Should I Adopt a Retired Bengal?
IN BRIEF, YES! It’s a wonderful opportunity. But how can you be sure it’s the right choice for you? Let’s try to answer some of your questions!
Is a “retired Bengal” an “old Bengal”?
Virtually all retired cats are 6 years old, or less, at time of adoption. The majority are in the neighborhood of 2 to 4 years old.
Why are Bengals “retired”?
There are different reasons.
Males are frequently “retired” simply because a breeder has introduced enough of the stud’s bloodline into the cattery. The majority of responsible breeders do not take in females from outside the cattery for stud service. The point comes then, when it is better to introduce a new stud. And voila! A young male at 2 or 3 years old can be ready for retirement! Males may also be retired if they prove infertile.
In any case, a stud quickly “earns” his retirement — because as a intact male, he naturally sprays his highly “perfumed” urine everywhere (even on your trouser leg!)– and that severely limits his living quarters. Most intact males live in their own compounds. So, after a year or 2 or 3 of being somewhat more isolated than a queen — he deserves to be castrated, so that his focus is no longer on “romancing the ladies” and fanatically marking his territory, but rather that he can come inside with everyone else, play cat games like a madman all day and sleep on your bed (probably on your stomach or back, if you let him) at night.
Females may be retired for similar reasons as males. Or, because they have proved to be poorly adapted as mothers (due to a Cesarean, lack of milk, poor mothering skills, etc. etc.) Sometimes a female is retired because she is too dominant. Perhaps she wants to be “the only cat” and not to live happily in a small colony like she must in a breeding environment. Or, perhaps she has been an excellent mother, produced beautiful babies and gets along well with everyone — but still! After a few years, she deserves to stop being a mommy and to simply enjoy being some-body’s pampered pet!
What sort of quality is a “retired Bengal”?
A “retired Bengal” is among the best quality that a breeder has. Either a show cat or a breeding quality cat. A cat kept because it could contribute something to furthering the advancement of the Bengal breed. If that cat has been imported from another cattery — it may have cost upwards of 2500 euros, plus shipping costs, plus the costs of being shown in cat shows.
“But it’s not a kitten anymore!”
There is certainly something magical about adopting a kitten and watching it grow to adulthood. However, you can never be sure at 100% with a kitten what you will have as an adult. Whereas, in adopting a “retired Bengal” you can know exactly what it looks like as an adult. You can know everything about the cat’s personality, general activity level, and idiosyncrasies. You will know how affectionate it is. How out-going it is. How playful it is. How it interacts with other cats, strangers, young children, and perhaps other animals.
Here is an excerpt from one couple who adopted the 6 year old Bengal pictured above, our foundation queen, “CH Mainstreet Sarbakan of Ashanti”:
“It’s a lovely spring day today again and we’ve had a lot of fun with Sarbakan, Tobasco and Vincent outside. Sarbakan does go outside on her own, but stays on the terrasse. When one or both of the boys go outside she will join them on their walk through the territory. The moment Jacorine or I go outside, she turns into a little monkey, jumps around like mad and goes up the trees. Absolutely adorable. We think she really enjoys retirement. She is doing very well and she is extremely lively (we sometimes want to ask you if the battery can be removed temporarily).” — Patrick & Jacorine Meier, Switzerland
Does that sound like an old or boring Bengal? Definitely not!
How much does a Retired Bengal cost?
This depends very much on the cat and the situation. At the absolute minimum, the breeder will usually require the cost of the cat’s sterilization + it’s annual vaccination booster and other recent upkeep costs. However, this is usually no more than 10 to 25% of the original purchase price that the breeder paid to acquire it originally. However, you can be sure that a breeders first priority will be finding the best loving home for a beloved retired breeding cat. The focus is on the choice of home, not on the selling price!
Should I adopt a “Retired Bengal”?
If you want to purchase a top-quality companion cat who is either still a young adult or in the prime of it’s life — YES! If you are on a limited budget, but do not want to settle on a Bengal of questionable quality — YES! If you want to “know what you are getting” rather than taking a chance on the relatively unknown strengths and weaknesses of a young kitten — YES! If you are dedicated to providing a “forever home” to a lovely animal who wants to be an active and affectionate part of your life, but who will never be involved in reproduction again — YES!
Remember: one of the sweetest companions of your life, might already be waiting for you… The choice is yours.
