HOLIDAY HOME FOR CATS (boarding cattery) Licenced by Environmental Health
Prepare in advance of taking home your new kitten.
You will need a water dish, food dishes, litter tray or enclosed litter box, cat litter, bed, scratch post, toys. Ask your breeder for type and make of litter and food your kitten is using. Most breeders provide you with a free kitten pack including the food your kitten is used to eating, along with your kittens pedigree/inoculation details, and registration details (occasionally some breeders may hold this back until proof of neutering has been shown). A scratch post is essential for a bengal, they will use it with enthusiasm.
For the sake of this written piece we will call all kittens male.
Inform your neighbours of your new arrival. Bengals are very quick and kittens are only small. You may find one day that he has gone walkabout, and if they find themselves in your next door neighbours garden he may get lost and not find his way home. Remember your kitten is very young, only a baby, he will become confused how to get home. Would you expect a human toddler to find his way back? Alright, I know it's not the same, but you can see what I'm getting at.
Your kitten is home. Take him straight to the litter tray and place him gently in it with a nice stroke and few kind words. Show him where his water is going to be kept. FRESH WATER MUST BE LEFT DOWN AT ALL TIMES, ALSO REMEMBER YOUR LITTER TRAY NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES. A cat is not like a dog! A cat cannot hold a full bladder for long periods of time and will need to go to the loo. If he finds the sink, don't be cross, at least he didn't do it on the carpet. Take him to the loo where it smells of the appropriate smell he understands (he has better smell capabilities than us) and give him a lovely cuddle. No mater how tempted you are to be cross, you will only confuse him if you become cross. THE BEST WAY TO TEACH A CAT IS WITH KINDNESS, if he loves and trusts you, he will try to please you. he'll soon learn what you do and do not want him to do, even if he don't always agree or understand us. Remember NOT to leave strong smelling detergents near your kittens litter tray, this may confuse him.
Its a good idea to start by assigning a room that is his for the first few days in his new home, its important to allow him time to get used to you and his surroundings. that doesn't' mean leaving him in a strange room on his own to become lonely, you need to spend time with him for him to bond with you and your family. Reassure him that he is going to be part of a loving family. The room needs to be of a size that allows your kitten to run and explore but he also needs to be able to see his litter tray, water dish and food dish without becoming lost and confused. Kittens should have constant exposure to different textures to encourage him to explore. Many people choose their kitchens to keep the kitten in but appliances and cabinets can be a hazard as they are easy for a kitten to get under. Only allow your kitten to come out of this chosen room when you are around to help him if he becomes confused.
Ready to Explore Further! He is still small and doesn't understand things yet. Tidy away small things he may chew on or he could get into trouble with. Tidy cables and cover them with conduit in case he is tempted to chew. Keep windows free from venetian blinds or net curtains that a kitten could get caught up in. Keep harmful cleaning fluids out of kittens reach. Chocolate is toxic to cats, so don't leave any half-eaten chocolate bars lying around - explain to your children that they must NOT share their chocolate with their kitten as this is harmful to their kitten. Feather toys are very exciting for a bengal kitten but must NOT be left out when your kitten is on his own in case he chokes on the feathers. Keep your bathroom door shut when you run a bath and make sure the toilet lid is kept down to stop your kitten falling in. Remember most Bengals love to play with water. Keep windows shut to stop your kitten escaping outside. Keep the doors of all household appliances shut or you could find your kitten curled up in your tumble dryer - or worse, being inside when its turned on. Keep small , easily swallowed items away from your kitten's reach. Make sure your kitchen bin has a cat-proof lid. Prevent him venturing up the chimney by keeping a fireguard permanently in place. Certain cut flowers and houseplants can be poisonous to cats, particularly the stamens of lilies, Vases are also easily pulled over and broken, The feline Advisory Bureau has a leaflet with details on such plants - visit www.fabcats.org Don't let your children push and pull your kitten around, instead, teach your children how to handle them properly, with care and consideration. This way your children and cat will bond and grow up together as close friends.
When your Bengal continues to jump onto your worktops when you are preparing food, don't get cross with him - he doesn't understand, he just thinks you're being mean to him. Teach him the word "No" he will soon learn this, Bengals are intelligent cats. Give him reason to stay down, put him down and reward him as you place him on the floor, give him a cuddle and treat him to a little of the food you prepare (veg will do fine) on the floor. Progress to putting his treat on the floor first, this way he knows if he stays down he will feel happy because of his treat and maybe a tickle under his chin and a few kind words. Bengals respond well to kindness and they are such softies, you won't get a confident, loving Bengal if you are always getting cross with him. He will grow up confused, not knowing what you want. Bengals learn well when rewarded for doing the correct thing. When you become cross, they learn to stay away from you. If you hit a cat, a cat will shrink away or learn to strike back, and you don't want either to happen. You want a well adjusted, confident animal that loves life and everyone in it. You want a Bengal!
Teach him a NEW NAME - Your kitten will have an official name (eg: Purebliss Glacier) and you now wish to call him by your pet name such as Benny. Everytime you pick him up and give him a cuddle say his name and only his name, two or three times clearly and gently. Everytime you give him a treat say his name and only his name. Everytime you do something nice that he likes say his name and only his name, two or three times, clearly and gently. He will associate his name with good things and will start to come when you call him because he wants to be part of those good things. When he does start to come to his name being called reward him with a kind word and tickle. Never shout his name in anger otherwise he will link his name to you being cross and he will stop coming when called.
