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There are so many questions that are always asked about Bengal cats that it seems like they are endless. One that is often asked is about their size and weight. Here in this post we will try to answer that question for you along with other things that can help you keep your Bengal cat in good shape. In this post we will cover the following:
To begin with, any cat can get fat, so yes a Bengal cat can get fat. However, one thing we need to realize here is that on the average, Bengal cats can tend to be slightly heavier than the average domestic cat without the help of a bad diet. This is because it’s simply in their genes to be a little bit bigger. For instance, the male Bengal cat can weigh anywhere from 18 pounds to 25 pounds before being considered overweight. The females on the other hand are considerably smaller than their male counterparts and can weigh anywhere from 7 pounds to 15 pounds before they might be considered to be overweight.
What we need to realize is that Bengals just don’t naturally get fat on their own. In fact because they are so active and if allowed to be active they really shouldn’t have any weight problems. Most of their weight that they carry is from the fact that they are more muscular than the average domestic cat. Should a Bengal cat become fat, most of the time it can be blamed on their pet parents.
As a pet owner of any animal, even the Bengal, it’s our responsibility to make sure that our loving pet is well taken care of. It’s our responsibility to make sure that we don’t over feed our Bengals and to make sure that they get plenty of exercise in order to help them maintain a healthy weight and enjoy a long and happy life.
It’s important to remember that if you bring home a Bengal kitten that you start them off with a good nutritional diet, one that is well balanced. Since you are in control of what they eat it’s important that you make it a habit of giving them all that they need and do your best to avoid starting bad habits for them by allowing them to eat things that they shouldn’t be eating. It’s up to you as their pet parent to teach them these good eating habits so that it will become part of their daily routine.
Even though Bengal cats by nature are extremely active, it’s going to be somewhat difficult for them to remain that way if they aren’t provided with the kind of environment that promotes activity. This is why it’s very important as their pet parent that you help to give them that kind of environment to keep them in shape and to keep them mentally and physically fit.
One of the best things that you can have in your home for your Bengal cat is some sort of cat tree for them to exercise on. We’re not talking just a boring cat scratching post, instead one that has different levels and places in which they can hide included. Bengals are masters at climbing, jumping and pouncing and multi-level cat trees will give them the opportunity to do all of these things. They also love to have special places to hide so making sure that their cat tree has a couple of special enclosed areas is going to really make your Bengal a happy kitty.
You also want to make sure that your Bengal has plenty of interesting and interactive toys around the house. When we say plenty, we mean plenty. Bengals are extremely intelligent and once they’ve figured out how something works, they tend to move onto the next thing because they want to be challenged. Make sure the toys you give them are ones that truly peak their interest and wake up their inner hunting instincts that all cats have, especially Bengal cats. Some good toys to include are:
Another thing that’s important not only for exercise but for bonding is playing with your Bengal. If you want a healthy and happy Bengal you need to make sure that you take time out of your day to play with them. Sure you might be busy, however, your Bengal doesn’t understand that. It’s important that you set aside a couple of sessions a day to give them plenty of affection and play time. You might want to play games with them for 10 to 15 minutes at a time perhaps once in the morning say before going to work and definitely a special time set aside for them when you get home from work.
Take your Bengal for walks as often as you can. Since it’s not wise to allow your Bengal or any cat for that matter to roam free outdoors, it’s suggested that you consider walking your Bengal. Since Bengals are so intelligent and willing to learn new things, much like many dogs, there’s no reason why you can’t take your Bengal for walks.
Bengal cats can easily be trained to wear a harness hooked to a leash and once you have done that you’ll be amazed at just how much enjoyment that both you and your Bengal will get out of going for walks. Once you have gotten your Bengal use to the idea, and really it doesn’t take all that long, the two of you can explore your neighborhood together. Not only is it good exercise for your Bengal but, it’s good exercise for you as well. You also might become the hit of the neighborhood because after all how many people see cats being taken for walks? Here’s cute video of a pet parent taking their Bengal on a day hike:
One of the most logical things you can do to keep your Bengal from getting fat is to make sure that you feed them responsibly. Like any cat, if they are not fed properly they’re going o gain weight. So, make sure that you feed them a high quality cat food. It can be moist, dry or a combination of both. What’s important here is to avoid giving them more than the feeding guide on the can or package recommends. Even if your Bengal complains about it, it’s up to you to make sure that you don’t give into their complaints and only feed them proper amounts.
Not giving them enough space for them to be able to follow their natural instincts such as climbing and jumping. If you don’t give them enough room for ample exercise you may end up with a Bengal that is a little bit chunky.
There is nothing wrong with rewarding your Bengal with a few cat treats or even a little bit of human food sometimes. What you want to avoid however, is giving them way too many treats. Just like humans, if you fill up your diet with treats and snacks you are bound to gain weight. There’s no difference here when it comes to your Bengal. As much as your Bengal might want those treats you really need to limit the treats to only a few times a week. The worst thing you can do is to make it a daily thing. Treats need to be treated as something special and not something they feel they need on a daily basis.
Do you have any information on how to keep a Bengal healthy? Did you find this information helpful? Let us know below.
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