Adopting a cat (Bengal)

[Lovetone]

Dear Forum,

I found this site whilst researching cats on the internet.
My girlfriend and I are considering adopting a cat, or two cats. We are interested in the bengal breed, and have done a fair amount of research. We have located two potential adoptees locally and wanted to know peoples opinions on going down this route.

The cats in question are both at least 2 years old.
How easy will it be to adopt from someone elses ownership of the animal? Will they "get used" to us and our home?

Secondly, how easy would it be to introduce a second 'companion' at a later date?

Is it better to just wait and pruchase a pair from a reputable breeder?

Obviously there are pros and cons to adoption and also purchase from breeders, wondering what the general opinion was here and if people have any experience, particularly of this breed considering their "different" personalities and breed traits.

Many thanks

Ian

[Leesy]

Do the 2 cats belong to the same household already or are they from different ones, if they are together already I would take the 2 of them on as a pair.

I have myself looked into the Bengal breed and from what I can gather they seem like the type of personalities that would settle in quite quickly in new a household with no problems.

Not sure just how easy it is to adopt ownership from someone else though.

[Lovetone]

They are unrelated individuals.

One is from a private owner, who has had a change of circumstance (not sure what the implies yet)

the other is at a local rescue centre, was a pair but they seem to have let the other cat be rehomed seperately.

[Leesy]

Oh thats a shame that they let one of a pair from the rescue go seperatly, they would have been ideal for you and the one left must be feeling really upset there on its own .

Have you asked the private owner if the cat is socialised with and used to other cats, because that will give you a good idea as to wether the pair may get on with each other.

[Mags]

Ian, you may find this previous thread interesting reading....... it also includes a link to another thread about Bengals from one of our members in Bengal Rescue.

http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php...ghlight=Bengal

I hope you are able to gain more knowledge of the breed from it..

[Lovetone]

Originally Posted by Leesy

Oh thats a shame that they let one of a pair from the rescue go seperatly, they would have been ideal for you and the one left must be feeling really upset there on its own .

Have you asked the private owner if the cat is socialised with and used to other cats, because that will give you a good idea as to wether the pair may get on with each other.

I am waiting on an email back but the private owner it seems like an "only" cat.

It is a shame that the pair got split, the girl was lovely looking too. The boy that is left looks like a fine cat and is apparently quite big Apparently because they were kept as a pair they (he) is quite nervous of other cats.

[Rockmaiden]

It can be done but you have to introduce them properly.

There is lots of information online about the best way to introduce adult cats.

I would make sure they are both used to other cats as well.

[random]

How old are they? You say at least 2 years old. Could they be much older? At 2 years old they are likely to be more adaptable than say 5 years, the older they get the more they seem to get set in their ways.

If it were me I think i'd either hang on for a pair who needed to go together or look for a young adult and a kitten or 2 kittens. 2 adults, especially if one has lived as an only cat or little history is known is a bit of a chance really and it wouldn't be fair to take on 2 who just didn't get along and then have to rehome one later down the line.

I currently have 6 cats but each new one has been brought in as a kitten and the older cats are clearly used to other cats and accept the new members readily. I used to have an old, part feral cat who took some months to get used to the kittens. She did, in the end, but it was such a long process as for the first 14 years of her life she was used to being an only cat and very set in her ways.

[Lovetone]

2.5 years (private single cat) and 2 years (rescue cat, kept with pair but one rehomed)

Sorry for not writing a proper first post!

thanks for advice so far.
I will go to the shelter and see the 2 year old on the weekend. I am in email contact with the private adoption case owner.

oh and for clarity I am considering just one right now I think, especially as the case at the shelter says "nervous of other cats" but I do think it is nicer to have two together to play with each other.

[Lovetone]

Hi

quick update,

I went to the local shelter today and as we arrived we were told that the cat we were going to see someone was already upstairs checking him.

Sadly, for us, but great for him ,they are now his new parents. He was so so so beautiful and very friendly with the other cats, and losing his old "partner" hasnt affected him. Apparently when the pair was left by the previous owner they were very stressed and the boy was beating up the girl, so they were rehomed seperately.

He was so lovely and his coat was stunning its kind of reaffirmed our (myself and girlfriend) love of the bengals having got to play with him a bit while the papers were singed.

however, we also both like tabbys and they had a lovely 6 year old tabby there so we are thinking on that.

Having a bit of trouble gettin in touch with the private owner who has advertised their bengal locally, may try to call tommorow.

Aw feel quite sad now, but also its great that he got a new home. His new owners seemed very conscientious and enthusiastic and werent there just cos he was a bengal I think on the off chance they popped in for advice and to see which cats were available and left with him.

Damn it for arriving after them!

Cheers everyone.

Ian