    
Adopting a cat, and bringing a new family member is a big responsibility and should always be carefully considered. Here at Encore Bengals, we strive to match each kitten/cat with the perfect adopting family. The following are questions we frequently hear. We hope these frequently asked questions (FAQ) help clarify some of the terminology used, available options, and general recommendations and guidelines that reputable breeders should provide. 
| - What is the difference between a show, breeder or pet kitten?
- What do the following terms mean: F1, F2, F3, F4 and AON, BON, CON?
- What do I want in a Bengal?
- What color do I want? Does color make a difference?
- Do I care about the gender?
- What is my Bengal's destiny? Pet? Breeder? Show?
- What should be in the contract? What is the purpose of a contract?
- Is the breeder going to be there...? After the kittens comes home, what expectations should I have from the breeder?
- How/what should I look for and expect from a reputable breeder?
- What will a reputable breeder expect from me?
- How can I find a good breeder, or know that a breeder is ethical and reliable?
- How do I know if I have received a healthy kitten?
- Are the Bengals indoor or outdoor or both?
- Why do you and many other breeders keep the kittens until they are 11 weeks old instead of letting them go to their new home when they are younger?
- Do you give discounts for buying multiple kittens?
| | 1. What is the difference between a show, breeder or pet kitten? | | | Most Bengal breeders will have a different price for the kitten based on the characteristics that most closely reflect the Bengal breed standards, as recorded with TICA and/or TIBCS, as well as features most highly sought after and valued by the Bengal community, particularly the show and breeder community. The pet price requires a spay/neuter contract and the breeder/show are top quality that usually do not require spay/neuter contract. Some kittens are only offered as a pet and some are only offered as a show/breeder, while some are offered as either. The pet-only usually means it is not a good candidate for a breeder/show, while the ones only offered as breeder/show means they are top-quality picks regardless what the buyer intends to do (pet versus show) the price remains as show/breeder. A show quality kitten/cat should have no disqualifying (DQ) characteristics as defined in the Bengal breed standards, and should be the very best in conformation, color and pattern. There may not be a top show-quality kitten in every, while sometimes the excellent, top-quality pedigree breeding could produce a litter with multiple show kittens in the litter. A breeder quality is a cat that may not do well at the show for a variety of reasons, but one that would still be beneficial to use in a breeding program and/or have specific traits highly sought after in a breeding program. A pet quality is a kitten that may not be suited as a show due to an undesirable characteristic, such as a tiny "flaw" in appearance that would not be viewed a favorable by a judge. However, we (as do some other breeders) will often sell high quality kittens as "pets" simply because we want to place our kittens in good pet homes. Thus, even excellent quality cats or kittens may be offered as "pets". Frequently, the main difference between a "Pet" and "Show/Breeder" kitten, is the the "pet" contract will include a spay-and-neuter agreement.  Whether you adopt a gorgeous supreme grand champion, world class-beauty star, or a pet that is being offered as a "pet", the appearance of a Bengal's color, pattern, and conformation will not have a direct correlation to the cat's personality. Thus, the distinction made between the show, breeder, or pet is the appearance of a cat has no impact on the overall quality of health or temperament. | | 2. What do the following terms mean: F1, F2, F3, F4 and AON, BON, CON? | | | | Probably the easiest way to describe these definitions is to compare these in the table below. The following chart is based on a registered SBT* Bengal bred to an approved outcross** such as the following examples of the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) and the American Short Hair (ASH): bred to: | 1st Generation | 2nd Generation | 3rd Generation | 4th Generation | approved outcross | F1 or AON | F2 or BON | to either an F2 or CON | Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) | F1 = ½ ALC | F2 = ¼ ALC | F3 = 1/8 ALC | F4 (SBT) = 1/16 ALC | American Short Hair (ASH) | AON = ½ ASH | BON = ¼ ASH | CON = 1/8 ASH | SBT = can show |
*SBT – Stud Book Traditional – fully qualified for showing
**Outcross – The Bengal Standards lists all approved outcrosses that are accepted in the Bengals breed. This includes, Since the offspring of a CON produces SBT (show-eligible), a CON can be extremely valuable to a breeding program, as it produces the first of the new line that can show. The Concerto x Rebel litter are CON because their father, Rebel, a BON, is the sire. Alternatively, the queen, C'est La Vie, is a gorgeous CON and when bred to an SBT all her offspring will be SBT eligible, and can show. If you want a pet and are not interested in showing AON, BON, CON or SBT will be appropriate. If you want to show, then you should buy an SBT kitten. If you intend to use the kitten in a breeding program, then you should assess the specifics of your breeding program and determine what kitten will best help you achieve your goals. | | 3. What do I want in a Bengal? | | | When considering adopting a Bengal it is important to understand their differences and personalities. Many experts consider the Bengal Cat to be one of the most intelligent of all domestic cats. With that comes a package of fun and activity distinctly different from many of the other cat breeds. While a properly raised Bengal is a very loving and affectionate cat, he/she will traditionally want affection on his/her terms and may not be an in-your-lap-all-the-time type of feline. However, we find that all our cats are very social and want to be with their owner or feline companion. Attributed to their intelligence, Bengal cats are known to be extremely curious and determined. They do not give up easily nor do they forget a quest they started. If they swat a pom-pom under the refrigerator they will most likely remember it ... even month later (I've seen this happen); and, they find walking on railing an agility challenge or sliding down the stair railing as entertaining as trying to figure out the safety-locks on the kitchen cabinet. They've opened our bathroom doors, front door, and can find water very entertaining... of course our their terms! Then, there's the light switch! Have you ever seen a cat play with the light switch to turn it off and on? Or, play with you when you want it on, he immediately turns it off! The Bengal is truly loaded with personality, and can provide hours of entertainment. | | | 4. What color and pattern do I want? Does it make a difference? | | |  Bengals come in wonderful colors and patterns, and part of the fun of Bengal shopping is picking the color and pattern you find most appealing. While Bengals come in gold/brown, silver, or snow colors, and have patterns of either marble or spotted, the personality is not affected by their color and pattern. As a buyer looking to adopt a Bengal, you may be asked which color or pattern you prefer. It is good for you to have an idea of your preferences before you buy, but we have seen many pet buyers start out thinking they refer one type and then end up buying a different color or pattern once they meet the kitten. | | 5. Do I care about the gender? | | | Gender is a personal choice and while many pet owners may specifically prefer a male or a female, many breeders find that there are no distinct differences between genders if the cat is spayed or neutered. We have seen a tendency that males can be more affectionate and less active while females may interact more with athletic agility. However, overall the differences seem to be more unique to their personality and upbringing. | | 6. What is my Bengal's destiny? Pet? Breeder? Show? | | | When trying to decide on the type of Bengal to buy, you will need to decide if you want to show the cat or if you simply want a pet to rule your home. You may also find that breeders will identify a kitten that is only available as a show/breeder due to its outstanding qualities, or alternatively as a pet. | | 7. What should be in the contract? What is the purpose of a contract? | | |  A responsible breeder will provide a contract that protects the kitten/cat, as well as the buyer and the seller. We view the contract as a commitment for the wellbeing of the cat/kitten as well as a clear understanding between the buyer and seller defining the appropriate expectations. Our sales contract includes a health guarantee for the cat/kitten and a highlights a summary of your responsibly as the adopting owner to care and love for your Bengal with dignity and in a healthy environment. We expect our kittens to go to a loving, safe and wholesome environment, and the contract is our continued to commitment to the kittens/cats and to you as the new adopting parents. | | 8. Is the breeder going to be there for me...? After the kittens comes home, what expectations should I have from the breeder? | | | | When you adopt one of our babies, you also have our most sincere commitment to help you learning to care for your kitten and we will continue to provide advice and suggestions in what ever way we can. However, we are not a veterinarian facility and it is the adopting family's responsibility to provide proper care for the . | | 9. How/what should I look for and expect from a reputable breeder? | | | - A reputable breeder should provide a purchase contract with a clear statement of his/her commitment to you and the kitten.
- A reputable breeder should not knowingly be selling sick kittens/cats and should disclose known illness to you, the adopting family.
- A reputable breeder should be approachable when a concern or question arises.
- A reputable breeder should have references available upon request.
| | 10. What will a reputable breeder expect from me? | | | A reputable breeder will expect you to care for your cat with dignity and love. We expect you to provide proper shelter, food, medical care and plenty of love and attention. | | 11. How can I find a good breeder, or know that a breeder is ethical and reliable? | | | You can check sites such as TICA and TIBCS for a list of registered catteries. Additionally, you should talk with the breeder, visit their facility when possible and don't hesitate to ask the questions that will give you peace of mind. As always, we recommend that you shop around and we also welcome potential kitten visitors to tour our cattery, our home. | | 12. How do I know if I have received a healthy kitten? | 
| | When you receive a kitten it should have a healthy countenance, be in good weight and with bright-eyes and a typical kitten-spunky attitude. The kitten should not be lethargic, have runny eyes, or have other symptoms that might indicate the kitten may be unhealthy. The kitten should have received (ideally) 2 series of vaccinations, one at approximately 8-weeks of age and the other at approximately 11-weeks of age. If there are any deviations from these general guidelines the breeder should communicate with you the specifics of the issue(s) and discuss appropriate options and/or plan of actions. | | | | 13. Are the Bengals indoor, outdoor or both? | | | Our Bengals are sold as in-door only cat. We do this for several reasons:The life of an "indoor-outdoor" cat is statistically cut to 1/4 (or worse) the average life expectancy of a cat. There a many health hazards, enemies, poisons, and toxins as well as the danger of motor vehicles, etc. that put the cats at risk when they run loose. We want our Bengals to live a long and healthy life. Keeping them indoors is one of the steps to ensuring their longevity and well-being. The Bengal is still considered rare, and expensive, and many people will steal a Bengal they find running loose. Even the more "conscientious" person may find it easier to justify keeping a Bengal they find loose, claiming they rescued him/her from the dangers as noted above (#1). - The Bengal's wild look can cause panic to someone who is not familiar with the breed and can result in "mistaken identity", where someone may kill a loose Bengal, thinking it is a wild cat that poses danger.
- The Bengal's gorgeous, soft, exotic pelt has been known to attract those who want to use their pelt as an alternative to other contraband furs. Yes, unfortunately, there have been documented events of bad-guys wanting to use the Bengals' pelt as a fur alternative. We find this despicable and criminal behavior appalling, and we must not enable their horrible actions by making it easier for them to find Bengal to use for fur.
| | 14 | Why do you and many other breeders keep the kittens until they are 11 weeks old instead of letting them go to their new home when they are younger? | | | There are two compelling reasons to keep our kittens until they are 11 weeks old:Health / immune system: We keep the kittens until they are 11 weeks old  so that they can have their second set of vaccinations (booster shots) before they leave. It is important to help their immune systems be stronger and more protected. It is also usually during this same timeframe that the kittens are finishing weaning and are adjusting to a diet without their mother's milk. This allows us to monitor the kitten's health during this adjustment period to ensure there no health concerns. Many breeders have found that on occasions a kitten might get sick between their first and second vaccines and/or during the weaning process. While this is rarely ever life-threatening if properly cared for, a kitten can go downhill quickly without proper medical care. A responsible breeder will want to monitor the kitten's health so that he/she can catch any early warnings if the kitten start to get sick and to be able to nurse the kitten back to health if needed. The best way to ensure proper care for the kitten is to leave the him/her with the breeder who is properly equipped and prepared to care for a sick kitten during this transition stage. - TICA Code of Ethics: One of the conditions in the TICA breeder's Voluntary Code of Ethics is the agreement that "I will not release a kitten until it has been inoculated at least twice against the following: Panleukopenia, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus. I also may choose to give other vaccinations." Obviously TICA also values the importance of keeping kittens until after their second vaccination to have added it as one of the Code of Ethics conditions. I have signed this TICA Code of Ethics, and thus I comply to this condition to maintain my good-standing with TICA.
| | 15. Do you give discounts for buying multiple kittens? | | | We do not offer discounts on our kittens, even if buying more than one. Unfortunately, it is very expensive to raise these cats, and many times we really do not break even, because we are not mass producing, and we make sure they have proper medical and nutritional care, etc. As you can see, our Bengals are top-quality, with supreme championship lines, including direct lines of some of the top bloodline in the world. In fact, our own Calypso of Encore was voted the #1 Bengal personality in the world On Safari, which is sort of like winning a “Bengal Oscars” or “Bengal Grammy”. Additionally, we show regularly (which is rather costly to do), and many of our Bengals in our program are champions, double-grand champions, quadruple grand champions, and, yes, we’ve even had Supremes here as well.
You are also getting us to help you with your Bengal transition. We spend tons of time with all of Bengals (adults and kittens), they are not caged, overcrowded or treated like commodities! We believe in, and stand behind what we produce. This is not cheap to do, and in all honesty, it is not easy to break even if done properly! Thus, we set fair and honest prices to reflect the value of the kitten, not even considering the covering of our expenses. I guess the best way to say this is that raise Bengals because we love doing it… and it is not a get rich scheme.
We do place our retirees (the best of the best) in permanent homes at a fairly young age as we do not believe in breeding them for a long time. After all, they also deserve a long and luxurious life of retirement! Our retirees (many are champions) are usually placed at a much lower fee and we usually retire them between 18 months to 2 ½ years of age. This provides an alterative for someone looking for the "creme de la creme" available at a lower-priced adoption fee. | | | |
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