Question about a newly adopted bengal.

[0pie]

Hello
I adopted a bengal cat, which is also my 1st cat ever and bring it home last friday. When i opened the luggage he seemed ok, played with stuff, explore the appt (a 3 1/2) and everything seemed ok, so i thought, no need to put him in a room

During the night, he came by himself on me while i was watching tv, once again i thought everything seem good then, when i was in my bed, he didnt stopped making noise until i picked him and put him on my bed. 5min later he pooped on my bed then later, he peed on the floor and same thing the next morning.

People told me to put him in the bathroom for a week, which is where he is right now. Everything seem fine, he eat, drink, poop (not hard) and pee in his litter. I also can hear him play with toys and play with me when i visit him.

When i go to the bathroom, he always come to me, jump on my lap by himself and seem to enjoy playing.

But i've got some question about the 1 week time in bathroom.
When i leave, he always try to leave with me, will make noise for a certain time, will slide his paw in and out under the door, is this a sign that he is ok to go or i should stick to the 1week?
Tonight, he ran outside of the bathroom and i had to chase him go get him back in the bathroom.

To me, he seem ok to go out but at the same time,its my first cat and dont speak cat language yet

I want to do everything how it should be done. I made a mistake by not putting him in the bathroom, i just dont wanna do something that could hurt him or something


Thank you

 

[Caspers Human]

When he came to you and made noise he might have been asking you for help. He probably needed to go but wasn't feeling secure enough to use the box by himself. When you brought him up to the bed, he picked up your scent and thought that's the place where he's "supposed" to go. He wanted help going to the bathroom and thought you were telling him it was okay to go there.

If he does that again, take the "deposit," put it in the litter box and make sure he sees you do it. Also, make sure he sees you cover it.
What you're doing is modeling the behavior you want him to learn. Cats learn by watching other cats and their humans, too.

The reason why he comes into the bathroom with you is because he's looking out for you. Cats that live outdoors will often watch each other's back while they do their business. Your cat does the same thing for you when you use the bathroom. He's watching your back while you use the "human litter box."

You've only had this cat for a week and he's already starting to bond with you! That's pretty darned good!

If you show him where the litter box is and teach him that the box is the place where he's supposed to go, he'll probably learn pretty quickly.

I gather that his litter box is in a bathroom that you also use. True? If the "human litter box" is in the same place as the cat's litter box, he might learn faster.

I don't think you need to keep the cat in the bathroom full time. If you think that he's learned where the box is and he knows that he's supposed to use it, you can probably let him out. If you don't quite feel comfortable letting him out full time, you can put him in when you leave the house or when you go to bed. As you feel more confident that he's using the litter box the way he's supposed to, you can let him out more often.

Another thing! Play with him A LOT! Play! Play! Play!
Bengals are high-energy cats and they need lots of exercise and they need lots of mental engagement. The last thing you need is to have a bored Bengal on the loose.

Having a set playtime, maybe fifteen minutes, at certain times of the day is a good thing. It's especially important right before you feed him and right before you go to bed. However, you don't need to have structured playtime all the time. You can just have "fly-by" playtime at random intervals throughout the day.

If you're walking through the living room, pick up his toy mouse and toss it for him to chase. If you're siting on the sofa and he happens to walk by, give him a little tussle with a feather toy. If you're watching TV, pick up a laser toy and let him chase it while commercials are on.

Your kitty is already starting to bond with you. He knows your scent. He guards you in the bathroom. Playing with him, just a little here and a little there, will strengthen his bond with you and, as that happens, you'll probably notice that his propensity to go outside the litter box will decrease, too.

 

[goingpostal]

This is a kitten yes? It's best to start all new pets in a confined area but especially very young ones, a large space can be overwhelming at first and they haven't got much bladder control at that age, you want them close to a potty area while they get the hang of it and slowly expand. So even once he's out of the bathroom you might want to limit him to a bedroom for a little while, then the whole place. That way they can adjust slowly to all the new changes and space. It sounds like things are going well so far!

 

[Cf24248]

If he has learned WHERE his box is and has been using it, it may be okay to let him out again. I would also recommend a litter box in the room he peed/pooped in, with a poo from his other box in it so he gets the picture. If you're worried you oculd put him away at night for now in the bathroom and let him out during the day, and maybe keep that room closed.

A Bengal as a first cat is a HUGE task. Make sure you are giving that cat a TON, TON, TON, of playtime and exercise opportunity so he does't act out out of boredom!

 

[neely]

I adopted a bengal cat, which is also my 1st cat ever and bring it home last friday.

Welcome to TCS! I'm glad you joined the site and came here for advice. I thought these TCS Articles would help you with your very first cat as well as offer guidance and support. Please feel free to ask questions and post a pic of your new Bengal boy.
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home - TheCatSite
Bringing Home A New Cat - The Complete Guide - TheCatSite
9 Tips That Will Help Your Kitten Adapt To A New Apartment or House - TheCatSite
13 Practical Ways to Kitten-Proof Your Home - TheCatSite
First Time Cat Owner's Guide - TheCatSite
Playing With Your Cat - 10 Things You Need To Know - TheCatSite

Best of luck and please keep us posted on your new cat's progress. BTW, what's his name?