Congratulations on your beautiful, new friend!

Initial Housing

Bringing home a new kitten is a stressful time for your new pet.  These are some "tips" to get you both through these important first few days. When you first get your kitten/cat home he/she will probably be frightened at being in a new place.  After all your kitten has just left all of his brothers and sister's and the only home your kitten has known where everything is in its proper place for his eyes.   Don't bring your kitten home and expect him to find his/her litter box, food, ect.  Put your kitten in ONE room with the door closed.  Kittens need a safe place where they have their bed, food, water and a litter box.  This is a great place to put your cat when guests are over and there is risk of doors being left open, etc.  A bedroom or even a bathroom with a litter box and food/water dishes so that your kitten can acclimate to a new situation and know where the litter box and food dishes are.   Do not place food and water dished close to the litter box.  Your kitten will not use his box if the food is too close. A safe distance would be about 4 or 5 feet away.  It is a good idea to play with your new kitten so he/she can get to know you and feel comfortable and safe. 

When you let your kitten out in the rest of the house remember to have the litter box out where he knows where it is at all times at least until he knows his new home well.  Just make sure it is safe and secure!  Get down on the floor and be at the kittens level.  Do not let your kid's race around with your kitten.  He may be skittish and scared right now.  Let him adjust to his new home before you try anything.  If he meows a lot, just like when a baby would cry, check that he knows where the litter box is, and is not hungry or thirsty. 

 

Things to remember

First of all, don't change the diet.  Your kitten is eating Life's Abundance.  You may order it at www.trilogyonline.com Your kitten is also on bottled water that may be picked up at any local store.  Dry food is free fed and kept available at all times. I also feed them 1/2 can Innova soft food in the red and white can once in the morning. DO NOT CHANGE THE FOOD some foods can make your kitten vomit.  It is an allergic reaction to something in the new food.  Keep your kitten on the foods he is use to if you want your kitten to live a long healthy life, feed him or her right and not cheap grocery store brands. If your kitten gets "the Runs" cut out any canned food until after his loose stool has disappeared.  Another fix for loose stools, believe it or not is TENDER VITTLES or Iams hair ball!   SHE LOVES GERBER TURKEY BABY FOOD AND RAW HAMBURGER.  I give her raw hamburger just about 2 table spoons ever morning or so...  Good and full of vitamins for her

 

Vaccinations

Your kitten/cat will have received at least one vaccination for FVRCP. Only 2 vaccinations are required.  You will be given a heath record with your kittens current shots and worming information.  You should take this health record with you on your visit to your vets office.  You should give the second vaccination four weeks after the date of the first one. The vaccination dates will be on your health record. This is the only vaccination your kitten requires.  You may also bring your kitten back to me for his last shot if need be. 

Discuss with your veterinarian whether you want to vaccinate for feline leukemia. If you kitten is only in the house, these vaccinations may be unnecessary. However, if you need to board your cat out, or go for walks on a leash, or contact any other cats, these vaccinations would be a necessary precaution. We have seen 3 or 4 very negative reactions to the leukemia shots in Bengals.  What happens is that the kittens almost always develop a lump at the site of the injection, and over a few weeks it almost always goes away. Sometimes it doesn't go away, and it gets hot and grows and swells and you have a major problem on your hands that requires surgery to resolve.  This is called an "Injection Site Sarcoma". With surgery there is almost always a good result, but why take the chance?  If you and your vet feels you must vaccinate, then do it beneath the skin on one if the kitten's legs, up around the thigh. Do a different side than the one used for Rabies. If a problem develops, it's much easier to treat there than up between the shoulder blades. 

This kitten has not been vaccinated for rabies. If a cat is indoors only, rabies vaccination may not be necessary. However, it may be required if you ever need to board your cat. Some states require rabies vaccination of all cats.

 

Nail Care

I never recommend de-clawing.  Most people do not realize that it mutilates the bones in the cat's foot, by clipping the bone, not the nail. There can be unforeseen behavioral problems in cats that are de-clawed.  Most cats can be trained with the word "no," or slapping a newspaper against your hand, or even a spray bottle of plain water when you want to teach them a certain behavior.   Trimming your cat's nails will reduce the amount of damage caused by scratching before and after training begins.   I have found it very easy to trim their nails when they are napping.  If you are gentle, they won’t even know you are doing it.  Their claws have been trimmed approximately once a week.  You can trim them when they become sharp (you’ll know).  They don’t grow as fast once they are older and once a month is sufficient as an adult.

 

Nail Trimming Instructions

Before trimming, get your cat used to having his paws handled and squeezed.  Begin by gently petting the cat's legs and paws while giving it a treat, making this a pleasant experience.  Gradually increase the pressure so that petting becomes squeezing, as you will need to do to extend the claw.  Continue with treats until your cat will tolerate this kind of touching and restraint.  This may take longer with cats that have rarely had their legs or paws handled.

Purchase some ‘scissor-like’ nail clippers from a pet store and trim your cat’s claws as necessary.  When your cat is relaxed and unafraid, gently press on the toes until the claws extend. Use the nail clippers and cut only the tip of the nail (white part), taking care not to damage the vein or the quick (pink part).  The nails can be trimmed weekly, keeping the trimmer perpendicular to the claw as not to crush the nail.  If you are hesitant to cut your cat's nails, consult your vet who will clip them for you and show you how to do it at home.  It is sometimes easier to have one person hold the cat while the other clips the claws.  When they are kittens the nails need trimming more often (weekly) than when they are adults (monthly). 

 

Bengals love to climb and they love high places.  Make sure you have some sort of cat scratching/climbing furniture.  This web site has some very good furniture at reasonable prices: http://www.petzones.com .   

 

Cat Litter

They are used to the clumping litter.  The rule of thumb for number of litter boxes is the number of cats you own plus one.  If you have 2 cats you should have 2 litter boxes.  They love to dig in their boxes.  You may consider a covered box to keep the litter contained in the litter box as Bengals love to dig in the litter. 

Indoor/Outdoor

Do not let your cat roam loose outside. The average cat lifespan is 16years.  The average lifespan of a cat that goes outside is THREE YEARS.  Get the idea? Your kitten can and will get stolen, hit by a car or come in contact with diseased cats. If they stay in the house all the time, they will not ask to go outside.  If you do want to let them out, do so only under supervision.  This means train them to use a halter and leash. Contrary to popular opinion, they do not need to go outside to play and hunt.  Just play with them indoors.  They do like to munch on grass.  You can buy Kitty grass at pet stores. 

Cautions

Bengals are also very curious.  Please be very careful when getting something out of the refrigerator, or when opening a dryer, dish-washer, drawers, closets, etc.  Your kitten will most likely try to go into whatever you have open.  Be very careful not to lock them inside the refrigerator, or the dryer, or catch their paw in a drawer. 

Poisonous Plants page to your kitty and more.  Please click here:

You may find that they will climb up your leg to your shoulder when young, especially at feeding time.  If their nails are kept trimmed, they will not be able to do that.   

Be cautious of your toes.  Toes can be fun to attack under blankets and fun to bite.  Be careful.  

Watch out for rubber bands, toys with tinsel, or small objects that could be ingested.  Bengals are curious and get "into things". You will learn how much "child-proofing" you might need to do with your drawers and cupboards.