CAT BREED
dear leopard cat
Our guide to cat
You’re all ready to bring your new fur baby home! Here’s a few things you’ll need to consider to help them to settle into your home as quickly as possible. Don’t forget that it will be quite a daunting experience both for kittens and older cats, so the more you can prepare in advance, the better all round
Food/Drink
It’s important that you feed your kitty the same food that’s been used by the breeder or previous owner, as sudden changes in diet can lead to upset tummies. You can change their diet over time if you wish to do so, but this shouldn’t happen until the kitten/cat is completely settled into their new home, and it should take place very gradually. You should add small amounts of the new food into the old, gradually increasing the amount of new and decreasing the old in order to minimise possible problems and allow your kitty’s tummy to adjust.
Always have plenty of fresh water available and don’t be surprised if your Bengal wants to play with it! A lot of cats don’t like to have our water right next to our food so if you can have it in different place (ideally in two or even three places if you have more than one cat), that’s better. A lot of Bengals will enjoy drinking from unusual places such as taps/faucets and even the bath tub or shower when you’re in there! A drinking fountain is ideal if you can accommodate one, the fresh flowing water encourages many cats to drink which is always a good thing.
There’s no need to give your cat/kitten milk if they’re fed a complete, balanced diet. If you want to give it as a treat now and again, make sure you buy the milk that’s been formulated especially for cats/kittens (you’ll find it in pet stores, or in the pet food aisle in the supermarket) – some cats are intolerant of the high levels of lactose which are found in cow’s milk and can get an upset tummy if they drink it.
Toileting
It’s also ideal to use the same kitty litter that your breeder or previous owner used, at least for the first few weeks to minimise the risks of any accidents from happening. If you want to change the litter substance, again do it over time and make gradual changes.
You should expect, however, that your fur baby will be quite daunted by their new surroundings at first so if any accidents do happen do not chastise them or shout at them, this will only stress them more as they won’t understand why this big scary human is being so horrible to them! Just clean the area and perhaps show them the tray if you caught them soon after the act. Never rub their noses in it – this is a barbaric old wives’ tale which is pure animal cruelty and achieves nothing, other than a stressed and frightened cat.
The litter tray should be placed in a quiet location, away from the cat’s food. We are fastidious, and don’t like to eat where we poop! If you have more than one cat, make sure you have enough litter trays – Bengals can be quite fussy about their toileting and may not use a tray that isn’t 100% spotless! You need to scoop out the waste several times a day – this will reduce the risk of your Bengal going to the toilet where they shouldn’t.
Activities
When first bringing your kitten home remember that they think hidey holes are great! It’s good to have hidey holes for them to play in…except for gaps round the washing machine, fridge etc. Have a look around your home, especially the kitchen, and make sure there’s nowhere that tiny paws can get themselves into tricky situations.
When doing your laundry always check and double check that your kitty has not crept into the opening of the washer or dryer when you weren’t looking – make sure they’re not inside before you close the door and switch on the machine, we have heard of tragic instances where kittens/cats have unfortunately been injured or even killed accidentally in this way.
Play with your cat every day. Play with toys, not your hands as you shouldn’t condition your cat to believe your hands and feet are targets. We’ve found that fishing-rod-type toys are a firm favourite for Bengals! These should always be used under supervision and placed safely out of your kitty’s reach when not in use. But try several toys to see which are your cat’s favourite and rotate them to keep it interesting