Bengals.....

[Mad Mags Moo]

I am fussing a pair of Bengals when owners are away on holiday and I have looked after these 2 beautiful girls before but this time they are excessively vocal - not just meowing but they seem to be yowling too - I have tried to ignore them (not easy!), fussed them, let them outside (with supervision), played with them, got a radio on for them but nothing seems to work! Don't want to go down the food/treat route as this will not be good for their figures! Have text'd the owners and they have suggested a few things - already done them! They also say that is just them!

So my question is .......is this normal for Bengals or is there an underlying medical reason????? The owners are not concerned but I just wonder if a trip to vets is in order???
If it is normal what can i do to quieten them down???????

Thanks guys!

[Barbara]

There are cats who are more vocal than others. If the owners are not worried I would not worry as well. Bengals need a lot of exercise though- so whatever you can do to keep them busy should keep them from singing

[Mad Mags Moo]

There are cats who are more vocal than others. If the owners are not worried I would not worry as well. Bengals need a lot of exercise though- so whatever you can do to keep them busy should keep them from singing

Thanks Barbara! I am heading up to see to the rascals soon - got a weasel toy for them - fluffy toy on a ball and it rolls about - hope that helps with entertaining them!
I am letting them out but they are indoor cats - don't really agree with this as i feel that all cats should have access to outside unless they are beside main road or have a medical problem. Just have to make sure i can grab them before they make a dash for freedom!!!

[kitten645]

If the owners have them as indoor cats, you should be keeping them indoors. That's really their decision. Once a cat goes outside, the chances of them dashing out gets greater. They aren't used to fending for themselves and are unaware of dangers. Not to mention they may not be vaccinated against outdoor germs and may not have the immune system to handle the outdoors.
That being said, my friend owns a Bengel and he is quite loud! Some cats just are. I had a Siamese a long time ago. Talked so much that when I was on the phone once, the person on the other end said "Go take care of your baby. I'll call you again later!" LOL All you can do is keep them distracted with alot of play.
Claudia

[catmandu]

I am assuming that they are both spayed and therefore it wouldnt be the scent of a male getting them excited
Maybe they really miss thier Meeowmie and FurrEver Home and are just letting you know

[Barbara]

I know some people here who have a big running wheel for their Bengals which they love. Bengals are very athletic kitties so I wouldn't try to let them outside. If they want to dart they will be fast.
Plus while I agree that an outside life is great for kitties if there is no danger, the average life time of outdoor kitties here in Germany is 2 years
The lady who has the other apartment in our house (which consists of 2 apartments) has made the garden safe with a high fence for her three kitties.

[Mad Mags Moo]

Well the Bengals spent a good hour outside and it was fun - until it was time to get inside!!! They were very excited and were chatting away and they loved to go in the long grass - tuna for tea tempted them in and also help from hubby to get the girls in - they were a bit scared of the big hairy man so soon dashed back inside to safety!!
The owners do let them outside under supervision but they are on the whole indoor kitties.
The weasel toy was not that great a hit - it did make them quiet but I think they were scared of it!
Ah well only another 7 days before mummy, daddy and little person (3 year old!) are back home and then they will be happier cats - but they supposedly do love their Aunty Mags - have been named Magic Maggie but I think the magic is on strike at moment!
Any more ideas to keep these pesky kids quieter would be appreciated!!!

[Karen]

Do they play fetch? That's far more work for them than for you... and can be accomplished with a crumpled ball of paper as easily as a fancy toy ... Maybe a catnip mouse would work for the first attempt, more tempting that way.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Yes, Bengals are known to be very vocal. When I've seen them at cat shows they're very loud compared to most of the other cats there so I really don't think that this is a medical issue.

Giving them lots of attention and excercise is great. I wonder of they like catnip. If they do then maybe this could help to calm them down a bit. Cats like so many different kinds of toys that it's hard to tell which toy would be best. My cats love the small catnip mice, some of them love balls, anything you can drag around and they can chase is also great. Some cats also love the laser pointer. My Pearl loves to play with straws and my Ziggy loves pipecleaners that I make into spiders so every cat is different. Good luck.