A snow-spotted Bengal kitten, 9 months old. At this age, the striking markings are not fully developed and the kittens go through a phase that breeders call "the fuzzies". (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As a future pet owner, you would have to be knowledgeable about the creatures that you would be buying. Keep in mind that the moment you pay for them, they are already your responsibility from that point onwards. You are the one who is going to bury them if ever they die in your care and that is it.
Their diet has to be the one that is prescribed by a licensed vet. Be reminded that you have Bengal kittens and not fellow humans. Since you have decided to let them enter in your life, then you must have included into your budget the fact that they will be eating a different kind of food compared to yours.
If you think that the water faucet is not safe to drink, then do something about that. You can either change your water provider or buy a mini purifier. In that case, you will also be able to benefit from the clean water that will come out of that machine. You just have to make a little investment in here and that will be it.
If you have found the perfect sealed litter box, then buy it. Never forget that the cleanliness of your home is still important. If you will no longer pay attention to that, then you can never have those house parties anymore. You will also start to smell like animal waste and that can never be a good thing since you go to work.
You will have to know more about grooming. Be reminded that your kittens must not look like they do not have an owner in front of your friends. You will have to make them presentable as much as you can. If not, then their dirty appearance will reflect in your personality and that cannot work in your best interest.
Have some play time with your pets. They may not be as interactive as a dog but then, you still have to show to them that you love them. When that happens, then all of you would be able to live in harmony. You would not have to worry about their dirt since they would follow all of your orders.
Have a resident vet as much as possible. If this person is your friend at the same time, then you have the perfect situation right there. You can even get a discount for your yearly checkups. When that takes place, then you can have more money that you can spend on the other things that your pets need.
Learn to enjoy what you got. Include them in your daily routine since you are the one who asked for this. Let go of your solitary attitude and welcome the warm change of having a pet around in your humble abode.
Overall, be excellent with this new stage in your life. It will not be easy but you will have to adapt. If not, then your felines will suffer.
About the Author: Bernadette Martin
To find home-raised Bengal kittens for sale Florida cat lovers should take a look at the online gallery. The web page you should review is right here at http://leopardkindbengals.com.
Bengals come in many different colors. The three basic breed accepted colors are brown, snow, and silver. Fortunately, the Bengal's color genetics are not too complex, and a breeder who knows with certainty their cats' colors, both dominant and recessive, can predict the possible outcome of an upcoming litter. UC Davis has a simple process for genetic color testing, and if a breeder has any doubt regarding color, or wants to be aware of recessive genes, it is best to have a color test done.
Brown Bengals
While there are no official subcategories of the brown Bengal, the brown coat has the widest variety of shades. Think of the color brown on a spectrum with grey at the coolest end and orange at the hottest end. A Bengal's coat can fall anywhere within that spectrum, and as long as it has a black tail tip*, it is considered a brown. Even though we don't officially break down the Browns, Bengal breeders have many terms we use to discuss the different colors of brown.
At the coolest end of the color, the spectrum is the color charcoal. Charcoals have essentially a grey coat with jet black markings. This distinct contrast makes the charcoals attractive cats. Ultimately, Bengal breeders would like all of their cats to have black on their face like the charcoal cats. However, we haven't been able to get the black of a charcoal to directly transfer onto a brown at the warmer end of the brown color spectrum.
After charcoals, we have cool browns - cats that aren't exactly charcoal but are still very cool in coloring. I've worked a lot with these shades of cats because I often find their structure to be wilder than the hotter colored cats. While certainly, the skeletal genes and the color genes are not attached, it is interesting to observe how some traits frequently show up together.
Adding more and more warmth to the coat, we will get cats with tawny or yellowish tones. I really like this coloring on cats. It seems as if this color grouping could be influenced by the snow gene as many, but not all, of the cats with this middle brown shade - not too hot, not too cold - carry for the snow gene.
What I deem to be the ideal brown is a step above tawny, but definitely not highly refused orange. This is the color of many ALCs. I love this color because it provides depth on the finished cat. The struggle is obtaining it with black and white on the coat as well. In my perfect world, that would happen overnight, but it doesn't.
The brown spectrum ends with highly refused, almost orange cats. These hot colored cats are ideal for many people. The struggle for the breeders is to keep the contrast on the hot cats. Often their pattern becomes less defined with age as the colors blend together. As a personal observation, I have found many of the highly refused cats to be more domestic in their skeletal structure than their cooler litter mates.
One would think you could take an orange cat, breed it to a charcoal, and end up with the perfect cat - a warm base coat with black spotting. Let me tell you, this has been done time and time again, and the result is not instant. Breeding takes time and patients. Starting at one end of the spectrum and gradually trying to bring together black, white, and a warm brown base coat is a painfully slow process.
* Read the Dilute section for an explanation as to why the Browns must have a black tail tip.
Snow Bengals
The snow colors were introduced through domestic cats Siamese and Burmese; however, they were accepted as a registered color, so that breeders could produce a duplicate of the snow leopard. While many breeders can guess a snow color, the most accurate way to determine the color is through genetic color testing.
Seal Lynx
The Seal Lynx color comes from an outcross to Siamese. Lynx kittens are usually born completely white and their pattern emerges with age. While the Lynx can often be thought of as the snow with the least amount of contrast, this is not always the case. The Seal Lynx is the only Bengal with blue eyes. The color on the points of the Bengal (like the Siamese pattern) is considered undesirable in the Bengal Standard.
Seal Mink
The Seal Mink coloring occurs when the kitten has one Seal Lynx gene and one Seal Sepia gene. Think of the mink as the pink petunia - with one red gene and one white gene. Minks are born with a visible pattern. While their eyes are usually an aqua green, they can be gold. Eye color should not be used to determine coat color. Since a Mink must have both the Lynx and the Sepia gene, a brown cat cannot carry for the Mink gene. If you are told that a brown carries for Mink, you are dealing with a person who does not have a clear understanding of snow genetics.
Seal Sepia
The Seal Sepia color comes from an outcross to Burmese. Seal Sepia kittens are born with a visible pattern, and their eyes can range from green to gold. While they were originally thought to have the best contrast, all of the snows, if bred well, can result in good contrast. I prefer Seal Sepias over Mink and Lynx; however, my preference isn't due to the color itself. The Burmese have a smaller, rounder ear which is more desirable in the Bengal standard; whereas, the Siamese, which gave us the Lynx, has a larger, triangular ear. Those structural influences still exist in the breed even though we haven't outcrossed to these cats for years.
Silver Bengals
The most recently accepted color in the Bengal Breed is Silver. Silver was introduced to the breed by outcrossing to the American Short Hair. Much controversy surrounded the inclusion of silver as an acceptable color as it does not occur in any wild cat species. However, the popularity among breeders and pet buyers ultimately resulted in the inclusion of the silver color. The Silver Bengal has a silver to almost white base coat with black markings. Silvers can have what breeders refer to as tarnish - brown tips on their silver coat. Tarnish is not desirable in the color.
Nonstandard colors
Bengals do come in a few more colors; however, they do not meet the breed standard. There is certainly nothing wrong with these cats; however, they cannot be shown as a standard Bengal.
Melanistic
Melanism occurs naturally in the wild - the South American Panther is simply a melanistic form of the Jaguar; therefore, it occurs in the Bengal breed as well. It is recessive, so both parents must carry the gene to get a melanistic kitten. The kittens are still patterned - hold them up to the light and you can see black on black spots. If bred, all offspring of a Melanistic cat will carry for melanism, but they will only produce melanistic cats when bred to another cat that either is melanistic or carries for melanism.
The Dilutes
Each color gene has a dilute form. One can tell a dilute Bengal as it will have an absence of black. All standard colored Bengals, Browns, Snows, and Silvers should have a black tail tip. If the tail tip is not black, the kitten is a dilute color. Dilute is a recessive gene; therefore, both parents must carry it in order to get a dilute kitten. If bred, all offspring of a dilute cat will carry for the dilute color, but they will only produce dilute cats when bred to another cat that either is dilute or carries for a dilute.
The dilute colors
Blue is dilute of black - the most commonly occurring dilute in Bengals.
Cinnamon and Chocolate are dilute of brown. While I have seen Cinnamon Bengals, I have not seen or heard of Chocolate Bengals.
Lilac and Fawn are also dilutions of color genes; however, they are much more involved than a simple recessive. I have not heard of Bengals appearing with these dilutions.
Robyn Wanner has a small, select Bengal Cattery on a ranch in California. More information about these beautiful, unique cats can be found at http://www.solanaranchbengals.com. Come on by, take a look, and spot the difference at Solana Ranch.
If a cat that appears as though it has walked straight out of the wilderness and into civilization is what you want, then the Bengal cat fills that order. The Bengal cat is a hybrid breed produced by crossing the domestic cat with an Asian Leopard cat. The desire of such cross breeding is to produce a cat that looks wild but has the temperament of a domestic cat.
The most distinct feature of the Bengal cat is its extremely soft, thick, and uniquely patterned coat. There are two distinct patterns recognized within the Bengal cat breed. Those are spotted and marbleized. The spotted coat is closest to its leopard ancestor, featuring leopard spots in varying shades of brown, rust, orange, sand, black, and gray. The marbleized coat is produced from the mixing of the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic tabby to produce splotches that look more like marble. In either case, the Bengal cat has a look that is both strikingly beautiful and wild.
Other than the coat, another distinguishing feature that sets it apart from other cats is its muscular body, more prominent in males than females. Bengal cats are very athletic, sleek, and muscular.
Temperament
The Bengal cat loves to be part of the family. They love to interact and play. This is not to say they will not seek out a soft chair or lap in which to lie for a nap, but for the majority of the day they are very active cats. Being a high energy cat, they are not for someone looking for a docile animal to lounge around the house and look pretty.
The exotic heritage of this cat makes it unique both in look and personality. Even though it takes five generations of Bengal-to-Bengal breeding to produce a line recognized as a Bengal cat, these felines have a wild ancestral heritage and some of those instincts can still be seen in late generations through their extreme intelligence, high energy, and innate curiosity. This is a cat that loves to play and will demand interaction with their owners but in a way that is most pleasant. Some Bengals can even be trained to walk on a leash and play fetch. It's also reported by some owners that their Bengals love water and will shower with them.
Due to the wild ancestral line of the Bengal, careful selective breeding practices are implemented by high quality Bengal cat breeders to ensure that the docile temperament of the domesticated ancestors is dominant.
Common Medical Problems
As with any breed of cat or dog, certain medical problems seem to be more commonplace than others. For the Bengal, the most common health problems seen by veterinarians are as follows:
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - This problem eventually causes blindness. There is no way to screen for this problem, so there is no way for a breeder to tell if a kitten will have problems later on.
Cataracts - Thickening and clouding of the eye lens, causing loss of vision over a period of time and eventual blindness. This problem can be reversed since cataract surgery is available for cats.
Cardiomyopathy - This covers both thickening of the heart muscles and thinning of the heart muscles, both causing very poor circulation. Cats stricken with this condition can appear healthy for a very long time and then suddenly appear very ill.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease - This is a condition in which an infection is present within the digestive tract. The symptoms of this condition are typically vomiting and diarrhea. Any Bengal showing symptoms should be taken to the veterinarian immediately to avoid dehydration.
Food Poisoning - Bengals have especially sensitive stomachs. For this reason, their diets should be carefully monitored and table scraps should never be on the menu.
One medical problem you'll never have to worry about with the Bengal cat and possibly their most fascinating feature is they possess an apparent immunity to feline leukemia. This is an inherited trait that the Bengal cat received from its ancestor the Asian Leopard cat.
Bengal cats are one of the most interesting breeds in existence today. From their wild markings to their playful and loving demeanor, Bengal's are an absolute joy to have around the house, especially in a household with children. If a cat who acts more like a family member is desired, the Bengal cat is a great choice.
Velita Livingston is the founder of the Cat Lover's Diary blob which provides rich content with great advice on cat care tips and cat training, teaching pet owners how to protect, pamper and live peacefully with their pets. Visit the http://www.catloversdiary.com to watch the Cat Lover's Diary Movie, it contains breathtaking images and heartwarming quotes... It will uplift and inspire you! You can also visit the Cat Lover's Diary on Facebook and Twitter.
Cats are truly mesmerizing creatures. They actually provide us beneficial things such as being stress relievers and anxiety helpers. People who are cat lovers are definitely thrilled when they get to see even these cats on the street which some of them may actually adopt.
Numerous folks in the city are entirely fascinated with these little beings because of their remarkable characteristics. If you desire to own Bengal kittens (Florida) then all you need to do is just to witness rightful stances of motion with such measure. There are definitely plenty of breeders (in Miami, FL ) and you have to be extra careful with your choice.
A snow-spotted Bengal kitten, 9 months old. At this age, the striking markings are not fully developed and the kittens go through a phase that breeders call "the fuzzies". (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Before purchasing these kittens, there is actually a single rule you must follow. When taking your aim on such matter, be evidently accurate in being responsible enough for your dearest pet. These cats are actually just the same as other breeds wherein they need you, as their parent, to take care of them sensibly.
There are actually several things you have to take in when it comes to your responsibility in taking care of them. One is through providing your dearest creatures with healthy food and clean water every day. You must also be accurate in bringing him to the vet for checkups. Do not forget that you must get ready with your budget to buy those necessary materials you must link in as needs of your dearest kitten.
Getting all set with your budget must be focused as well. Cash is ultimately needed since you actually need to pay for it in buying the kitten. Saving up some money days before your planned purchasing date must be minded accurately. It can completely help you witness proper action since you actually need to purchase his other stuff.
When buying these kittens, breeders actually may reflect the entire reality of the cat. When talking about such matter, it is tremendously crucial for to set your eyes through interviewing each of these breeders to see of who among them can rightly be catered with your trust. You have to be enormously careful with this part so you can completely find satisfaction with your aim.
Take your way on their background first. Knowing how these breeders are incorporating their views on building this business should entirely be focused rightly. Knowing them can greatly help you elevate worthy answers you will certainly need for your purchase. A trustworthy breeder is what you commonly need in here.
Licensing is absolutely important with this part. If you will get to take your way of these documents, you have to be exceedingly keen with such measure since trust can greatly be perceived with such part. Going over your queries with such settlement must be done accurately to ensure that what you will be facing is a breeder who is ultimately trustworthy.
An inspection should be fully set. When talking about such concern, it is tremendously crucial to make your way in viewing the entire reality inside the area of the breeder where he puts in the kittens. You have to be assured that you are rightly provided with what you are paying for. Secluding the health of their kittens must be perceived clearly.
About the Author: Timothy Davis
When you are looking for information about Bengal kittens Florida natives can pay a visit to the web pages online here today. Additional details are available at http://www.gulfbeachbengals.com now.
Toby entered my life aged 14 weeks and he proved to be an extremely strong character. I have owned cats of different breeds for many years but never one quite like Toby. He is very demanding and as a kitten would regularly grab hold of the legs of anyone from whom he wanted attention. If he was feeling ignored he would lie in wait and literally ambush anyone who passed by, grabbing them and hauling himself up their legs. Fortunately he usually did this to males who were normally wearing trousers!
He was always fascinated by water and liked nothing more than to sit on the side of our bath dipping his paws into the water and flicking it over himself. He fell into the bath on more than one occasion and there was much splashing and scrabbling of claws against the side of the bath. Of course he then had to be thoroughly dried which took some time. This meant end of bathtime for the poor person whose bath he had infiltrated.
He never quite understood the shower though. Perhaps it was because we always ensured that the cubicle was firmly closed. He would sit outside and stare longingly at the cascading water and the instant the door was opened he dived in and managed to get his paws as wet as possible.
Toby’s love of water meant that he enjoyed the hosepipe immensely. He would watch the water shoot out of the end and keeping just out of the reach of the spray, pat at the few droplets that landed by him On one occasion he stopped looking at the water coming our of the hose and walked the length of it to where it was attached to the outside tap. He sat and stared at the tap mewing very loudly.
One day when he was ten months old he was hit by a car and badly injured. We were sure he would not survive but our wonderful vet pinned his shattered pelvis together and after a couple of months, while not quite as good as new, and with a slightly odd gait, he was back to his mischievous ways.
When we moved to a property that had been empty for some while we found that the lavatory was blocked. I lifted the inspection plate to see what was there. What I thought I would see apart from the obvious I cannot imagine. But lift the lid I did and who should join me but Toby. He stood beside me as I looked gloomily at the mess. He peered into the unpleasant gaping maw of the drain hole and slipped straight in.
I has to haul him out and as I lifted him from the stinking vile brown mess of God knows how many bowel evacuations. I put him in the back and hosed him off trying at the same time to remove my clothing which Toby had managed to cover with a layer of vile brown slime. I admit to being helpless with laughter as I attempted to clean us both up and I have never attempted to lift a sewer inspection plate again.
Nowadays Toby is a little more sedate and his main interest in life is the loft and the ladder which leads to it. He sits and mews longingly at the loft hatch until someone takes pity on him and hauls down the ladder and takes into the roof for a good wander round.
About the Author: Susan James
I have owned, bred and shown cats and dogs. I have a keen interest in the welfare of all animals http://www.prettyposhpets.co.uk
