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GoldCharm - Kitten and
Cat Care (rev. 1/1/08)
Please read this entire sheet regarding
caring for your GoldCharm kitten or cat. If you ever have a question
or problem, please contact me before relying on advice from others!
Coming Home:
Bengals are generally very sociable, outgoing,
and curious cats. However introducing a new kitten or cat to a completely
new environment is of course stressful! He or she will probably
be a bit nervous at first. It is a good idea to isolate your new
pet to one room at least a few days, especially if you have other
household pets. This will help it get used to new sounds and smells,
and to using a new litterbox, without being overwhelmed. If the
kitten is scared and hiding, let it come out of its safeplace in
its own time. Be patient, and offer feather toys to encourage him
to "come out and play". Bengals are generally TOO curious
to be shy for long!
Food:
Kittens: are free-fed a dry food mixture and a daily helping of
canned and/or semi-moist food. Dry food is high quality kitten food
such as Eukanuba, Iams, Diamond, or Felidae. You should feed whichever
brand the kitten is currently eating for at least two weeks. If
you want to switch to another type of food, do it gradually by mixing
the new food in with the old ½ and ½ for at least
two weeks before switching to the new type. Stay away from dry foods
that include corn products, especially those where corn is one of
the first three ingredients. Lamb & rice-based foods are good.
Dry food should be left out for kittens at all times, but only fill
the bowl with enough food that a kitten will eat within a day or
so. Kittens are also given a portion of high quality, meat-based
canned food once or twice daily.
Adult cats: also are free-fed dry food
along with a daily portion of canned. A raw meat diet can also be
a good choice; please ask me for additional information if you’re
interested.
Always keep fresh water available, and clean water and food bowls
often - at least once a week for the food bowls and daily for water
bowls. Bengals typically love to play in their water, dipping their
paws in and playing in their water bowl, so it is important that
they are cleaned often to not allow bacteria to build up. Using
glass or aluminum bowls will help alleviate a condition that some
cats get called "feline acne" (dark spots on the chin).
Do not put your cat's food and water near its litterbox.
Litterbox:
I only use plain clay litter for kittens such as Tidy Cat or Jonny
Cat; do not use clumping litter for young kittens since they can
ingest it which can cause severe problems and even death. Clumping,
pine (such as Woody Pet or woodstove pellets), or other litter is
fine for adults; however, if you have obtained an adult cat, it
is best to stick with what they are used to (plain clay and possibly
wood pellets) for at least a month or so, and switch to any other
type of litter gradually, even using two litter boxes for a time.
Many cats will prefer a covered litterbox for additional privacy,
others prefer one without a cover. It is not a bad idea to have
one of each – one covered and one not covered, and see which
one your cat prefers. Make sure that the litterbox is cleaned often,
and in a relatively "private" location. If you have more
than one cat, you should have more than one litterbox.
Vaccinations and medical care:
GoldCharm kittens are given one vaccine at 8-9 weeks and a booster
at 11-12 weeks. This is the "3 in 1" FVRCP vaccine; I
use a modified live version which includes coverage for Panleukopenia,
Rhinotracheitis, and Calicivirus. I recommend using vaccines without
Chlamydia since it seems that Bengals often have reactions to that
vaccine. I also do not recommend giving the FeLV vaccine since overall
risks from that vaccine seem to outweigh the benefits for indoor-only
cats. DO NOT allow your cat to receive the FIP (Feline Infectious
Peritonitis) vaccine. Rabies vaccines are recommended for cats at
about age 4 months, and may be required by your local or state laws.
Please do not over-vaccinate your cat! New guidelines from Veterinary
teaching universities now recommend that cats are given their initial
set of kitten vaccines, boostered one year later, and every three
years after that time, not every year as has been done in the past.
If your vet insists on boostering every single year yo might consider
finding another vet. Please ask me if you would like additional
information on vaccination protocol. Another good thing you can
do for your cat is to have your vet insert a microchip if it does
not have one already. These chips are very inexpensive, and can
mean the difference between you getting your pet safely home if
it gets outside and ends up at a shelter or vet office.
Exercise and playtime:
Bengals are ACTIVE cats! They are also very intelligent and curious.
Many Bengal owners have baby locks on their cabinets, since they
love to get into and onto just about everything – the higher
the better. Sisal scratching pads are good, there are kinds that
will hang on a doorknob. A large cat tree or condo is an excellent
idea to have. Your cat(s) will love you for it, and it may save
your furniture. All cats love, and need, to scratch and use their
claws, so scratching posts and/or furniture are important. Please
do not declaw your kitten or cat! This procedure is the equivalent
to cutting off the last digit of each of your fingers. It is extremely
painful for the cat, and can lead to behaviorial problems such as
biting and poor litterbox habits. If you give your cat appropriate
items to scratch on, keep his nails trimmed, and put a bit of effort
into training if necessary, there is no need for a cat to be declawed.
(See additional tips under "training".) A good time to
trim nails is when your cat is napping. If you do it gently and
without making a fuss, this usually can be done with them hardly
noticing. Bengals love cat toys, especially mylar balls and feather
wands. A favorite Bengal toy is a big box with one or two holes
cut into it; anything they can climb in and out of.
Precautions:
Bengals are VERY curious and intelligent cats. You should be aware
of dangers around the house just as you would with a human toddler.
For instance a young kitten might jump into a filled bathtub
and not be able to get out and drown - the same with an open fishtank.
I have heard of Bengals jumping into an open clothes dryer
and the owner put clothes in and turned it on not realizing the
cat was inside. Just getting into your refrigerator can be
a challenge; it is almost guaranteed that your kitty will try to
stick its head and possibly entire body inside within seconds of
the door opening. The cat can get caught inside or get its head
caught in the closing door. Reclining chairs can be a danger
for any cat, they often will play underneath the footstool and could
get crushed if it is lowered. Collars should be avoided since
even break-away collars have been known to twist and strangle cats.
Bengals are also notorious for sticking paws (or head) into a glass
of whatever you are drinking and knocking it over. Most cats, not
only Bengals, love to crawl in and around curtains. This can be
a life-threatening situation if you have pull-cords on the curtains
or blinds; cats can hang themselves while playing with the cords.
Some cats will eat string which can cause life-threatening
problems, so make sure to not leave toys or other items with string
laying around the house. Do not allow your Bengal outside
unattended! Not only are there dangers from stray and/or wild animals,
and motor vehicles, but Bengals are such beautiful animals that
they very often are stolen if they are "out and about".
Training:
Most cats, and especially Bengals, respond very well to simple training.
If your cat is clawing on furniture or places it should not, use
a squirt bottle and squirt the cat when it is doing this. I have
heard that the best way to do this is to hide where the cat cannot
see that you are the source of the squirt, this way they won’t
figure out that if you aren’t home, they can get away with
it! A squirt also will help keep cats off kitchen counters, etc.
Most Bengals are pretty fearless and love to go outside for walks
on a harness and are pretty easily harness-trained. The only danger
is this is that once a cat is used to going outside, it may want
to go outside more often than what you are able to allow.
Please contact me promptly if you have any
questions or concerns regarding your cat or kitten. Thanks, Diana
Starr, GoldCharm Bengals
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