What does the term "fuzzies" refer to ?
This is a generic description of natural coat changes occurring in Bengal kittens at approximately six weeks of age, when they are starting to explore and come out of their nest. Almost overnight a lovely silky contrasted coat becomes dull, ticky (light tipped hairs) and fuzzy looking. This occurrence is believed to be a natural camouflage which has come to the Bengal breed from their Asian Leopard Cat ancestors who needed the ability to be hidden from predators. Kittens are usually 12-14 weeks before fuzzies start to clear off. No fuzzies on the pictured kitten.
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To get your Show/Breeder kitten/cat home:
We have used U Ship to transport live animals and found their services to be safe and reasonable, we have found their curriers to be caring and kind. I am in no way associated with you u-ship and you do so at your own risk.
I charge $400. shipping by air to most destinations in the US. Shipping is complicated at this end involving a great deal of time and travel. Delta flies out of the Dothan, Alabama airport. That includes Delta's cost, a health certificate and a carrier, my gas and time. I live 40 miles from the Vet and 50 miles from the airport.
Are Bengal cats hypoallergenic?
The Bengal cat is blessed with a very short pelt-like coat that requires little or no maintenance from the cat’s owner. The Bengal cat can maintain its coat with much less grooming than many other breeds of cat, grooming is less frequent, and the sessions are shorter in duration. This leaves less saliva to dry on the hair to ultimately become dander. In addition, in a normal household situation, healthy Bengal cats shed considerably less than other breeds. This lack of shedding, keeps dander that is still attached to the hair shaft from spreading as easily -
Contact:
I hate to type and love to chat. If you would like further information please email me to request our phone number so that you can call me. I am hard of hearing so you will need some patience on the telephone! I would rather deal with the hearing loss than type. Most often questions asked in emails are answered here, that is one of the purposes of this page. This is all stuff I would tell you in a conversation. Prior to contacting me please read the information on this page as it will answer many of your questions. I am not going to have an email conversation with you.
Please read every word in the Briefing section..all info I think is important!
Briefing.. .
Please read the information on this site prior to contacting me. Some of your questions will be answered on this site, others can be answered when we have our telephone chat. More about all of this in the "Briefing" section below! Enjoy your visit and my lovely Bengals!
Who made the Bengal breed ?
WWW.bengals.dk/ticaseminar.pdf
The blue link above will take you to the 2010 Bengal Breed Seminar. It is A pictorial description of the finer points of how a Bengal cat should look, including color and pattern. This is the Standard that cat show judges use in the ring to grade a Bengal. I found it to be very interesting and informative. It downloads very quickly. The majority of our kittens go to pet homes but often pet folks ask me about the qualities that make a correct Bengal, what a Bengal should look like. If you compare our kittens to this standard you will see the quality represented in our kittens!
Jean Mill is the creator of the Bengal breed. At the blue link below you will find the story of the Bengal Cat as told by Jean herself. There are many photos of the early generations and a link to her website. I am honored to have the privilege of participating in a breeding program that continues to celebrate Jeans dream of Lap Leopards! I raise sweet domestic short haired cats that are companions and pets.
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Our Cattery is open air. Our cats and kittens enjoy the fresh air and sunshine and they have the opportunity to develop very good immune systems. They love to bask in the sun. They have climbed trees, played in the leaves and chased butterflies. You will see that they are healthy, playful and loving!
Do you need a pet carrier?
Yes you do. Carriers insure that pets arrive safely. If you forget your carrier I usually have them available. They prevent kittens from escaping from your arms or vehicle.
Are Bengal kittens good with children?
Actually the question should be will my children be good with a kitten? It is your responsibility as a parent and pet owner to teach your children how to play with the kitten the way a cat plays. Please teach your kids how to hold the kitten, not squeezing but a gentle loose hold. Purchase teaser toys, furry mice, balls etc. for the children and the kitty to have a fun time with together. Bengals are excellent retrievers, they are athletic high jumpers too. Cats do not especially like tea parties- it is your job to make sure that the cat is not a required guest for too long. I do not release kittens younger than 12 weeks to families with small children. Sometimes children can be hazardous to small kittens. I believe that children need pets but they also need supervision.
What should I feed my kitten?
The best cat food you can afford. You determine that by reading the ingredients and selecting the product that contains the most ingredients that you can identify as foods a cat would select if it was his choice. Would a cat select corn, soy or rice? It is not likely. A cat would select chicken, beef, duck. meat etc. Mice are actually the perfect meal for a cat. Most expensive does not necessarily mean "best".I feed dry food free choice. Water is always available. I also feed raw and wet. Please ask me about feeding a partially raw diet. Table scraps are good for your cat, cats pick out what they like and leave the rest for the dog!.
What about my other pets?
We have one large dog and one very busy dog so the kittens are used to dogs. Here the kittens have many cat friends. Your pets will adjust to the kitten just introduce them slowly and give them time to become friends and playmates.
At what age shoud a kitten be altered?
There is a trend today to spay/neuter at a very young age. I believe living things need their hormones to grow properly. I ask that you have you kitten altered when it is 5-6 months old. You will be asked to sign a spay/neuter agreement. Pets that are not altered can cause problems. Mature cats looking for love spray, call and attract feral cats. Some of the larger breed cats that were prematurely spayed and neutered are having joint problems as adults.
Does my cat need to be de-clawed?
I hope not. This is up to you but it is inhumane and should be outlawed. If you provide for your cats scratching needs it should not be a problem. Scratching posts and scratching boxes are readily available and reasonably priced. If the cat scratches on the furniture scold him and do not be kind...it is your furniture. The only time we would consider declawing would be if the problem was so serious that you were going to rehome the cat. To rehome the cat would just pass the problem along to someone else, so out of desperation get it declawed and keep the pet you love! I will be happy to teach you how to cut kitties toe nails, just ask. Should a clawless cat get out of the house he has no way to defend himself using claws nor can he climb a tree to safety. For more information please use the red link .
Does my cat need a fancy cat tree?
No, it does not but it surely would love one! Cats are either cave dwellers or tree dwellers and cat trees accommodate this cat characteristic. There are many fun and interesting cat trees available. Complexity depends on how much money you want to spend. Cat trees offer the cat places to scratch, play and hide. Exercise wheels are great for busy Bengals, available on line.
Where are we located?
We are 35 miles from Dothan, Alabama-near the Alabama/Florida border. We are 15 miles north of Bonifay, Florida, you would use I -10 exit 112. We are 50 miles north of Panama City Beach. If you have a long drive you may want to take a vacation weekend to enjoy the areas beautiful beaches and pick up your kitten on the way home. We are an easy drive on I -10 from Pensacola and Tallahassee, you would exit I-10 at exit 112.
Breeder Cat/Kitten Requirements:
To purchase breeder cats from me there are certain obligations you will have concerning housing and restrictions. If the cat is to be housed in a cage the dimensions of the cage will not be smaller than 8' x 6' x 6' and that the cat will have access to an exercise area and/or equipment (exercise wheel). After a chat with me you will be asked to send photos of your facilities. I do not like to place cats in "breeding only" homes, although occasionally I do. Some people expect to get rich mass producing kittens-they run kitten mills. I am happy to place kittens in show/breeding homes, in fact I offer a discount to show homes. No matter where you live there are shows within driving distance and you will be asked to give your Tailwinds cat a chance to become a champion. Many cats earn their Championship in one show . You will need to do socialization training while your cat is a kitten. Participating in a show is lots of fun! There are no guarantees for show achievements or capabilities for cats/kittens placed with show rights.
We are very proud of our beautiful Bengals, we have cats in other countries including Germany, England, Colombia, Canada and Puerto Rico. As well as several premier catteries in America.
CLick here to see all of the pattern and color combinations that can adorn a Bengal cat!
The bright yellow link below will take you to the Bengal show of shows, now a yearly event called On Safari. The video is from 1996 , shows you what a cat show is like and how far we have come with our Bengal breeding programs to fulfill Jean Mill's dream...now a dream come true, evidenced by the exquisite Bengals represented on the pages of this website.
What should a Bengal cat look like ?
In 2017 we tested all of cats for PRA-b and PK-def all results for each test all are N/N (negative).
Have you thought about the welfare of this kitten as your life goes on?
Purchasing this kitten gives you a life time obligation to it. This kitten is yours until "death do you part". If you marry it is still your cat, if you have children it is still your cat, if you move it is still your cat. Please be sure, as best you can, that the kitten/cat will always have a place in your life and a loving home with you. Having a pet is not a fad, it is a commitment . Please assess your future to be sure that having a pet really does work for you-now and forever! I know unforeseen things happen. I just want you to give this decision some careful thought. In the event that you could no longer keep the cat I would be happy to help you find it another home.