Are Bengal Cats Prone to Certain Behavior Issues?

CatChannel and CAT FANCY cat behaviorist Marilyn Krieger, CCBC, explains why Bengals have the same cat behavior concerns as other cat breeds.

By Marilyn Krieger, CCBC

Q: I want to adopt/rescue a Bengal Cat, mainly because of their fabulous look. I am hesitating and am confused because of information I recently read on the internet. At least one internet source states that all Bengals have litterbox issues and that they bite all of the time; other sources say Bengal Cats are loving and sweet cats with no behavior problems.

In my research about Bengal Cats, I saw that in addition to your being a cat behaviorist, you are one of the coordinators for Bengal Cat Rescue. Can you set the record straight?

A: The popularity of the Bengal Cat breed has increased dramatically in the last few years, probably owing to the Bengal Cat’s beautiful and wild look, its ancestry and its vivacious personalities. The Bengal Cat breed was developed originally by crossing a domestic cat with a wild cat. The majority of pet Bengals are at least four generations away from the Asian Leopard Cat, their wild ancestor. Unfortunately, due to their ancestry, there is a lot of inaccurate information published about them.

Bengal Cats are no more prone to behavior problems then other cat breeds or moggies. They have no more or fewer litterbox issues than any other cat breed, nor are they more or less aggressive then other cats. The same triggers that cause other purebred cats and non-breed cats to have behavior problems can trigger a Bengal Cat to have challenges.

Even though Bengal Cats do not have more behavior challenges then other cats, they are not the cat for everyone. Like all breeds of cats, they have special characteristics that may or may not fit into your lifestyle. Before adopting cats, do your homework.

Don’t base the decision to adopt a Bengal solely on its stunning looks. Bengals are very active and extremely intelligent. Many enjoy playing in water and they need high places to hang out. As a breed, Bengals are affectionate, but usually aren’t lap cats, although there are exceptions. They love to be with their people and they enjoy playing. Bengals are attention seekers. They will go to great lengths to encourage their favorite people to interact with them. Bengal Cats do not do well left all alone for hours every day without a companion to keep them company. Like all cats, they do need lots of environmental stimulation. One can never have too many toys or tall places when living with Bengal Cats.

If you do decide that a Bengal is the cat for you, check out the Bengal Rescue Network to find a rescue coordinator near you. There are many wonderful Bengal Cats of all ages up for adoption throughout the United States and Canada.

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Reader Comments

Markus Sylvania, OH

3/7/2013 12:04:33 PM

Recently my girlfriend and I bought a Bengal kitten from a wonderful breeder, our little baby boys name is Stark. We have not had a single litter box incident, and when it comes to that whole "aggression" issue, they only bite because Bengal cats grow slowly for two to three years so they tend to be teething for much longer than other breeds and are just trying to fulfill their need to deal with the discomfort associated with teething. Stark is an incredibly loyal and loving kitten as the Bengal breed usually is because their Asian leopard heritage makes them very family oriented.

Linda Brentwood, TN

11/9/2012 3:31:22 PM

We have 2 wonderful Bengal cats that are now 1 1/2 years old. Bailey is a tiger, Kashmir is a Leopard. They are brothers which I bought to be company to our domestic Bombay Panther who was lonely after the loss of his older cat friends who went to kitty heaven. The kittens are so much fun, they have always used the litter box and play in there when I put new litter and change it. They love to jump, climb, play ball, play in the water, get in the shower, welcome friends and strangers. They both love shrimp, chicken, Kashmir likes to get into an new loaf of bread, Bailey likes cheese, they get whipped cream after breakfast which started when I made coffee with whipped cream and they discovered it and licked it all out of my cup! They both love to ride around my neck. When I come home, one of the jumps on my shoulder and rides around with me for a while until my shoulder is tired. Bailey sits in my lap when I am on computer, sitting on couch, and they sleep with me and wake me up early for breakfast. They are so entertaining and everyone loves them who comes to our house.

Sarah West Monroe, LA

8/16/2012 12:00:04 PM

Our Bengel cat, Emma, loves and has bonded with my 13 year old daughter. Emma follows her where ever she goes in the house and seems messmerized by all she does. Emma fetches ponytail holders! We don't remember training her to do it, but she will do it for hours. She has a unusual meow and seems to "call" my daughter inorder to find her. She loves the water and loves to sit beside us when we bathe or shower. Her coat is beautiful and she is so muscular. No litterbox issues, but she is very bad to sharpen her claws on our furniture, more so than our other two cats. She gets along well with our dogs, other cats and rabbit. She constantly wants to sit on kitchen counter, usually to bring us a ponytail holder to throw and fetch and just won't stay off them, even with verbal warnings and a water bottle spray! She can even open drawers to get ponytail holders hidden from view! No biting but will lay and sit beside you whenever she wants alittle attention or a human warming pad.

Janice Las Vegas, NV

7/26/2012 1:56:54 PM

I joined the bengal rescue network because I wanted to adopt a bengal. I found a wonderful person who needed to find a new home for her six year old female bengal. She flew her from New York City to Las Vegas for me. Now Ariel, is beautiful, she doesn't bite and she is extremely well behaved. I have the luxury of working from home so she is never alone. I have not encountered any litte box issues and she is not agressive. She is very loving and cuddly. The only suprise I found is that she is very petite but she does not meow...she can raise the roof with her wild sounding chirps and her purr is fantastic. I would highly recommend a bengal, but only if you can seriously dedicate your time and constant attention to one. Oh...she adores the water for sure, so water wise get a fountain watering device, she loves watch it flow. One note about the cat litter, I got a kitty matt so when she gets out of the box it catches most of the litter because her front and back paws are webbed and she tends to track litter aroun the house, the matt solved that problem. Good Luck to all those who are blessed enough share their lives with these splendid companions!