Anyone who has ever owned a Bengal cat is well aware of how difficult it can be. These cats are more like “wild” cats than the majority of domestic cats, and some cat owners find their canine-like mannerisms strange.
When attempting to train your Bengal, this may be frustrating and confusing. Normal cat discipline techniques may not work for many Bengals, so you may need to go outside the box to persuade your Bengals to perform things your way.
In this article, we define discipline as educating your cat on what is appropriate behavior rather than employing punishment. Start with this article to get you going!
How Not to Discipline Your Bengal Cat
You need to first understand what you shouldn’t do to reprimand your cat to properly discipline your Bengal.
Any cat should not be subjected to physical punishment methods like spanking because they will simply make them more fearful and anxious, which increases their risk of developing behavioral and health issues. These forms of punishment are viewed as abusive.
Water-spraying your cat is a contentious training technique that many people find inappropriate. This is because, in part, the poor behavior choice is made with you in mind, so they try to just stop it when you are there.
It might even teach your Bengals to behave inappropriately more subtly, increasing the likelihood that they’ll act in an impolite manner when you can’t see them.
Bengal Cat Discipline: The 6 Stages
Prepare your Bengal for success.
You may help your Bengal cat prosper by making sure that he or she is not given the opportunity to break the rules. If you know your cat may steal items from your bathroom garbage, keep the bathroom door shut.
If you are aware that your cat will flee as soon as the front door opens, add a layer of security by installing a screen door that prevents a speedy escape.
Your home should be set up so that your cat can, as much as possible, engage in its natural habits in a way that you find acceptable, such as horizontal and vertical scratching areas, cat shelves for exploration, and hiding places where they can retreat for some peace.
Play with your Bengal every day.
Bengal cats have a lot of energy and require daily playtime. Bengals that are content and exhausted from play and mental exercises are less likely to get into trouble than Bengals that are bored.
Bengal cats have a lot of energy, so physical activity such as strolling on a harness and wrestling with a teaser toy is a great way to release it.
For your cat’s entertainment, you should also buy or make puzzles that, when solved, reward the cat. Bengals can be taught some entertaining behaviors like fetching and high-fiving. Play imaginative games to strengthen your relationship with your cat.
Create obstacles.
Your task is to build deterrents since there are instances when it’s impossible to prevent your Bengal from certain things or places in your home.
Uncomfortable mats can be used to discourage your cat from settling down on the couch for a session of scratching, for instance, if your cat’s preferred misbehavior is to scratch your couch cushions instead of the scratching post. To prevent your cat from getting beloved off-limits goods, place them in storage containers or install child locks on cabinets.
Use positive reinforcement.
Praise your Bengal when they behave well! Give a treat or a toy, as well as lots of affectionate remarks and chin scratches. Positive reinforcement does not prevent bad behaviors, but it does teach your cat that certain activities generate a favorable reaction.
This will motivate your cat to maintain its good manners. For instance, reward the behavior by praising and rewarding your cat when it switches from scratching the couch to scratching the post.
The crucial words here are consistency and speed. Repetition and rewarding immediately following the behavior are necessary for creating a link between the behavior and the reward.
If all else fails, try to ignore your cat’s behaviors.
Bengal cats are people-oriented, attention-seeking animals that can be rather demanding. They occasionally misbehave just to grab your attention.
If your cat is trying to seek your attention and you don’t respond to their undesirable behavior, you might deter them from trying again. However, there is a narrow line to be drawn here. Ignoring a behavior that your cat is engaging in out of instinct, such as clawing inappropriate objects, is unlikely to make things better.
You must step in right away if your cat is engaging in harmful activity, such as climbing up stovetop pots. It is your responsibility as the cat owner to ensure that your cat is safe and healthy, even though getting burned by a hot stove might educate your cat not to climb up there. This includes shielding your cat from things that they might find perplexing.
Use redirection to divert your Bengal’s attention.
Redirection is an excellent way to end a habit since it gives your cat a chance to engage in more amusing activities. Do not attempt to change the problematic behavior; instead, divert it.
Try offering your cat a toy from across the room, for instance, if they are clawing the couch. This will force them to stop what they are doing and divert their attention from the undesirable behavior to inspect the object.
Redirecting your cat’s behavior with exercise, play, and walking are excellent options. As mentioned above, redirection enables you to overlook your cat’s annoying behavior while still preventing it from happening again. Redirection enables you to address undesirable behavior without your cat noticing that you are doing it.
But use caution when redirecting. If you link the undesirable behavior and the desirable result, there may be a delicate line between redirecting undesirable behavior and positively reinforcing undesirable behavior. For instance, if you give your cat a treat whenever it starts scratching the couch, you can unknowingly be praising your cat for doing so.
Having a Bengal Cat as a Pet
Bengal cats are extremely intelligent. Many people underestimate their trainability. These cats can benefit from clicker and target training, and they are also good at learning how to respond to vocal stimuli.
However, always provide your Bengal cat with a successful habitat. These cats are prone to become overstimulated and frustrated. If they are bored and are punished for merely trying to burn off some energy, you could end up with a cat that exhibits aggressive behavior, whether it is genuine aggressiveness or rough play.
Conclusion
When it comes to correcting your Bengal cat, you should focus more on training and rewarding the behaviors that you would like to see more of. Physical discipline and punishment are not appropriate. For the happiness of the entire household, make sure your cat has a place to vent its intellect and energy.
These cats are not appropriate for everyone, and they do have significant daily requirements, particularly if kept as a housecat. You must ensure that your cat thrives in a secure setting with the least amount of room for misbehavior as possible. If unruly behavior persists, it’s time to consult your veterinarian or a certified veterinary behaviorist in your area.
If you’re seeking for high-quality Bengal kittens in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, you’ve come to the perfect place. Lone Star Bengals is an experienced, reliable, and accountable Texas Bengal Breeder. For all of your Bengal cat needs, get in touch with us right away!