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CARE Information on General Care, Nutrition, Medication, Grooming, Relationships, and Suggested Reading List When you first bring your kitten home, she will probably be frightened at being in a new place. It is best to keep your kitten in one room. Your bedroom or a bathroom with a litterbox and food and water dishes will cause the least stress. Keep the food and water dishes away from the litter box. The kitten may not use her box if it's not at least four feet away.It's best that you spend time with your kitten in a smaller space so that she can learn to trust you. Your kitten will have received two vaccinations by the time you pick her up. You will be provided with the kitten's health record, telling you about her general health, age, weight, vaccinations, and worming; as well as when the next set of vaccinations are due. Remember not to let your Bengal outside to roam freely. There are dangers such as cars, etc. and also, the fact that your kitten is exotic and worth a lot of money; she would be an obvious target for thieves. Because she's an indoor kitten, your Bengal will not need leukemia vaccinations, which have caused many negative reactions in Bengals. However, if she needs to be boarded, or some similar situation, you will need to discuss this with your vet. The best place to vaccinate is beneath the skin on one of the kitten's legs, up around the thigh. This reduces the chance of an injection site sarcoma. Do a different side than the one used for Rabies. If a problem develops here, it's much easier to treat than up between the shoulder blades. This kitten has not been vaccinated for Rabies. If a cat is indoors only, Rabies vaccination may not be necessary. Please do not give Rabies vaccine before 24 weeks. Nail Care Never de-claw. The best time to trim a kitten's nails is when they are napping. If you are gentle, they won't even know you're doing it. Their claws have been trimmed prior to your picking them up. It would be beneficial to trim their claws every week or two.They don't grow as much when they become adults, and then once a month is sufficient. A spray bottle of water may be used to discourage behaviour, such as scratching furniture, etc. It is also beneficial to have a scratching post that will not tip over.If your kitten isn't used to having her nails clipped, try to get her used to having her paws handled and squeezed. Begin by petting the cat's legs and paws while giving her a treat, making this a pleasant experience. Gradually increase pressure so that petting becomes squeezing, as you will need to do to extend the claw. Scissor-like nail clippers usually work best. Clip only the end (white part) of the nail. Keep the trimmer perpendicular to the claw so that you do not crush the nail. Your vet will help you with this, if you are not confident. Also, it is easier to have one person hold the kitten, while the other clips the claws. Bengals love to climb and they love high places. Please make sure you have some sort of cat scratching and climbing furniture. We highly recommend that you feed the kitten the same food as it is accustomed to, Iams dry kitten food, otherwise diarrhea, vomitting and refusal to eat may occur. If you want to switch the food, please do so very gradually, adding small amounts of the new diet to the familiar food over several weeks. It is inappropriate to consider changing diets until the kitten has adjusted to her new environment. (a few months) The stress of travelling, different food or water, and a new environment can weaken a kitten's resistance. Watch for any unusual signs, such as vomitting, diarrhea, fever, sneezing, runny nose and get medical attention immediately. Bengals are sensitive to some medications and we request that you alert your veterinarian to the following: 1. Use killed vaccines only. Never vaccine for FIP! 2. Antibiotics: Bengal breeders have found that Clavamox is ideal for Bengals, especially to treat bacterial overgrowths. In Bengals, Clavamox does not suppress the appetite. 3. Anaesthetics:It is controversial whether Ketamine is safe to use on Bengals. Isoflurane is preferred. Please be sure to contact me immediately if you have any questions or concerns. Recommended Reading (Books, Websites, Etc) 1. (Guide to) Owning a Bengal Cat by Jean Mills 2. Getting to know the Bengal Cat by Gene Dukote 3. Bengal Cats by Dan Rice 4. Raising Cats Naturally by Michelle Bernard 5. Natural Cat Care-A Complete Guide to Holistic Health Care for Cats by Celeste Yarnall 6. What Cats Should Eat by Jean Hofve 7. Selecting Good Commercial Food www.api4animals.org (Animal Protection Institute) 8. The following is a list of some commercial foods that are recommended Iams Eagle Pack Innova Newmans Own Organic Wellness Natures Valley CAT TO CAT INTRODUCTIONS Please be aware that kittens should be isolated from any other feline or canine members of your household for approximately five to seven days. This will enable the kitten to familiarize itself with it's new surroundings without feeling threatened. Sometimes only hours are needed, whereas at other times, settling in can take a couple of weeks. What do you do when you bring a new kitten into the home of another cat? It can be a stressful meeting for both. Generally, it is easier for a kitten to be introduced to an adult, rather than introducing two adults. An adult that has lived with other cats may have an easier time adjusting than if it has always been a solitary pet. In any case, it is very important to introduce them to each other very slowly. A quick introduction and the ensuing fighting may set the tone of their relationship for life. Some of the most important items to remember are to make sure you do not allow the cats to have a face to face encounter at first; and give lots of love and attention to the resident cat to keep it from being jealous of the new kitten/cat. Here are some good rules to follow for introduction. Whether you have an adult or kitten, it will be nervous moving to a new environment. I suggest enclosing it in a bedroom or other room with a litter box, food and water. Remember not to put the food or water near the litter box, as cats don't like to do their business where they eat. You should have something in the room that has the scent of the other cat on it. As the new kitten is looking comfortable, switch places with the resident cat. Put the resident cat into the room where the other cat was located and let the new kitten explore the rest of the house and smell the new scents. If you have a kitten, make sure it knows where it can find food and the litter box. You may want to place it back in the enclosed room after a few hours. Again, during this process, exchange items that may have the scent of the other cat on it so they can get used to each other's scent. After a few days, open the door to the room a bit so that the cats can now see each other but they can't yet make full contact. Once they seem to be tolerating this kind of contact, open the door a bit wider and allow more contact. If things don't go well and they start fighting, go back to separate rooms and just realize that you have to go a little slower. If you are having problems at this stage, you may want to get two of the 36 inch high plastic mesh baby gates and put them across the door, one on top of the other. This will allow the two cats to see and smell each other quite well but not allow full contact. Once the cats start being comfortable, try feeding them on opposite sides of the room and then return them to their separate rooms. After a few days of this they should be ready to share living space. If they seem to be having problems at this point, separate them when you aren't home to supervise. Some of the most important tips are to make sure they both get plenty of attention during this process and let them set their own pace. There is no hard and fast rule as to how long this process may take, adjust it to meet your own observations on how your cats are doing. It can take from days, to weeks, and rarely two to three months. |
