Do you have a Bengal cat as your pet in your home? If you have, it is most likely to be seen that they mostly don’t like to be held compared to other cats. They act a little bit feisty if someone tries to hold them up.
So, the question is, why the Bengal cats don’t like to be held? Whenever an owner holds their cat, it is common to feel warmth and affection as well as for the cat too.
But some breeds are opposite from these cats, i.e. The Bengal Cats. Its wild ancestry shows that those Bengal cats don’t like being restrained in any activity. So, how many times do you try to hold them up, but they don’t like to accept it.
Read the entire article to know why Bengal doesn’t like to be held.
Do Bengal cats like to be held?
The answer to this Bengal cat question will be a No. While this cat breed is very friendly and social, they won’t certainly be pleased when someone holds them or picks them up. Bengal cats commonly hate to be picked up or relaxed in laps.
They have a tendency to crawl against any kind of hindrance. They are highly independent and high-energy felines, so any kind of limitation makes them uneasy.
We can say that this is one kind of behavior portrayed by these breeds of cats. They won’t allow themselves to be restrained. Due to this manner, if you try to hold them, they will start to act weird and go against it.
It is seen that these cats are very sociable and love to do everything done by the master, but only if they are not getting hold. In simple terms, we can say that these Bengal cats are floor cats, indicating that their paws are always in touch with the ground.
When it comes to petting a cat, it differs from one to another, while the Bengal one depends on its personality. It is very much important to remember that these Bengal cats are one type of wild animal species, so showing this behavior is quite normal.
In history, The very first Cat litter was invented in 1947. Hence this was the first time that cats tended to be fully domesticated as indoor pets by human beings.
This also shows that it is a very new concept for people to have feline species as their friends.
We know that evolution is a very slow process which means it can take time for a cat to respond to touching or holding them up as they can panic. Rather, connect with your cat to make it confident and relaxed. Spend time with your cat, pat it or play with it.
How to Know If a Bengal Enjoys Being Picked Up?
In general, cats are very expressive when it comes to showing their emotions, whether they are sad, happy or excited. You can look out for their signs; if your cats like to be held or not in that way, you might figure it out.
If you try to pick up your Bengal cat and attempt to run away from you, then it is clear that they don’t like to be held. So, if you have children in your home, ensure that they avoid this so that the cats won’t harm them.
Why Do Bengal Cats Hate Being Held Sometimes?
Every species of cats, including the Bengal cats, are very different from each other in many ways. Each species has its unique personality, and like that, some of them don’t like to be held.
There are still some explanations below to explain these phenomena:
1. Some are easier to spook as compared to the experience
If you have a Bengal cat as a pet in your family, they still won’t likely get held up. It is because some of the cats might get spooky compared to others which are not predictable.
Due to this, you need to have an understanding of your cat to avoid such incidents. There can be instances where the Bengal cats will never likely get picked up.
If this happens, you must get acquainted with your cat without complaint. However, it is not the case that they won’t want attention from you or have a scratch behind their ears.
2. They might have faced bad human experiences.
If you got your cat as an adult or not as a kitten, then you might not know how its life was before. It can be possible that they have bad experiences with humans who have treated them very badly.
These experiences can be very hard for these little feline species to forget for the rest of their lives. The solution to this problem is patience. Wait until your cat gets comfortable with you.
It is the nature of animals that they carry emotions with them as human beings. You need patience and understanding for your cat if you suspect that your cat had some bad experience in the past.
If the Bengal kitten was not young while adopting it, then there can be a probability that it was not socialized while it was young. For pet animals, including cats, it is very much necessary to have a nice amount of interaction with them during the first three months.
If they don’t get adequate interaction at an early age, they won’t be able to socialize that easily with you for the rest of their life. Although it is not impossible to form a connection with an unsocialized cat, it can take time to form such a bond with you.
4. Fear can be another major reason for the Bengal cats
Fear can be the major reason the Bengal cats don’t like to get held or picked. Any form of restraint on them can make them fearful. Hence, you should be attentive to your Bengal cat before doing such a thing.
It is known that they don’t like to get restrained, and the reason for this is that they feel scared. The behavior of cats is keeping up with themselves.
Some species, including the Bengal ones, don’t like to get touchy. All the cats can tend to be formal, and they give their first gesture to you if they are having a good time.
It indicates that you can’t get touchy with your Bengal cats whenever you want. Would you allow anybody to hover up at any time? The same goes for these cats.
Conclusion
While some Bengal cats probably don’t like to be held, others may like it. This all depends on the different individuality of cats. Allowing your Bengal cat to decide the length and frequency of your physical interaction is what matters the most.
This way, you and your Bengal cat can develop a faith connection. And if your feline is not liking it at first, it can develop compassion for your physical interaction over time.
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.