Bengals are extremely curious and active cats that love playing and exploring. Going outside might seem like the perfect activity for this guy, but is it really?
In case you have managed to create a stimulating and fun environment in the house, your Bengal will do perfectly fine inside. The outdoors are full of dangers that can hurt the cat or even kill it, so being an indoor-only kitty is definitely a safer option.
Can Bengal Cats Live Without Going Outside?
Even though Bengals do have wild genes, they are going to do perfectly fine living exclusively indoors, if you manage to provide the cats with enough mental and physical stimulation.
Do Bengal Cats Need to Go Outside?
Bengals do not need to go outside, but exploring the great outdoors definitely has a few major advantages:
- More entertainment and exercise
- Improved socialization and confidence
- Stable mental health (if there are any stress factors in the house, the kitty would be able to escape those while it’s outdoors)
- Freedom to follow their instincts
At the same time, there is a major disadvantage to letting your cat go outside, and that is safety. All of the benefits mentioned above might simply not be worth it if you’re not able to keep the kitty safe.
Ideally, you would want to walk your Bengal outside on a leash. In such a case, you’ll be able to avoid all the dangers that the kitty might face outdoors.
Read: How to Start to Train a Bengal Cat to Walk on a Leash?
Can Bengals Be Kept Indoors?
Bengals can certainly be 100% indoor cats and your kitty will stay happy and healthy if you manage to create a fun and stimulating environment for it and if you make sure that the cat receives adequate portions of high-quality food.
There are a few things that’ll allow your kitty to let out its excess energy and have a great time:
- Scratching posts
- Interactive toys
- Perches
- Cat trees
- Cat wheels
- Food puzzles
What Happens If I Don’t Let My Cat Outside?
If you’re willing to invest your time in playing with the kitty and training it inside the house, then your Bengal is going to do just fine being an indoor-only cat.
Is Having an Indoor Cat Cruel?
The truth is that leaving your cat inside is actually a lot safer than allowing it to roam outside.
- The cat won’t get hit by a car
- It won’t get hurt by other animals
- The Bengal is less likely to pick up certain diseases if it stays inside
- The kitty won’t get stolen or poisoned
- Your pet won’t get trapped or lost
- The cat won’t kill any birds
- Finally, your Bengal (in case it has not been spayed or neutered) will not contribute to cat overpopulation
Read: 3 Ways How to Calm a Bengal Cat?
Are Indoor Cats Depressed?
Indoor cats can become depressed, but that is not because they are not let outside. Unfortunately, a lot of indoor-only cats end up being under-stimulated and overweight and, of course, that can affect the pet’s mental and physical health.
Kitties can get depressed, if they are bored, experiencing stress, or are suffering from an illness. Enrich the cat’s environment, get rid of the stress factor, and take the little guy to the vet if needed, and everything will be fine.
Can Indoor Cats Be Happy?
Your cat can be totally happy living indoors, but, of course, you would have to put effort into keeping the kitty physically and mentally stimulated.
How Can You Tell If Your Indoor Cat Is Happy?
The signs of a happy Bengal include:
- Wanting to have conversations with you
- Staying well-groomed
- Having a great appetite
- Willing to show its tummy
- Staying active and curious
- Being playful
- Following you around
Read: What Are the Difficulties of Raising a Bengal Cat?
How Do I Keep My Indoor Cat Happy?
Bengals are known for being hyperactive and quite demanding of your attention. Being walked on a leash outdoors would help the energetic cat get a portion of the stimulation that it needs, but you can definitely do that indoors as well.
To keep your kitty happy, you should:
- Play with the Bengal for 10-15 minutes a few times per day
- Enrich the cat’s environment with various toys and other entertainment options
- Keep the kitty healthy by feeding it a well-balanced diet and taking regular trips to the vet
How Long Do Bengal Cats Live Indoors?
On average, you can expect your indoor-only Bengal to live for around 15 years. However, if you manage to take great care of your pet, it might live up to 20 years of age.
Why Do Bengals Have a Short Lifespan?
Bengals and any other cats that are allowed to roam outside generally have a shorter lifespan than strictly indoor cats. That is because the outdoors is full of dangers.
Unfortunately, outdoor cats usually live for 2-5 years.
What Breed of Cat Stays Indoors?
Any domestic cat breed can become indoor-only. Even though purebred Bengals have wild genes in them, they would be happy to stay indoors as long as they have something to do.
What Health Problems Do Bengal Cats Have?
Bengals and other cats can actually get sick from going outside. If your pet comes in contact with another feline, it can end up getting the feline immunodeficiency virus or the feline leukemia virus.
Outdoor cats can also get rabies, parasites, and fungus. Unfortunately, vaccinations won’t be able to protect your pet from every single disease.
Last but not least, the outdoors is full of plants that can be poisonous to felines, as well as rotten food and the poison left for pests.
Read: 3 Ways How To Exercise Your Bengal Cat
My Bengal Cat Has Gone Missing
One of the main cons of letting your cat outside is the fact that the poor kitty can get lost. The outdoors has plenty of unfamiliar scents and noises that can scare the cat away – and once it runs off, it might not be able to find its way back home.
If your cat is missing, then you would have to call the animal shelters, animal control, the local police, the veterinarian, and even the grooming shops to get the word out.
Do bear in mind that Bengals are an expensive breed and they get stolen more often than other kitties.
Why Do Bengal Cats Eat Grass?
If you ever took your cat outside, the chances are high that, at one point, it started nibbling on the green grass.
Kitties do that because grass helps support their health. It is a source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, it can help get rid of internal parasites, and chomping on grass might help your Bengal calm its nerves if it’s feeling stressed.
What Is the Personality of a Bengal Cat?
Bengals are athletic and active cats. These kitties are also very loyal and loving.
Are Bengals Wild Cats?
Even though a Bengal has been created by crossing a domestic shorthair with an Asian Leopard cat and has the look of a wild feline, it is a domestic cat breed with a gentle temperament.
Read: What Is the Average Size of a Bengal Cat?
Is It Better to Have Two Bengal Cats?
The majority of Bengals will do much better in pairs as they will be able to entertain each other and learn from one another.
If you are willing to take your two cats outside on a walk, ideally, you would want to have one human per cat or keep one kitty in the backpack while the other would be exploring the surroundings.