.

Image (c) Untamed

A lot of meat and fish

Each Untamed product contains double the amount of animal protein than the industry standard. With over 60% of animal protein, Untamed meals make even the fussiest felines run to their food bowls.

Our Chocka Chicken, Tuck-in Tuna, and Full-on Fishy come in jelly and gravy, allowing your Bengal to choose their favourite. 

Gentle steaming, not overcooking

Our dishes are gently steamed, ensuring that harmful bacteria are destroyed and the flavour locked in! All the vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients are intact in our irresistible food.

Ethically sourced meats

Respecting our planet and natural resources is of utmost importance for Untamed, so we:

• Collaborate with sustainable, cruelty-free suppliers
• Ship our products in 100% recyclable packages
• Keep our carbon footprint neutral

Vet-formulated recipes

Untamed recipes are designed by vets to ensure your Bengal gets the right nutrients in each bite, no matter whether you have a:

• Growing kitten
• Adult kitty with weight issues
• Pregnant and fussy queen
• Senior suffering from gum problems, tooth resorption, or weight loss

Our products are free from known allergens, meat derivatives, and excess calories.

How to get Untamed

Would you like to keep your Bengal fit and happy? Join the Untamed family today! 

All you need to do is:

1. Visit our Try Now page
2. Let us know your Bengal’s eating habits, food preferences, and life stage
3. Select the products 
4. Order your tailor-made meal plan

Your order will arrive in a day, making your Bengal’s journey to health a delicious one! Once your kitty munches through all the products in the trial pack, we can supply you with monthly deliveries of Untamed food. 

After switching to our products, many Bengal cat parents have noticed the following improvements: