Decided on Bengal, please read and help :)

jericho 2550

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I would like to thank everyone here who has been so helpful, I have decided to get a Bengal male kitten, I found a breeder who is a little over 2 hours away from me, I prefer my kitten not be shipped, it's more exciting that I actually go and pick him up, now the kitten is a few days old, and I won't be able to take him home for another 2 and a half months or so, but after 2 weeks, I'm gonna go and see him, the breeder is such a nice lady, and she said she doesn't mind me coming to see him when I want. She will also work with me from now, until I can take him home, she'll make the product recommendations and everything I'll need, basically I want my home to be prepared for when he arrives. She also offered to get her vet to neuter him if I wanted, I'm thinking to myself that she would do a much better job handling his recovery than I would since this is my first cat. What do you all think?

Also, when I do go, what should I make sure of, I would like to go there with a check list in my head so can you help me out?
 

clairebear

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Congrats on your new baby. It sounds like you've found a good breeder, she really seems like she cares about her animals. As for the neutering personally I always wait until the kitten is a bit older, I don't think it's right to put them through that at such a young age unless it's absoultely necessary. Neutering isn't a big deal really, you should be able to handle it fine on your own.

Make sure you get lots of pics when you go see him. I'm sure everyone here would like to see!
 

satai

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The recovery isn't a big deal, I wouldn't worry about that. Nonetheless, getting the kitten neuter before you get him can be helpful. When would she normally neuter?

Bear in mind that it might be as much for her own reasurance - ethical breeders don't want to take the risk that their babies are being used in BYB.
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by Jericho 2550

I would like to thank everyone here who has been so helpful, I have decided to get a Bengal male kitten, I found a breeder who is a little over 2 hours away from me, I prefer my kitten not be shipped, it's more exciting that I actually go and pick him up, now the kitten is a few days old, and I won't be able to take him home for another 2 and a half months or so, but after 2 weeks, I'm gonna go and see him, the breeder is such a nice lady, and she said she doesn't mind me coming to see him when I want. She will also work with me from now, until I can take him home, she'll make the product recommendations and everything I'll need, basically I want my home to be prepared for when he arrives. She also offered to get her vet to neuter him if I wanted, I'm thinking to myself that she would do a much better job handling his recovery than I would since this is my first cat. What do you all think?

Also, when I do go, what should I make sure of, I would like to go there with a check list in my head so can you help me out?
Yes, it sounds like you have a professional breeder. I would not have realized this until I had already bought my kitten at age 7 weeks and brought him home and then in a couple days found TCS which told me only an unscrupolus breeder would do such a thing. Thankfully, he has turned into a pretty darn good cat, but the odds were against him being so young when taken away. CONGRATULATIONS!
 

starryeyedtiger

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When you go to visit your new kitten, there are a few things you want to check for


first off, if the breeder is willing to have him neutered before you get him- definitely go ahead and let her do that - also, make sure that he gets his shots around the same time (he may need several sets).

you also want to make sure that his medicial records show that he's been dewormed and tested negative for Feline Leukemia and Feline Aids (if he's comming from a reputable breeder- he should be negative on the later two
)

when you go to see him- look at his coat- is it soft and smooth? no bald spots or flaking? / check his teeth- are they comming in nicely (he'll loose his kitten teeth between 4-6+ months- it varies depending on the kitty).Are his eyes clean and bright? No watery eyes or visible sign of infection? / What about his ears? Are they clean? Or do you see little black specks in them (which could just be wax or even ear mites?) Things along that line. I highly recommend reading "Cats for Dummies" - it is an excellent guide that has numerous suggestions and ideas (and can be very helpfull for a first time cat owner
) It also has a check list in it in which it tells you what to look for when bring a new kitty home for the first time as well as advice on kitten- proofing your home, and numerous other things
Good luck sweetie- i hope all goes well. / Also, be sure to ask your breeder when it comes closer time to adopt him, what kind of schedule he's on as far as food and grooming goes- so that you can stick to that a while when you bring him home and help him transition to his new environment smoothly.
 

missymotus

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Originally Posted by Jericho 2550

She also offered to get her vet to neuter him if I wanted, I'm thinking to myself that she would do a much better job handling his recovery than I would since this is my first cat. What do you all think?
I think that's a great idea, that way you don't have to worry about it. Kittens recover much faster too, 5 of mine were done at 12 weeks and acted like nothing had happened to them.

Sounds like you found a good breeder. Congrats
 
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jericho 2550

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

When you go to visit your new kitten, there are a few things you want to check for


first off, if the breeder is willing to have him neutered before you get him- definitely go ahead and let her do that - also, make sure that he gets his shots around the same time (he may need several sets).

you also want to make sure that his medicial records show that he's been dewormed and tested negative for Feline Leukemia and Feline Aids (if he's comming from a reputable breeder- he should be negative on the later two
)

when you go to see him- look at his coat- is it soft and smooth? no bald spots or flaking? / check his teeth- are they comming in nicely (he'll loose his kitten teeth between 4-6+ months- it varies depending on the kitty).Are his eyes clean and bright? No watery eyes or visible sign of infection? / What about his ears? Are they clean? Or do you see little black specks in them (which could just be wax or even ear mites?) Things along that line. I highly recommend reading "Cats for Dummies" - it is an excellent guide that has numerous suggestions and ideas (and can be very helpfull for a first time cat owner
) It also has a check list in it in which it tells you what to look for when bring a new kitty home for the first time as well as advice on kitten- proofing your home, and numerous other things
Good luck sweetie- i hope all goes well. / Also, be sure to ask your breeder when it comes closer time to adopt him, what kind of schedule he's on as far as food and grooming goes- so that you can stick to that a while when you bring him home and help him transition to his new environment smoothly.
thank you! I do have Cats for Dummies and have read it cover to cover
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by Jericho 2550

thank you! I do have Cats for Dummies and have read it cover to cover
No problem! That's wonderful that you've done your research- you are going to give some kitty a very wonderful home
/ Isn't that book wonderful? I use it as a reference occassionally, and I always recommend it to new adoptees that come into the shelter I volunteer for
If you have any more questions ,just ask away and we will all try to help you.
 
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jericho 2550

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

No problem! That's wonderful that you've done your research- you are going to give some kitty a very wonderful home
/ Isn't that book wonderful? I use it as a reference occassionally, and I always recommend it to new adoptees that come into the shelter I volunteer for
If you have any more questions ,just ask away and we will all try to help you.
it is a great book, something to always refer back to, there's actually this beautiful picture in it that drew me to the Bengal, I saw the picture and thought "noway, this cat looks like something unaffordable and too exotic" but then I researched the cat, and wow, it turns out it's perfect for me!

but I would like to ask all the Bengal owners here, it is said that they are "very vocal". how loud can they get? can their sound go through dry walls?
 

hopehacker

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As the mother of two Bengal's, I'll just make one suggestion to you, since everyone else has given you great tips. Don't expect the kitten to look really beautiful yet, because baby Bengal's go through a stage called the fuzzy uglies, so the kitten's coat may look kind of dull, and there won't be a lot of contrast with the spots. That will all go away, but Bengal's do look kind of fuzzy when up until they're about 3 months old or so. By about the time you get him, he should look beautiful, although my Simba was kind of fuzzy up until 4 months.
 

lovemybabies

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Perhaps I'm biased, but I think a bengal is a wonderful choice! We have two 8mo old bengal kittens so if you ever have any questions, feel free to PM me!
 
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