Your First Pet Responses

We received hundreds of responses from people who took a trip down Memory Lane and shared memories of their first pets. Thank you to everyone who shared. Here are the questions people responded to with their answers. Our personal answers are listed in italics:

What kind of pet was your first pet?
74% said a dog
19% said a cat
3% said a lizard
1% said a gerbil
1% said a rabbit
1% said a frog
.5% said a pony
.5% said goldfish

Our first pet was a male puppy named Laddie my parents adopted from the dog pound when I was a 7 years old. Laddie was a black lab mix with floppy ears, long gangly legs and never ending energy. He was famous for licking anyone he could get close to.

The next question was: Do you still have your first pet?

96% said no
4% said yes

We do not still have our first pet.

If not, what happened to it?

23% said their pet got out and was lost
15% said their pets were given way to others
49% said their pet died of old age
13% said their pet got sick and had to be put down

Our first pet was given away to others as one of my siblings had an allergy to it. The family he went to seemed nice and my parents thought they would give the puppy a good home.

Pets leave a lasting impression in our memories and on our lives. A positive relationship with a pet is one of the most rewarding things one can have.

Publishing as Requested

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Christmas Kitten

We have an adorable pedigreed Bengal kitten that could be ready to go to a new family by Christmas. She has bright green eyes and a beautiful shiny marble patterned coat that is black with gold markings. She has a very distinctive star-like pattern at the back of her neck with a dual gold stripe down her back. She has nice small ears and a great profile.

Her photos below are from when she was very small to now so be sure to look at all of them. She has a sweet personality and is from outstanding bloodlines. If you are interested in having this lovely female Bengal kitten as your new pet, let us know right away. She has had her initial and booster vaccinations, is de-wormed and comes with a pedigree and TICA registration papers. She will be spayed before she leaves us. Contact us for additional details at (586) 291-1799.

Your First Pet

Treat yourself to a trip down Memory Lane. Remember your first pet? What kind of pet was it? Do you still have it? If not, what happened to it? For some of us, the trip down Memory Lane is a very long road that takes us all the way back to childhood. For others, it is a short trip as your first pet was obtained recently.

Regardless of how long ago, take a minute to share one of your memories of your first pet with us by submitting it in our Blog's Comment box by December 20, 2012. We would like to share ours and yours with others so they can enjoy the memories as well.

Happy traveling.

Holiday Shopping

This is the time of year when many people are out doing Holiday shopping. When we are busier, we often (unintentionally) spend less time with our pets. You can make it up to them. If you do not already do this, take your pet shopping with you.

Many of the pet stores will allow you to bring your leashed pet with you. Why not take them? You have to go there anyway. Most pets will be a bit nervous the first few of times they go. However, most dogs and cats will be glad to learn there are other places besides the veterinarian where they can go.

This also helps their social skills. When you take your pets to the pet store, they get lots of attention from both the other customers and the store staff. Shoppers and store staff will often come talk with you about your pet so you get to brag on them. They will want to talk to your pet and, if you pet is up to it and you allow it, will want to rub them. Most pets will love this. However, you know your pet better than anyone. If you know your pet may be uncomfortable with others petting them or if you don't want them to, politely let the person know this and they will understand. The more your pet is exposed to new surroundings and people the more comfortable they should become. Before long your pets may have friends who look forward to seeing them come to the store with you on a regular basis. Having people say hello and call them by name can soon generate a positive response from your pet. Try it and let us know how it goes. Happy Shopping.

Hurricane Sandy Recovery Efforts Pledge

The destruction left by Hurricane Sandy is massive. Though there are many already helping the people affected, at this point it is not enough. That is why we at Adore Cats Bengals Company are pledging a portion of all sales made through the end of this year to the recovery efforts being made on the U.S. East Coast. We are not a huge company and we are not financially rich. We just care.

This pledge applies to kittens (less than a year old) we have now, those who will be born this year and those we obtain deposits for by 12/31/12 for future litters.

If you are interested in participating in this effort, contact us at: adorecatssandypledge@gmail.com. Thank you for your support.

Hurricane Sandy Superstorm

We have been following the news regarding the progression of Hurricane Sandy which weather officials describe as a Superstorm.

We are concerned about all those who have already been affected as well as those on the United States East Coast who, at the time of this writing, are in the storm's path and will be affected soon.

We hope everyone will do what the officials in your respective areas recommend in order to maintain safety for yourself, your family, pets, friends and neighbors. Our hearts and thoughts are with you.

When this is over, we would like to hear from you. Let us know how you are doing and what your experience was. Send us a message or photos. We will share your experience and photos on our blog in hopes it will inspire others.

We wish the best for you and yours.

Costumes for Pets

I was in the pet store yesterday and noticed a small crowd gathered around one display. I went to see what they found so interesting. They were looking at the new Halloween pet costumes that had just arrived.

The variety of costume themes, colors, fabrics and sizes was amazing. I heard one lady say she wanted a costume for her dog similar to the one her little boy was going to wear. Another person who was looking at a costume that had a tu-tu around the bottom wondered if there was a headpiece available to go with it. Another lady said she wanted to buy a costume but did not know if her cat would wear it and someone else chimed in with how she gets hers to keep it on for a while. A teenager who was with an adult picked up a costume with a hooded cape and the adult with her said "Don't even think about it!" Make no mistake - pet costumes generate big money for those who make them.

Most pet lovers have an opinion either for or against dressing their pets. If you are against it, the new line of costumes won't affect you. If you are for it, now is the time to shop.

We Have Redesigned Our Website!

We have redesigned our website at: http://www.adorecatsbengals.com to be more vibrant and interactive with our visitors. Take a look and let us know what you think.

Choose Your Veterinarian Carefully

One of the most important things you can do for your pet is to take time to choose a knowledgeable and caring veterinarian. Ideally, this should be done before you bring your new pet home. If not, do this immediately afterward and take your pet in right away for a health and immunization check up.

If you do not know a good veterinarian already, try this:

Ask friends and/or neighbors about their veterinarian. You want to know:
A. Who treats their pets?
B. What have they treated the pet for?
C. Did the veterinarian appear knowledgeable about the condition at hand?
D. Did the pet get better with treatment or what was the outcome?
E. Did the prices seem reasonable?
F. Did someone from the veterinarian's office do a follow-up call afterward to
see if the pet was improving? (Did the veterinarian seem to care?)
G. What are the veterinarian's office hours? The longer the office hours, the
less likely you will have to go to the Emergency Veterinarian Clinic after
normal office hours, which can cost twice as much or more.
H. Did the veterinarian have to refer the pet to a specialist for something
simple? Specialists are very expensive as well.

Also, find out if the veterinarian/clinic you want to take your pet to is licensed.
The State of California Department of Consumers Affairs offers an online license
look up for consumers at:
http://www.vmb.ca.gov/consumers/licverif.shtml

Something similar to verify a veterinarian license may be available in your state.

Labor Day Weekend

As you plan your Labor Day Weekend activities, try to plan some extra time with your pet(s). Remember, your pet's world is greatly influenced by you. The more time they spend with you the better their world is - and possibly vice versa.

Neighborhood Watch or Just Plain Nosy?

The photo below is of 3 of our Bengal girls looking out of our living room window at dusk one evening. You tell us - are these diligent members of the Neighborhood Watch Group or are they just plain nosy?

Faith's Kitten F-D Update

It is always a joy for us when we get updates from people who have made one (or more) of our Bengals part of their family. With the family's permission, we then share them with you. We appreciate J.L. for allowing us to share these with you.

These are updated photos of Faith's female kitten F-D, who the family named Bianca, that was born in February, 2012. Bianca now lives in Brighton, MI. She was beautiful when she left us even though her pattern was still developing. Her pattern has only gotten better over time, which we expected it to, but it is wonderful to see it happening. Her spots are very dark now and she has rosettes galore! Her pattern is not done yet and she will be even more beautiful when it is.

In this picture Bianca gives a big yawn. She is comfortable and happy in her forever home.

If you would like a gorgeous Bengal kitten similar to the one above or with a different pattern, contact us. We will do our best to help you select one to fit your family. Also, feel free to send us photos of your current pets with captions and permission for us to share them online to: blogadmin@adorecatsbengals.com. We will be glad to post some them.

Olympics 2012 and Pet Agility

We watched the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics on television yesterday. We look forward to watching the competitions as well.

Many people do not know that there are similar competitions for dogs and cats. They are called agility competitions/trials. The American Kennel Club has been involved in canine agility trials for many years. More recently, the Cat Fanciers Association began having feline agility competitions. These competitions are fun to watch and reminds us how smart, agile and athletic pets can be. If you have not attended an agility event for dogs or cats, these are family friendly events you may consider. They are held in different locations so you may be able to find one relatively close to you. This link to AKC can provide more information on canine agility http://www.akc.org/events/agility/ and this link provides more information on CFA feline agility http://agility.cfa.org/spectator.shtml. If you attend any events, let us know.

Aurora, Colorado Tragedy

Yesterday - A terrible tragedy occurred in Aurora, Colorado when a gunman burst into a movie theatre and shot in excess of 70 people. At the time of this writing,12 people have been confirmed dead. We send our sincere condolences to the families, friends and community of Aurora, CO who have been affected by this tragedy.

Today - It is likely that many of the victims had a pet at home that they loved. In this instance, the vicitims families or members of the community will make sure they have homes. What about you? If you have a pet and something happened and you could not come home, what will happen to your pet(s)? If you have not already made arrangements for your pet, we encourge you to do so today because as this tragedy reminds us, tomorrow is not promised to anyone.

Oprah's David Copperfield Interview

Last night we watched Oprah's interview with David Copperfield. He shared portions of his childhood, his passion for his work, his personal museum, the fact that he owns eleven (that's right - 11) islands and his outlook on life.

The interview took place on one of David's islands. He took Oprah for a ride to tour part of it. He stopped so Oprah could get out and get a closer look at a peacock that was in full feather display. It was so gorgeous Oprah took a picture of it with her cell phone. In a different scene, David showed Oprah two small toucan birds as they were being hand-fed. We have found a positive connection between pets (whether the pets are domestic or not) and the well-being of people throughout time.

Of course Oprah did one of the the things she does so well; she asked questions that many David Copperfield fans wanted to know the answers to. He did not skirt them. He gave answers to what was asked.

We really enjoyed this interview. If you did not see it last night, check your local TV listings to see when it airs on OWN in your area and watch it. Let us know what you think.

Most Popular Cat Breeds

The number of pedigreed registered cats is huge. Two of the major cat registries who maintain statistics on the breeds they register are the Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. (CFA) and The International Cat Association (TICA). Each registry determines which breeds they accept. There is some duplication of accepted breeds but there are differences. For example, CFA does not register Bengals but TICA does.

CFA's top five most popular cat breeds for 2011 are:
1. Persian
2. Exotic
3. Maine Coon
4. Ragdoll
5. Sphynx

TICA's top five most popular cat breeds for 2010 are:
1. Bengal
2. Ragdoll
3. Maine Coon
4. Savannah
5. Sphynx

Let us know if they got the order right in your opinion. If your favorite breed of cat is not there, tell us what it is and why.

Most Popular Registered Dogs

There are many different pedigreed registered dogs. The American Kennel Club (AKC) maintains a huge registry of the different breeds. They posted an article on 2/23/12 that lists the 10 most popular dogs in the United States in 2011. According to the AKC, they are:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. German Shepherd Dog
3. Beagle
4. Golden Retriever
5. Yorkshire Terrier
6. Bulldog
7. Boxer
8. Poodle
9. Dachshund
10. Rottweiler
You can read the entire article at this link: http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=4592

Let us know what you think the ranking should be and if any others should have been included.

Brown Spotted Bengal Kitten for Sale

These are photos of a gorgeous brown spotted, pedigreed Bengal kitten we have for sale who was born on 2/24/12. He was initially referred to as Kitten G-E but we have temporarily named him Gabe. His father is a Triple Grand Championship Show cat and his mother is from Championship bloodlines as well. He has lots of glitter on his coat so the shine you see in these unretouched photos is real. He has a very huggable stature and loves to be the center of attention. He is up-to-date with vaccinations and is already neutered. If you would like to make this Bengal kitten your family member, call us at (586) 291-1799 M-F from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST for more information.

Marble Bengal Kitten for Sale

These are photos of a beautiful marble patterned, pedigreed, male bengal kitten that is for sale. These photos are not retouched - his coat really does shine as the pictures show. He was born 3/22/12. He was referred to as Kitten F-A, but we have temporarily named him Lightening because of his pattern. His dad is a Triple Grand Championship Show cat and his mother is from Championship bloodlines too. He is a very affectionate kitten, is up to date with immunizations and will be neutered before he leaves us. Call us at (586) 291-1799 M-F between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST if you are interested in making this kitten part of your family.

Independence Day

Happy Independence Day to you and yours.

Microchip Your Pets

Summertime - Warm weather is great and many of us take advantage of outside activities. This could mean we open and close our doors more often than usual as we go out of and into our homes more frequently. For pet owners, this could mean more opportunity for our pets to dart out of the door while it is open or slip through an open window if the screen is not well secured. State of Denial - Many pet owners are in a state of denial when it comes to being cautious about opening doors when pets are loose in the house and near enough to an open door to run out. We often hear pet owners say "My pet hates going outside and would never go out the door so I don't have to worry about him/her running outside." For many pets, they would normally stay indoors if the door was open. However, it only takes a split second for a pet's normal behavior to change. Maybe on this one instance the door was open and there was a squirrel the pet saw or a bird was near that seemed enticing to your pet. All of a sudden, their normal behavior changed - before your could react. Suddenly, the pet you love is out the door or window and is gone! What to Do Next - There are a number of things you could do next. You could run out and try to catch your pet. If that does not work, you could leave his/her favorite treats out near your door in case your pet comes back. You could alert your neighbors and the local veterinarians and shelters to be on the look out for our pet and leave them photos. You could put up flyers and run an ad in the newspaper. You could do all these things and perhaps others not mentioned to try to get your pet back. It is possible none of these will work. All of the things mentioned are things you could do after your pet is lost but what could you do before your pet is lost that may help you get him/her back later? Microchipping - We recommend when you first acquire a new pet that you take it in to see your veterinarian for a wellness check up. During this initial check up, ask your veterinarian to place a microchip in your pet. Microchips are very small and contain identifying information on them, usually a microchip number. It is placed just under your pet's skin between the shoulder blades. Once placed, your pet adjusts to it being there quickly and it does not hurt. The vet. will give you a copy of the microchip number and some paperwork to fill out with your name, address, phone number, pet's name, identifying markings, etc., to send to the microchip company along with their registration fee. Once your pet is registered with the microchip company, should your pet get lost and someone takes your pet to a shelter or the veterinarian, the shelter staff or veterinarian can use a scanner to see if the pet has a microchip in place. If the microchip is there, the scanner can read the number on the microchip and the shelter staff or veterinarian can contact the microchip registration company. The microchip registration company will be able to help contact you so you can retrieve your pet. This way, if you get a case of pet owner denial later and just know "My pet hates going outside and would never go out the door so I don't have to worry about him/her running outside." this early precaution can make the difference between never seeing your pet again and a very happy reunion.

Follow us on Twitter

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Like Us on Facebook

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Bengal Kitten F-C Has a New Home

Faith's Kitten F-C was neutered last week, recovered from surgery very well and was picked up by his new owner today. He has gone to live in Ann Arbor, MI. I am confident this kitten will spend many years being completely spoiled :) Congratulations to Kitten F-C and his new owner! The picture below is of Kitten F-C while he was still in his fuzzy stage but you can see some of his pattern. He is even more beautiful now and will continue to get better as he matures.

Adult Bengal Cats For Sale

Occasionally we have Adult Bengal Cats for sale. This could be due to a new direction in our program, right-sizing our numbers, retiring a cat from breeding, etc. The adults we have for sale have had a lot of care and testing for good health and are up to date on their vaccinations. They are also spayed or neutered before they leave us (just as all of our pet kittens are). They are housecats and should do well in selected homes. Prices on adults are lower than the price for kittens of the same type and pattern. If you are interested in an adult cat instead of a kitten, click on the link to the right to see what we have available.

Available Bengal Kittens - June, 2012

We have two beautiful Bengal kittens that are available to go to new homes. One has a marble pattern and is black with striking gold markings. The other one is a brown/black spotted Bengal kitten with huge spots and rosettes. Both are male born the latter part of February, 2012. Click on the link in the right column that says Available Kittens Videos June, 2012 to see videos of each of them. If you would like to make either or both of these wonderful males part of your family,let us know by filling out the Priority Request form as indicated on the linked page. Enjoy the videos!

How Many is Too Many?

I recently read an article that stated a man divorced his wife because she came home with 550 cats.  We like cats but after reading this article we had to ponder the question - exactly how many is too many?  What do you think?

Memorial Day

We wish a Happy Memorial Day to you and your family.

Correction of Prior Posts

Correction to prior posts on family in Canton, MI.  The city is not Canton.  The correct city is Brighton, MI.

Bengal Kitten in Her New Home

The family in Canton, MI was kind enough to share photos of their brown-spotted female kitten who is getting comfortable in her new home.  These photos of the kitten were taken as she laid down in their daughter's doll house.  Too Cute!

About Inspiration

It is inspiring to find that so many people desire to have one of our exceptional Bengals.  One of our Bengal kittens went home today with a very nice lady from Canton, MI.  She did research on the breed for several months and was on my wait list since early this year.  She chose a female brown-spotted kitten that is now part of her family.  This is the heart of what we do - we raise Bengals from some of the best bloodlines available to bring joy to the people who want and appreciate them.

About Pets

While growing up, there were different pets in our house over the years.  When we were youngsters we had a small turtle, a hamster, a rabbit and a kitten.  As we got older and became teenagers, we had pedigreed dogs.  We had pedigreed German Shepard's, a Maltese, a greyhound and a collie.  As adults we had a couple of rescued dogs and a pedigreed Akita. 

We purchased our Akita as a puppy from a private breeder.  She was a lively, happy ball of energy. We had our Akita for 8 years when she began to have health problems.  At the same time, there was a huge recall of dog food.  Though her brand was not specifically named, we believe her brand should have been part of the recall as many of her symptoms were the same as those dogs who were fed the recalled food.  We tried everything our veterinarian thought might help and even took her to vet. specialists.  Nothing they did helped her.  She was suffering so badly (she even went blind) that we had to have her put down.  She had such a great personality and presence, we knew we could never find another comparable Akita.  To this day we do not have a dog.

As time went on, we wanted another pet.  We began going to cat shows and learning about the different breeds.  I was at a cat show with my daughter when I saw my first Bengal cat.  Amazed at the beauty of this particular breed, we did a lot of research on the breed's origins, temperament, qualities as a domestic pet and more.  We liked what we found out about the breed and decided to buy a domestic pedigreed Bengal kitten.  We named her Gabrielle (Gabby for short as she replies vocally when you talk with her).  She is a classic brown/black spotted Bengal.  Her coat has a lot of golden glitter on it.  Her coat actually shimmers in the light due to the glitter.  She is very sweet and a joy to have around.  Here is a photo of her.

About Our Blog

Welcome to the Adore Cats Bengals Company Blog.  We will be sharing information about Bengal cats, animals in general and people that you may find interesting.  Feel free to suggest topics that are relevant, share your constructive thoughts and give your insights so that we can exchange ideas and grow.