Appealing to the Heart of a Hunter

Is you Bengal Cat a Natural Predator
Leap into the Fascinating World of the Bengal Cat Hunter

Just like their wildcat ancestor's, your bengal cat is a hunting machine. Although your bengal isn't relying on the hunt for survival, this instinct is still present in your bengal cat.

In this article, I would like to talk about what makes your bengal cat such a great hunter and how can we satisfy you Bengal Cats Predatory hunting skills indoors.

Bengal Cats are well known for their physical traits that make them excellent hunters. Their impressive list of skills include,superior sense of smell, hearing and sight. It is hard to beat their speed and leaping/pouncing range. Bengals are also considered the second smartest cat breed. Lastly, the bengal has the personality including precision, speed and patience that are needed to catch prey.

For more facts regarding the traits above. please go to

Is your Bengal Cat a Superhero

At Beautiful Bengals we do not allow any of our Bengals cats to roam freely outside. It is also in my contract that prospective clients will not let their Bengal kitten roam freely. It is up to us to provide your Bengal Cat/Kitten with an environment that is enriched and feeds all of their senses; sight, touch, smell and taste.
Here are some ideas on how we are going to make this happen in your home.

Appealing to the Heart of a Hunter while keeping your
Bengal Cat Safe Indoors.

Make Playtime a daily routine for you and your Bengal cat.

Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP (Feline), a board-certified feline medicine specialist who is a consultant for veterinarians on the Veterinary Information Network, recommends that pet owners play with their cats for at least five minutes twice a day, morning and evening. Your bengal will let you know what time they want to play. All you have to do is show up and interact.

Cat toys do not need to be expensive. Some inexpensive ideas for toys that cats typically love to play with include: hair ties or scrunchies,ping pong balls, feathers, plastic springs, cardboard boxes and tissue paper, crinkle mylar balls, rabbit hair mice, collapsible tunnels,Paper bags, catnip mice, the worm, feather wands,crumpled paper or foil, etc.

Look for ones that mimic hunting behavior —stalking, chasing, pouncing, biting. Predatory Toys are a big hit and they love the chase. These toys are great because you can make the lure move like birds, mice or other types of prey. Depending upon your kitten/cats skill level you can make the toy an easy catch or challenging. Cats have their own preferences, some like the challenge of wild flight mimicking a bird, while others like a toy that scuttled on the ground mimicking a mouse.

Some ideas for predatory toys include: A Child's' Fishing pole with a feather or da bird on the end of it or Long feather wand, With these toys it is important to keep the lure on the ground and relatively still for a while, then make it twitch or skitter before the toy ‘tries to escape’ with a sudden leap or dash.

Food dispensing toys and cat puzzles appeal to your hunter. Bengal cats thrive on mental stimulation and enjoy puzzle toys and interactive games that challenge their problem-solving skills. These toys force cats to use their brains and bodies in ways that mimic predatory behavior.

Another toys that stimulates the hunter is the squeak n play mouse with catnip. Another home favorite is the SmartyKat Hot Pursuit Electronic Motion Cat Toy. This toy mimics the motion of hidden prey and can be set at different speeds depending upon skill level. The snake cat toy and floppy fish also are great at engaging your cats mind.

We rotate toys out every couple of day so there is always a different stimulation available

I spy with my little eyes.

Cats love to sit in front of a window that has a lot of activity with birds, squirrels or other outdoor critters. Invest in a nice window seating with perches. ledges or benches. You might initially need to attract birds with feeds. For all of my Audubon Society friends, the birds are completely safe and out of harm's' way. We have a sun room with lots of activity outside with windows and my bengals love it. A safe way to give you cat some outdoor environment time is by building an enclosure called a catio. Once built you can enrich this area with cat trees, toys and other sources of enrichment. Make sure you occasionally check the structure for safety.

Leash Train your Bengal Cat to get them outside safely.

Many cats enjoy watching birds and squirrels with cat TV.

My final thought is your bengal will love watching fish in an aquarium. My only problem has been that they love water too and are not afraid to jump into the tank after them. Water is no obstacle for your Bengal Cat.

Up High and Happy

Your Jungle cat loves to survey their kingdom from a high perspective. According to Marci Koski, a wildlife biologist and certified feline behavior specialist. “They evolved in areas where they took advantage of trees and rocks and being up high so that they could feel safe and also see where their prey were,” For this reason, it is important to give your cat a place to hide and survey the area. A Cat tree or ledges is essential.

Safe Cat Scratching

Cat Scratching is a normal cat behavior passed down from their ancestors. Scratching is an instinctual behavior built into their DNA. Your Bengal Cat doesn't simply like to scratch; they need to scratch. It is a means of communication as well as a way to groom their nails. According to Dutch.com their are 3 main reasons why cats scratch.

1. The most common reason why cats scratch is to keep their nails groomed and in top condition. Your Bengal cat is a meticulous groomer and their nails are no exception. Scratching promotes nail health. Your cat’s claws regularly become frayed and scratching pulls off the outer nail husk and exposes a sharp, smooth, healthier claw.

The second reason why cats scratch is to mark their territory. Cats have tiny glands on all four feet called Interdigital glands. These glands release pheromones that give off a strong scent when the paw is stretched and the claws are extended. When a cat scratches they deposit pheromones onto the object they’re scratching.

Pheromone Gland locations on a Cat

The third reason why cats scratch is Stretch and Exercise . Most cats prefer to stretch standing on their hind legs. This is a satisfying way for your cat to tone the muscles in their feet as well as their Legs, back and shoulder muscles. This cat prefers Vertical scratching that is easy to mimic with a tall cat tree or small rope scratching post. Other cats prefer to scratch with their legs on the ground. These cats prefer a horizontal scratching surface. Some of the more popular horizontal scratching aids tend to be made of corrugated cardboard imbedded with catnip.

It is important to identify your cat's scratching preferences and provide items that match their preference.

The Great Outdoors.

One last Caveat and I cannot stress this enough; it is dangerous for your cat to roam freely outside. Many of my bengal kitten clients harness train their kitten allowing them to experience the pleasure of rolling in the grass or chasing a bug under supervision. I am a big advocate for catios that allow your bengal cat to experience nature.

What is My Bengal Cat Missing out on by Staying inside

Fights with other animals causing serious injury or rabies. * Attacks by other animals. * Infections from puncture wounds and scratches* Fleas, ticks, and worms* Being shot at, poisoned, or tortured* Exposure to feline leukemia * Being stolen for reasons that often end in death * Being hit by a cat and killed or seriously injured* Getting lost or trapped and turned into a shelter or relocated* Getting caught in steel-jaw trap * Encounting sick or rabid raccoons and skunks * Encountering coyotes, large owls & other wild animals.

Beautiful Bengals The Wild Wild West "Stetson"

According to TICA, The average cat lifespan of an indoor Bengal cat is between 12-20 years. The Guiness book of world records has the oldest cat on record, adorably named Creme Puff, lived to be a whopping 38 years old.

Unfortunately, an outdoor cats life expectancy is at best half the lifespan of an indoor cat. My last google search on life expectancy of an outdoor cat sadly revealed 2-5 years.

Lets protect our beloved Bengals and keep them out of harm's way.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article. If you have any additional comments, please email your thoughts to me. I would love to hear from you.

Reference sources for this article include: Cornell Feline Health Center, TICA and Purrfectlove/2017/scent glands on a cat.