For Pet Buyers
Q) How do Bengals act?
A) Bengals are very outgoing, and very active. They love to play! They are also sweet, and love to be petted. Bengals
are very intelligent, and have many quirks that other breeds lack, like their interest in water!
Q) Where do Bengals come from?
A) A Bengal is a hybrid of a domestic shorthair cat and a Asian Leopard Cat, or ALC, which is a small wildcat. They were
accidently created in 1963 by Jean Mill, who turned the beautiful kittens into a new breed!
Q) If Bengals are hybrids, are they legal as pets?
A) Although Asian Leopard Cats are wildcats and require permits, Bengals are considered domestic, and are legal as pets
in all US states. That includes F1, F2 and F3! Individual counties may have their own laws, so it's still a good idea to check
where you live.
Q) What does F1, F2, and all that mean?
A) These classifications refer to the generations away from an ALC an individual cat is. An F1 cat has one ALC parent
and one domestic parent, and therefore 50% ALC blood - an F2 has one F1 parent and one domestic parent, and therefore 25%
ALC blood - and on down the line. F1 through F3 males are infertile, and usually F4. F1, F2, and F3 Bengals are
not eligible to participate in cat shows.
Q) Why do Bengals cost so much? Isn't that a bit much for a cat?
A) What many people don't realise is the expence that goes into breeding cats. As Breeders, we want to make sure that
all of our cats and kittens live comfortable lives. We build stud enclosures that are as big as rooms for our boys to live
in. Why go that far? Because un-neutered males spray constantly, and most would get into serious fights with other males
if they were forced to live together.
Sometimes we build large enclosures for our girls also - when a female cat goes into heat, they can spray too! Also,
cats have personalities just like people, and sometimes one cat doesn't get along with another - so we have to make sure we
have several living areas open for them for options. Sometimes we have to build areas to raise the kittens in, if we
have more than one litter at a time.
Those projects all cost a good amount - usually over $1000 per area built. Some breeders also take their cats to
cat shows - each show can be from $100 to $500, depending on how many cats brought and distance traveled. Don't forget the
vet bills - we have to bring all of our cats for checkups, and the kittens, and each kitten needs it's shots. Sometimes a
kitten will catch a cold - and the whole litter needs to be treated, just in case. And of course, you have to figure in the
food and litter for so many cats and kittens!
So in the end, most Breeders make very little profit, if any at all. Many just break even - and some not even that! The
cost of the kitten really does represent the work and effort put into managing a Cattery.
Q) Your site says that you have the right to decline a buyer. What should I know?
A) Naamah holds the right to decline a buyer for any reason at any stage of a purchase, before the kitten is shipped,
be it before or after the contract is signed. This is the only time where Naamah will refund the purchase price, including
deposit.
Q) Why do you require that your Bengals not be declawed? I thought that was a good
way to keep them from scratching the furnature!
A) Our reasons for haveing a no-declaw agreement in our contract can be read about in detail
HERE. Bengals can easily be taught not to scratch furnature - with the availability of scratching posts, and positive reinforcement,
your Bengal won't need to resort to that behavior!
