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Frequently Asked Questions:
Bengals, Maus, and General Info
(Click Here for
Savannah Breed FAQ)
Do Bengals get as large as my dog?
We get asked this question a lot. The answer is NO.
Bengals are derived from the Asian Leopard Cat, which
is a very small (domestic cat sized) forest dwelling
cat. (Go to the Bengal
breed info page for more detailed info on the
history of the breed.) People confuse the small Asian
Leopard cat with the large African Leopard, and expect
a Bengal to be very large as a result. This is not the
case. Bengals are like any other domestic cat. The average
size for a female Bengal is around 8-10 lbs and a male
can average somewhere between 12-16 lbs.
What do Bengals/Maus/Savannahs eat?
Bengals, Maus, and Savannahs are the same as any other
domestic cat. They eat domestic cat food, dry, canned,
or even a raw diet. They do not require any specialized
diet, just a regular domestic cat diet. We feed all
of our adult breeding cats a properly balanced raw meat
diet. However, we realize that not everyone wants to
deal with the work and mess of a raw meat diet, so all
of our kittens are raised on premium canned and dry
cat foods only so that their new owner can keep them
on a regular cat diet if they choose. Please visit our
LINKS page under the
Nutrition/Supplement section to see a list of premium
foods we recommend.
Do Bengals/Maus require any special health care?
No. Bengals and Maus are cared for the same as any other
breed of domestic cat.
Is it true that Bengals like water?
Yes, a lot of Bengals do like to splash around in the
water. This includes your toilet bowl! They often will
dunk their toys in the water bowls, splash around in
their water bowl until they dump it over, things of
this nature. Some will sit on the edge of the bathtub
while you take a bath and might try to splash the water
a little bit with their paw. Or likewise when you are
in the shower. The sound of running water seems to attract
Bengals! Playing in water and being given a bath are
two different things to a Bengal though.
Can Bengals be leash trained?
Yes, if you start working with them at a young age,
and do it on a regular basis, they will walk great on
a leash. We recommend that you use an extra small roman
style dog harness instead of just a collar, as they
can slip their heads out of a collar if something really
frightened them. A harness is much harder to get out
of.
Are two Bengal/Mau/Savannah kittens better than
one?
Yes, most definitely. All three of these cat breeds
are very active cats, and they do well to have a playmate
to help burn off all that extra energy. This is especially
something to consider if you work all day long, and
the kitten will be left alone at home a lot. Even if
you can't afford a second Bengal, Mau, or Savannah,
any other kind of cat or even a dog that can be a playmate
with your pedigreed cat will be good for them.
Do Bengals, Maus, and Savannah get along with other
pets?
Yes, in most cases these breeds will get along with
other cats and dogs, as long as care and patience is
exercised when first introducing them. First introductions
should be done slowly to ensure they do start off on
the right foot. Usually it is the resident pets that
are reluctant to let the new kitty into the household,
they experience some jealousy of the new comer. Once
they get used to each other, they can be lifelong companions.
Supervision and care should be taken with smaller pets
such as birds, ferrets, small reptiles, and rodents,
around Bengals and Savannahs.
Are Bengals, Egyptian Maus, and Savannahs compatible?
We are asked this a lot because we offer all of these
breeds. Yes, they are compatible as all three breeds
are very active. We find that the breeds are very similar.
Maus are active, with Bengals just a notch more active,
and Savannahs just another notch more active than the
Bengal. But they can all get along. We have all three
breeds living together here without any problems. This
similarity in the breeds may be because in the beginning
of the Bengal and Savannah breeds, Egyptian Maus were
used as a foundation to start the Bengal and Savannah
breeds, and it is likely they have retained some of
the Maul's personality traits and intelligence.
Which make better pets, Male or Female?
A lot of people ask us this. Each cat is an individual,
so it's very hard to answer this question. We don't
see that it makes any difference in one gender being
a better pet when they are spayed and neutered. Females
and males can both have undesirable behaviors for a
pet if they are not spayed and neutered. We have males
and females here that are all very affectionate and
loving to us. We make it a point to breed for excellent
temperaments in our kittens, so either gender will make
great pets. It is really a matter of personal preference
for you. The biggest difference in a male and female
cat is that the males will be slightly larger than the
females. If you already have resident cats, it should
not make a difference on what gender your new kitten
is either, as long as all the cats are spayed and neutered.
Will a male cat still spray urine even if neutered?
If a male kitten is neutered before about 5-6 months
of age, then they should not start the behavior of spraying
urine. If you wait too long past 6 months to neuter,
they could start spraying, and it is hard to stop it
once it starts.
Are there any health risks to a male if he is not
neutered?
Yes. Besides some undesirable behaviors for a pet that
a whole male may exhibit, there are health risks for
whole males such as testicular cancer. Neutering a male
will eliminate any chances of testicular cancer, they
will be less likely to contract diseases such as FeLV
and FIV, have a decreased risk of mammary cancer, they
will not suffer abscesses from fighting other cats,
and they will be less likely to develop “stud tail”,
caused by overactive glands in the tail. In addition,
they will be less likely to spray strong urine, lose
the urge to fight, and be less likely to try to escape.
What if I do not want to spay my female, even though
I don't plan to breed her?
Female cats will spray urine just like a male if they
are not spayed before about 5-6 months of age. After
about 6 months of age, a female cat will start going
into monthly heat cycles, lasting about a week at a
time. During this time, they get very vocal, often howling
loudly all night long. Your cat will make you feel as
unpleasant and uncomfortable as she does during this
time. But there are also valid health reasons that female
cats should be spayed. Spaying eliminates the risk of
Ovarian or Uterine Cancer. It also decreases the risk
of Mammary Cancer. Ideally, to give a female cat protection
against mammary cancer, she should be spayed prior to
her first heat. Each subsequent heat brings a greater
chance of mammary cancer at a later time. Spaying eliminates
chances of Pyometritis as well, which is very common
in unspayed females. Pyometra is a virulent bacteria
that attacks the uterus of cats, usually a week or so
after estrus, and is a potentially fatal infection.
Do you ship kittens?
No, we no longer ship pet kittens to any location as
of November 2013. The reason for this is due to a new
federal regulation for all pet breeders (of any kind
of mammal including dogs, cats, rabbits, pet rodents,
exotic pets) that went into effect in November 2013.
These new regulations requires all pet breeders to get
a USDA commercial breeding license IF they want to ship
pets or do any sight unseen sales (such as over the
Internet). We do not have to get a USDA commercial breeding
license as long as we are a small hobby breeding program
and meet our buyers face to face for the kitten pick
up. The reason we do not want to become a commercial
breeder is because the USDA regulations, for housing
the breeding animals and offspring, do not allow the
kittens to be raised in an in-home environment, but
must be in cages at all times. We prefer to raise kittens
in our home where they are socialized more and desensitized
to all the activity and noises of a normal home environment.
Being raised in a home environment helps the kitten
to be a more confident pet that makes the transition
to their new home much easier on them and their new
owner. Unfortunately, these federal regulations will
force breeders to either become a big commercial cattery
or kennel, and makes it hard for a small hobby breeder
to compete with large facilities. Please keep that in
mind when you are searching for your pedigreed animal
and looking for the right breeder for you. Support small
hobby breeders who work with their breeds of choice
for the betterment and enjoyment of the breed, which
do not just generate as many offspring as they can in
order to financially support the operation of a large
commercial facility.
If I change my mind, is the deposit refundable?
No, please do not send a deposit unless you are absolutely
certain you want a specific kitten.
Why do Bengals/Maus cost so much?
Our kitten prices are in line with the average market
price range of these breeds, which can be based on many
factors such as individual quality of desired breed
traits and demand. It costs a lot of money, time, and
effort to raise quality purebred animals. The purpose
of buying a pedigreed cat is to receive an animal that
exhibits certain physical traits as well as personality
and temperament traits. The only way you can be certain
you will receive an animal with those desired traits
is to purchase your kitten from a reputable breeder
who selectively breeds their cats with the integrity
of the breed in mind. While you are searching for your
perfect Bengal, Savannah, or Mau companion, please be
aware of "backyard breeders" or "kitten
mills" . These are situations where kittens are
mass produced from below average quality cats, raised
in questionable conditions, and they usually sell Bengal,
Savannah, or Mau kittens very cheap, usually without
registration papers, or when papers are provided it
is usually without any restrictions. Any reputable breeder
selling quality pure breed cats will always offer TICA
registered kittens but will put breeding restrictions
on the registration. These restrictions are to protect
the integrity of the breed traits, plain and simple.
If the breeder is offering a pet quality kitten without
any registration restrictions, this is a red flag to
the buyer. It is detrimental to any pedigreed breed
as a whole to just allow any two cats to be bred without
discretion to quality of their breed traits that they
will pass on. When Bengals, Savannahs, or Maus with
poor breed traits are bred without discrimination, or
they are highly inbred, it is a disservice to the entire
breed, perpetuating incorrect personality/temperament,
dilutes proper physical traits in the breed, not to
mention the higher risk of passing on genetic and health
defects in their offspring.
These backyard breeders often produce Bengals, Savannahs,
and Maus that resemble ordinary tabby cats with spots
and will not exhibit all the personality traits that
these breeds should have. This is why these type of
cats are so cheap, they are not the "Real Deal".
If they were the "Real Deal" they would be
selling their kittens at the same rate as the reputable
breeders who put a lot of time and effort into producing
healthy animals with good temperaments. If the price
seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Backyard
breeders also will not offer any kind of genetic or
health guarantee on their kittens, because they are
not breeding selectively enough to guarantee these things.
If specific breed traits are not important to you, you
would be wise to adopt a kitten from a shelter or rescue,
who greatly needs a home instead of buying a pseudo
Bengal, Savannah, or Mau from a backyard breeder and
supporting their less than quality breeding practices.
Buyer beware: You get what you pay for. Don't
expect to get the vivid markings, big rosettes, and
contrast that you see photos of Bengals,(or Maus and
Savannahs) in magazines for a cheap price. These are
top show quality cats that you see in magazines, and
you generally won't find cats like that for sale cheap
in the local newspaper. If you spend any money at all
on a Bengal, Savannah, or Mau, make sure that your kitten
is TICA registered (Maus can also be registered with
CFA instead of TICA), and that a written health and
genetic guarantee is provided, otherwise you are throwing
money away and supporting "backyard breeders"
who are a great disservice to any pedigreed animal breed.
A reputable breeder will also provide support to you
for the lifetime of the cat in case you ever have any
problems or questions come up in the future with your
cat.
I would also urge you that in any case that you might
visit a breeder and you find that all their cats and
kittens are in poor health and being kept in poor or
neglectful conditions, that you do not purchase anything
from that breeder. While it is sad to see cats in poor
and neglectful conditions, and as much as you probably
want to get a kitten right away, if you give ANY money
to that breeder, you are supporting their abuse of animals
and allowing them to continue to make more cats suffer.
You might feel compelled to "save" a kitten
from these conditions by going ahead and buying a kitten
from that horrible place, but you will be bringing a
lot of heart ache on yourself with huge vet bills and
a perpetually sick cat. It is better to walk away in
this type of situation and refuse to buy from that person
so they will stop breeding animals sooner rather than
later. The only way that will happen is for people to
refuse to buy their animals.
Click Here for Savannah Breed
FAQ
For further info, be sure to read our breed profile
on each of the three breeds we offer, review our Breed
Comparison Chart, and our Adoption
Info page to learn how to adopt a Wild Trax kitten
into your family.
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