6 responses to “How Can I Socialize An Adult Bengal Cat? He Is 2 Yrs Old, And Lived Most Of His Life In A Cage, Real Sweet?”

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  Funny Cop Videos July 5th, 2009 at 07:30

  It will take time, lots of time to build the trust that is needed.
  Here’s some basic steps that will help to build his confidence with you:
  Step 1 See that your cat knows you are the one that feeds him. Don’t just put his food in a bowl when he’s not around. Wait until he’s in the eating area to fill his bowl.
  Step 2 Pet your cat often if you can. He may be skittish at first, but the more you do it the more he will relax.
  Step 3 Talk to your cat. He might not understand the words, but you want him to get used to the sound of your voice so that it becomes a source of comfort.
  Step 4 Play with your cat. Teach him tricks, roll his ball around the room so he can chase it. The more time you spend together, the quicker you will gain his trust.
  good luck and thank you for rescuing that poor boy from such an awful life.

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  trebobna July 5th, 2009 at 10:20

  Congratulations on becoming the owner of such a wonderfull breed of cat! You are going to absolutely love him! Bengals are special in many ways, but the most noticable is thier loving nature. Most are not aggressive at all, even after living most of his life in a cage wich is, by the way, the most horrific thing you can do to a cat. He was probably a breeder, and not socialized at all. First of all, is he neutered? If not, you will need to get that done ASAP. He will be spraying and howling all night. Neutering will not always fix this problem, but may cut back on it dramatically.
  You have the right idea about time and gentle approach. It is going to take some time. Bengals are more like dogs than they are like cats though, once you have this guy for a while you will notice! They WANT to be with you. Start coaxing him with treats, raw beef liver cut into small chunks works wonders. Bengals are highly trainable, so they respond well to food treats, and will start to be more trusting of you once he realizes that good things happen…like beef liver…when you touch him. They also tend to love the water. Mine come running when I turn the shower on and I usually end up with 2 or 3 bathing with me. Good luck with this poor guy, I’m glad you got him out of that cage. If you have any more questions, feel free to email me, I will be happy to help you out.

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  J C July 5th, 2009 at 13:39

  I’ve gotten several very unsocialized cats over the years (through rescue) and some of them come around quickly, and others pose a real challenge. My little rescue Cornish rex spent his entire life in a cage, and spent two weeks growling hissing and cowering. He is now a permanent fixture in my arms – you can’t put him down so thank goodness he’s small! But most cats take some time and effort. A big motivator for many cats is interactive toys. I know Bengals are very active, so get yourself some fishing pole toys or wand toys. That will make him aware that you are a good thing, not someone to be feared. Spend lots of time playing with him and don’t force attention on him.
  Oddly enough, the best cure for an unsocial cat is a very people oriented social cat. When I’ve got one like yours that I’m fostering, I make sure that the newcomer sees me make a big fuss over my own cats. They learn by watching – and then many of them suddenly decide that they want attention to!
  Remember though that they progress on their own timetable, not ours. Some days you’ll make great progress, other days you may regress. But hang in there – the rewards are great.

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  ?Pretty? ?Kitty? July 5th, 2009 at 20:02

  I have socialized several cats using this method: Put him in a room with water, litter box, toys, everything but food. It’s best if there isn’t a bed of sofa to hide under. At feeding time take a bowl of yummy wet food in and put it on floor. Sit down near it. If he doesn’t come eat soon, take the food and leave. Try again in a few minutes. Each time he eats, sit closer to the food next time. Do this until you can pet him while he eats without him flinching. I usually see results in a couple of days to a week.

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  foresthu July 5th, 2009 at 21:37

  Oh that is sad. That poor cat. Here is what I would do:
  Confine him to a room. Smaller area is easier for him to survey and will make him feel safer. Get chicken baby food. Bengals work for chicken baby food. Trust me – I have 2 myself.
  Put some on a teaspoon and let him come to you and lick it off. Initially don’t try touching him. After a week of that, pet him every time he gets his treat. Before you know it he will associate you and being pet with getting a treat and he’ll come running to you to get his treat…………and to be pet.

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  Ocimom July 6th, 2009 at 03:31

  Slowly, and one person at a time. Not sure how long you’ve had him, but he should be trusting of you and your family first before you start working with other people.