Tedith Bengals based in Deal Kent specialist breeder of rosetted snow blue and brown spot bengal cats and kittens owner of quality bengal stud and queen cats all with excellent markings and rosettes
Tedith Bengals
* Breeding Bengals for Type
* Breeding Bengals for Temperament
* Breeding Bengals for Pleasure
tedith2006-
Choosing Your Bengal Kitten
Is the Bengal the right breed for you?
The physical attributes of the Bengal cat are self-evident and you have probably
visited several web sites to look at the fantastic range of markings and colours;
but are you aware of the character of the Bengal? The Bengal is no couch potato
so please do not think you are acquiring a decorative ornament. The Bengal kitten
is very lively, full of fun and mischief, and needs constant companionship. The
adult Bengal cat might be a little more mature but is still full of energy, needs
room to let off steam and requires human company. It is not unusual to see an adult
Bengal suddenly break into a sprint, leap in the air or run at and climb a tree.
Any Bengal kitten or cat kept indoors must be provided with toys, climbing equipment
and a scratching post as well as companionship.
Temperament
The vast majority of Bengal kittens are sold as pets, as new family members. For this reason the temperament of the kitten is an important factor. Temperament comes from nature and nurture. A lot of the temperament is inherited from the parents and you will notice it is for this reason we mention the temperament of the studs and queens on our web site. It is therefore vital that you visit the cattery and look at the parents before considering having a kitten. Bengals can be reserved so if the cats or kittens do not rush up to you immediately it is because you have to earn their affection; however you should see that the cats and kittens have bonded with the breeder as Bengals are very loyal to and fond of their owners. The other factor in forming the temperament of the kitten is the way in which it is reared. At Tedith Bengals our kittens are born and reared in the home where they become used to the bustle and noise of a normal domestic household. The Bengal kitten becomes familiar with constant human attention and realises that the human hand does not just stuff nasty preparations down the throat but can be a source of amusement and comfort. By the time the kitten is ready to leave us it has come to regard us as honorary Bengals and as equals.
Health
Before our kittens leave us we have our veterinary surgeon inspect them and pass them as fit. However you should also conduct for yourself a health check of the cats in the cattery before committing yourselves to reserving a kitten. Do all the cats look well and happy? Are they kept in hygienic conditions? Illness can spread rapidly throughout a cattery and most illnesses in kittens have come from the adults. Any sign of illness in other cats can be a precursor to illness in the kitten you are considering. Does the breeder keep the kitten until it is three months old and only allow it to leave after all the vaccinations have been done? By the age of three months the kittens will be well weaned, strong and able to cope with the stresses and strains of leaving their siblings and of changing homes. Younger kittens have less developed immune systems and the stress of moving can depress their immunity to minor infections and cause illness shortly after joining their new family.
HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy)
All our our adult queens and studs have been tested and found free from HCM or any other heart defect by
Dr. Christopher Little, BVMS, PhD, DVC, MRCVS, the veterinary cardiologist at Barton Veterinary Hospital, Canterbury. As our younger cats reach maturity we have them tested by Dr. Little. HCM is a genetic heart fault where the lower muscle chambers of the heart thicken and cause inefficient heart function and obstruction of blood flow. Death can occur before the cat reaches the age of four. The condition is present in most breeds and, at this stage, the only hope of reducing its incidence is if all breeding stock is tested and those cats with HCM are removed from the breeding programme. Although ensuring the parents are free from HCM is not a complete guarantee that the kittens will not suffer from any heart defect this test for HCM is the best that medical science can offer at present.
Tritrichomonas foetus and Giardia
Tritrichomonas foetus (trich. f., T. Foetus, T.F.) is a microscopic single celled protozoan parasite very similar to Giardia. Trich.f. is difficult to diagnose and can only be properly found if a laboratory is specifically looking for this condition. At times the condition does not manifest itself but, especially when the cat is under stress, can lead to a sudden outbreak of diarrhoea. Sometimes the protozoa cause a continued period of loose motions and inflammation of the gut. Trich.f. and Giardia can cause the health of the affected cat to decline and its immune system to fail, leaving the cat open to infection. The protozoa can spread rapidly throughout the cat population and can be eliminated by only one drug currently manufactured in the USA. One of the cats we bought had loose stools but showed no other sign of ill health. After a period of quarantine it was used for breeding and rapidly our other cats started developing diarrhoea. Following positive tests we treated all our breeding cats for trich.f. and giardia. Recent laboratory tests have shown that our cats are now clear of this condition. Many Bengals have been imported from North America and it is thought that it was from this area that trich.f. originated.
Room for one more?
A quick cat nap while recharging the batteries
Aftercare
It is advisable to check whether the Bengal breeder provides a diet sheet and aftercare
advice service. Most reputable breeders who care for their cats are happy to offer
this service. It is essential that the kitten is offered the same food initially
in its new home as was offered by the breeder. Any change to the diet should be
made gradually so that the kitten’s digestive system can cope. At Tedith Bengals
we provide each new owner with sufficient food for the first few days until you have
chance to obtain the right food. You also need to find out beforehand the sort of
litter that has been used by the breeder so that the kitten is comfortable with the
litter tray. The tray should be located where the kitten can easily find it as any
accidents in the early days can become a long-term habit. At Tedith Bengals we like
to establish a rapport with the new owners so that they have no hesitation in contacting
us should they have any queries later on.
By the time our Bengal kittens leave us they have been the centre of our lives for three months. We will have established a bond with the kitten and lavished it with care and love. Our concern for our kittens does not end once they leave us. We welcome photographs of the kittens as they develop and mature into adult Bengal cats and we love hearing how they settle into their new families. We try to impress upon the new Bengal kitten owner that we are only a phone call away and that we are more than happy to answer any questions about the care for or behaviour of the Bengal kitten.
Tedith Bengals
Specialist Breeder of Bengal Cats and Kittens
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Tedith Bengals based in Deal Kent specialist breeder of rosetted snow blue and brown spot bengal cats and kittens owner of quality bengal stud and queen cats all with excellent markings and rosettes
Bengal Cat Photo
© Tedith Bengals
Bengal Cat Photo
© Tedith Bengals
P.K. Def , Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency is a genetic blood disorder which, in affected cats, can cause anaemia or even prove fatal. The good news is that it is easy to detect – a simple swab from the inner cheek is taken by the owner and sent to a laboratory – and the condition can be eradicated through selective breeding.
“Normal” -
“Heterozygous” – If the test result is “Heterozygous” the cat is a carrier but is not affected by the deficiency. If both parents have tested “Heterozygous” then their offspring will similarly be carriers or may be affected, “Homozygous”.
“Homozygous” – This test result means the cat is affected and may display symptoms or even die of the deficiency. It is best to remove Homozygous cats from the breeding programme.
If one parent of a litter has tested “Normal” then, irrespective of the status of the other parent, the kittens will not be “Homozygous” and will therefore not be affected but could be “Normal” or “Heterozygous”. Kittens from such a mating will be fine as neutered pets but should be tested if being considered for breeding.
To summarize:
Normal cat to Normal cat = Normal kittens
Normal cat to Heterozygous cat = Normal + Heterozygous kittens
Heterozygous cat to Heterozygous cat = Heterozygous + Homozygous kittens.
The best combination is therefore Normal to Normal cat, however this would shrink
the gene pool and could result in too much in-
Tedith Bengal studs have tested “Normal” therefore none of their offspring can be affected by the condition.