Bengal X

[rosiew]

I have a 7 month old Bengal cross. She is a beautiful kitten but having said that im sure she is the daughter of Satan. I love her to bits 80% of the time but she is a little swine. I know she is a kitten but iv had 5 cats in my time but never one like this. The main concern is that she bites. She will come up for a cuddle then all of a sudden she will sink her teeth into my arm or depending on where she is, it could be my face or neck. She has ruined most of my furniture and wallpaper as she loves to scratch. Im hoping she will grow out of this. Iv googled this and they suggest toys. Iv got every toy you could think of, iv got scratching posts in all of the rooms and Iv also tried the Fellaway, that was a complete waste of money. She runs around the house at 60 miles an hour. People dont believe me because when my family visit she is quiet as a mouse and doesn't move. Has anyone got any advice. Im desperate

[pastafreak]

I wonder if the surgical suit worked similar to a thunder shirt...used to calm dogs? Google thunder shirt, and see if there is one for cats.
You could also check out the YouTube videos of a guy named Jackson Galaxy...he's a kind of cat whisperer. I used some of his advice to help my very anxious stray Toby to come out of hiding. Well worth investigating.
I do think this is kitten behaviour that will reduce over time.

[pastafreak]

So Douglas, you'd have a baby animal destroyed because it's not living up to your standards of good behaviour?

[douglas9401]

Oh my god, I've been schoolmarmed!

No, I wouldn't have it killed, ground up for food for other animals and the very existence denied forever.

I'd take it to an organisation whose membership comprises masochistic pet owners looking for their next thrill and folk who go off the deep end on the internet.

Good morning, by the way.

[lankeela]

I'm always sad to hear of 'indoor' cats - we inherited a Chinchilla Persian who had been an indoor cat, the door was left open to our garden and he was never an indoor cat ever again. We then inherited a Black Persian from the same relative (her American Cocker Spaniel was trying to mate with them and making their life a misery, first the Chinchilla then when he came to us the Persian) and he also took to the in/out life immediately. Neither ever wandered far from our garden but enjoyed a relatively normal life for a pedigree cat. The woman had bought them all from Harrods pet department! The American Cocker was a total headcase, it would spin in circles and then fly at whoever was nearest with fangs bared.

[pixie374]

I thought Bengals were fairly wild and even Google says they weren't domesticated until the 60s. I can only imagine that, plus keeping her indoors, is a recipe for disaster. Is it possible to let her out?

[burlyshirley]

Can't stand people who NEVER let their cats out. Ridiculous. When I see poor indoor cats sitting in the window looking longingly at the outside world, it make my blood boil !

[pixie374]

Even worse with semi-wild cats. It's not far off trying to keep a small tiger locked in. Cats won't be ready for this for a few thousand years yet.

[rosiew]

Can I just say in my defence. Daisy is an indoor cat because we live near a busy road and I do not want anything happening to her. If I lived in the countryside, yes she would go out, but I don't and the only way to keep her safe is to keep her indoors. My previous cats never went out and 1 lived until she was 18 and the other was 17. My Vet said that it is perfectly fine to keep a cat indoors. What theyve never had they will never miss. Further more in my personal opinion I think it is irresponsible for cat owners to let their cats out when they live on a busy road

[pixie374]

Probably not the best breed to get then. Good luck.

[calmck]

Can you not invest in an enclosed area for her out doors? Some are available on Amazon or have one made to suit your garden

[wolf63]

Rosie, my cats all came from Cat's Protection and were only allowed to come and stay if I agreed to keep them as indoor cats.

I hope that, once she becomes an adult, she settles down. Cats can be a total pain but they can be delightful companions.
:-)

[rosiew]

Burleyshirley. Have you ever seen a cat thats been run over. I would NEVER let that happen to my cat. Its very harsh for you to say that you can't stand owners keeping their cats indoors. Like I said in my previous post, both lived until they were 17 and 18 so I really dont think I did a bad job.

[barry1010]

You mean they didn't even go in the garden? Never climbed a tree, a fence or wall, never stalked a bird or basked in the sunshine?

[AZardoz]

To all the lulu-belles out there - " indoor cat " is an a oxymoron.
Get yourself a hat embroidered with the last 5 letters of the last word in the above sentence.
Uh oh, was that too complicated ?

My boys experienced various environments, far north & south, urban & rural.
Both lived to good ages, 18 (cancer) & 17 (punk with a stick I guess).
Earlier cats also lived long & well. 19 for a female who kept her stupid son in line.
Yeah, he was daft.

[AZardoz]

... & they were all happy.

Not sure about Spook, the dumb son.
He got lost for two weeks one street away.

Chance are we all have a relative like that.

[wolf63]

AZardoz
Spook's long-lost sister used to stay here. The vet described the look on her face as 'vague'. She was short-tempered too (ie vicious and wasn't very lady-like). She used to beat up her brother - just because he existed.

I miss both of them

[pastafreak]

I've lost a cat to the road. Having a knock on your door, only to see your cat in a shoe box is not easily forgotten.
I've had cats that wouldn't go out...opening the door to the outside resulted in them shooting upstairs or into another room..
My previous cat to the 2 current ones was deaf...I took him because I wanted an indoor cat. I live in an upper floor flat...I'd want my cat indoors...safe...at night. I am at the age where calling my cat in at some late hour is not on the cards. So the 2 that I have now stay indoors. If anyone thinks that's horrible...tough.

Rosie...google "catio"...that might be a solution...or train her...gradually...with a harness and take her out exploring. Not as daft as it sounds. As she's a kitten she may take to it quickly.