Are sniffles common in Bengals?

Before we adopted Speck, we had planned to get a Bengal. When DH and I went to the breeder's house, we noticed that all the kittens had the sniffles. The breeder told us that Bengals are prone to colds, etc. because they like to play in the water and it gets in their noses. I knew most of them like to play in the water, but had never heard that it could make them sick. What do you think?

No In my limited knowledge they are not more likely to get sniffles... URI s are common in Many kittens and would be easily transmitted in the cattery enviornment

That's nonsense. Bengals are no more prone to URI's (sniffles) than any other breed of cats.
Kittens can and do get URI's in cattery situations. If one kitten gets sick, they all tend to get sick. This is a fact among all breeds.

Bengals as a breed are robust and actually less inclined to be sick than other breeds due to their wild ALC heritage.

That said, URI's are common among young kittens, but should resolve quickly in an otherwise healthy litter, with or without medication.

Originally Posted by Kai Bengals

That's nonsense. Bengals are no more prone to URI's (sniffles) than any other breed of cats.
Kittens can and do get URI's in cattery situations. If one kitten gets sick, they all tend to get sick. This is a fact among all breeds.

Bengals as a breed are robust and actually less inclined to be sick than other breeds due to their wild ALC heritage.

That said, URI's are common among young kittens, but should resolve quickly in an otherwise healthy litter, with or without medication.

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Nonsense though it may be, her statement was one of the main deciding factors in our decision. I had researched Bengals for months and had never came across anything about water causing respiratory problems. I had even spoken with a man who had taken his Bengal back to its breeder (not the Bengal's fault at all; the man simply was more comfortable with "big cats"...he had a liger before the exotic animal ban in our county.) My mind was made up and I was ready to buy.

DH and I had some minor disagreements as to color choice, but I would have easily given in on that. The breeder should have told us the truth (unless she thought she was telling us the truth). She missed out on a sale and her kitten missed out on a great home. (Because unfortunately purebred animals don't always get the good life they deserve, either.)

It all worked out for the best, though. Speck (DSH) was saved from an uncertain fate at a high-kill shelter and now lives the life of a king. He probably can't remember what it feels like to be lacking in food, shelter, vet care or attention. We're planning to build a sunroom, mostly because Speck likes to look out the window. He's a little spoiled...

If I ever can get DH on board with the idea of another kitten, it will probably be a Bengal...or a Savannah.

Sorry this is so long. Thanks to all for your expert information. You've been very helpful and I do appreciate it. (I love TCS...there's always someone who can answer your questions, no matter how obsure.)