Bengal Safety at Home
When you bring your Bengal kitten home, its beauty and charming personality will quickly make it a beloved member of your family. Here are some ways to help your precious friend from loss and injury.Protecting
your Bengal
Keep your Bengal inside for the more obvious reasons of stopping
loss and traffic accidents and also because your friend will live a
much longer and
healthier life as an indoor pet. Microchip your Bengal. This is effective, painless and could be the difference in finding a lost friend and identifying. your Bengal.
Keep all open windows screened in. Like all cats, Bengals are great escape artists.
Use a carrier when out or away with your pet.
Teach your Bengal to come when called.
If
Your Cat Is Lost
As soon as you can, start searching the area near where your cat
was
last seen, calling your cat’s name out loud. If it comes quickly
when you shake its food box at supper, try this while
searching. If it is at dusk or at night, bring a flashlight (cats
retinas are highly reflective, and using a light to search might make
it easier to spot the animal). Don’t allow the search to become
too loud or out of
control as it might frighten the cat further away. Keep a window
open during the night so you can hear if the cat has returned during
that time If the cat has not come back in a reasonable period of time, then call the local veterinarian, humane society, and rescue shelters. If these groups have not found your pet, they will take a description of the animal and call you if it is found. Some of the individuals you will have contact with may not have heard of a cat called a Bengal. It is often simpler to describe the animal as a “brown-spotted tabby” in this case. If you go out, leave a message on your answering machine so if someone does call about your cat, they will know that they have found its home.
It is also a good idea to put up posters (with a photograph of the missing cat) in local shops. Include a request for people to check their yards and garages. Put your phone number, but not your address on the poster. Offer a small reward.
If your cat has still not come back after a few days, you could try advertising on the local radio station or in local newspapers. Your cat may have been taken in by some well-meaning local citizen, who just needs to be informed where the cat's home really is. A microchip is very useful in this type of situation.
If, after a couple of weeks, you have not found your cat, keep looking. Cats have been known to wander off for long periods of time and eventually do return home.
Preventing
Theft
If you discover that your Bengal has been stolen, call your local
police as soon as possible (DO NOT call 911- a stolen cat is not an
emergency). Inform local pet rescue organizations, and if your
cat has
been microchipped call the microchip company and let them know as
well. One of the best things about microchipping is that if your
cat is handled anywhere in the country, at a vet’s, the police or a
rescue
shelter, it will be identified and returned to you. If your
Bengal is insured, inform the insurance company. Advertise both locally
and nationally, if possible- do the same thing as if your pet was
lost. The thief may change their mind, or give may give the
animal to someone who sees the advertising. Avoiding
Injury in the Home
Since Bengals are very curious and like to play with water, there
are
some things you can do to increase the safety of your pet. Highly
intelligent, the Bengal easily learns from observation. Cupboards can be relatively easy to open and your Bengal will certainly do this. Child proof latches are appropriate.
If you teach your Bengal how to use a light switch or flush the toilet, it may not be as amusing when she wants to show you her talent over and over.
Check the washing machine/washer dryer before each time you use it. Curious kittens love to play with laundry and many cats will have a nap in a cubby type space.
Always put the toilet seat down after use. This prevents Bengals drinking and flinging water from the toilet bowl, and will avoid any fatal encounters with any toxic cleaners.
Don’t leave the hot water tap running unattended. A Bengal will play with a running stream of water.
Teach your Bengal what the word "No!” means. Someday you could be too far away to prevent an accident and a sharp command could avert disaster.
Do not use clumping litter, this can be ingested by your Bengal and cause serious injury.
Whenever you are doing anything even remotely dangerous, put your Bengal safely in another room so it cannot 'help' you and suffer an accidental injury.
Many cleaners such as bleach, drain cleaners and solvents are fatal to cats. Garden chemicals and medicines should all be kept away from cats. DO NOT use or keep any type of antifreeze around your cats. It is sweet tasting to them and even small amounts can be fatal. While there is a treatment, by the time you notice that your cat is ill, it is usually too late for the treatment. Be careful with chemicals on kitchen surfaces, as cats can absorb chemicals through their paws.
Don't keep poisonous house plants. Plants such as like ivy, all lilies including tiger lily and the popular easter lily, cherry laurel, chrysanthemum, cyclamen, castor oil plant, poinsettia, polka-dot plant, philodendron, croton, oleander, dieffenbachia, azalea, devil's ivy and caladium can be fatal to your cat.
Keep electrical cords and extensions out of the way.
Before leaving, ensure your cat or kitten has all the all the basic necessities .
Never leave your Bengal in your vehicle unattended particularly when it is especially warm or cold outside.
Make sure your Bengal cannot jump from your windows or balcony. Contrary to popular belief, cats can get seriously injured or killed falling from high places
If your cat does get injured, keep it calm and seek medical help.
Some of the above advice is not so different than the things we would to childproof our home for young children or grandchildren.
<Back to about Bengals>
<Top of Page>