Clementine had a run in with a bengal this evening...

[Luke]

Well we have new neighbours, not direct-but sorta across the road. They seem nice enough..very quiet, average family really-three kids, a golden retriever (you're expecting me to say picket fence aren't you?!?!) and two snow bengals. Beutiful cats by all accounts..
Well the new neighbours have lived here a fortnight or so now..and yesterday i started noticing their cats out and about round the cul-de-sac..and was fascinated with how gorgeous they were and how they hunted (after the birds)...very "spooky" in movement. Anyway (i'm rambling) this evening, we (myself, the dogs and Clementine) were sitting in the garden after a long hard day...and one of the beutiful bengals hopped up on the wall. Florrie and Ralph weren't bothered slightly..too busy playing, my dear old Polly was just sitting on the sun lounger by my feet and she rang out a few barks when she saw it..but Clementine, being her bolshy self (shes such a trouble maker at times!) started doing her thunder-storm grumble, and puffing herself up...she tottered onto the lawn and stood about halfway from the wall, just having a "stare off" with this bengal. I was sitting there and carried on reading my book as NEVER in all my years of living here, has a cat ventured into the garden when the dogs were there (with the exception of Mossy-the old tabby who belonged to the Price family), so i thought this bengal would just hop back off the wall and carry on its business, most of the cats round here fear Clementine. But how wrong was i?!?!
It was like a proper "jungle cat" (as stupid as it sounds)-it lept off the wall, charged up to Clem and they were fighting like nowt i had seen before-it was actually like dogs scrapping, very un-feline like. And this cat would NOT go away..i made noise etc..they carried on scrapping..i threw water over them, this cat still carried on fighting, had Clementine around the neck at this point, the only way i managed to get the 'orrible thing to get lost was by clanging these big steel (i think) plant pots together..
Quite an ordeal! Seriouslly though, i have heard through the cat grapevine that bengal's can be quite...full on in fighting, but this...this was beyond belief.
Clementine is fine BTW-as soon as the other cat went away..she jumped on top of the arbour and cleaned herself up.
Will watch for any puncture wounds etc.
Anyone else had/know of similar things with Bengals happening?
(BTW-i hope i don't offend the bengal owners out there, i'm sure this was just a very *full on* cat)

[EmmaG]

Yes Luke, Arthur had a run in with a bengal, however I think that Arthur actually got the better of the other cat, I have NEVER seen two cats fight like that and I am sure one would have done some serious damage to the other if my OH hadn't have stepped in and grabbed hold of the bengal and showed it to the front lawn (they were fighting in the back garden)

[Kazz]

I don't know anything about snow bengals in fact never seen one I don't think
but I am majorly surprised that a cat would come into your garden with dogs and a person and attack. A bit OTT - Thank God it was not my garden the girls would have killed it especially if I tried to shoo it away they take offence if the pidgeon dows not move when I shoo it away. And make sure it goes even if I am not there.

Is this normal behaviour for a bengal??? I would be peeved if my cat did not feel safe in her own garden poor old Clem fancy not being safe in her own garden, have you got a cat flap Luke if so make sure the bengal does not enter your house.
Karen

[Kazz]

Originally Posted by EmmaG

Yes Luke, Arthur had a run in with a bengal, however I think that Arthur actually got the better of the other cat, I have NEVER seen two cats fight like that and I am sure one would have done some serious damage to the other if my OH hadn't have stepped in and grabbed hold of the bengal and showed it to the front lawn (they were fighting in the back garden)

He's brave Emma I wouldn't step in between two fighting cats try to break them up yes but step in not a chance - I've seen cat botes nasty.

[EmmaG]

Karen, in reply to your comment, the bengal that Arthur had a fight with actually managed to get into our home once through our cat flap (magnetic one) it must have followed one of the cats in.

[Kazz]

Is it normal bengal behaviour then to be so bolshy?

[EmmaG]

Originally Posted by Kazz

He's brave Emma I wouldn't step in between two fighting cats try to break them up yes but step in not a chance - I've seen cat botes nasty.

I told him to go and break it up lol He managed to grab it by the scruff of it's neck and carried it like that to the front of our garden (not very far) it wasn't aggressive at all to him, and when he separated them they were more interested in other another than him.

[EmmaG]

Originally Posted by Kazz

Is it normal bengal behaviour then to be so bolshy?

Not too sure Karen, but this one certainly was it would follow anybody (and everybody up and down the road) and chatter away to them. I talked to the owners after it had the fight with Arthur as it lost it's collar on our lawn (which I returned to them) and they said it put their two rottweilers in their place when it first came to their house.

I haven't seen the cat for months now, I think somebody stole it.

[Luke]

I wonder maybe if they are quite an 'inqusitive' breed and their sheer noseyness gets them into unusual situations (could account for entering a garden with three dogs and a human sitting a few feet away behind a fence?)
I wouldn't like to think this sort of "bolshy" behaviour is normal for Bengals-especially not as they seem so popular right now!

[Hreow]

Could be the nosiness - good theory. Especially if it was used to friendly dogs and strangers. (A bossy cat wouldn't be too bothered about other cats.)
Depends on whether it is popular because it's an interesting breed to keep, or because people like the look of it and get one without finding out how they are character-trait-wise? Also, many thuggy cats are good as gold at home, "just" bolshy to non-family.