Light increases slowly
Grows longer each day
My fur will be warmed

This reminds me of when Glory (our first Bengal — who died a bit over 2 years ago) used to sing on many mornings just before dawn.

I am glad we have another poetic cat. Yawn!

We are giving them high protein canned food to replace some of the kibble they eat (similar to what Panther is getting). Charger is a large male Bengal at 19 lb 12 oz. Agile is a broad chested formerly feral feline at 15 lbs. Our goal for the next two years is to get them down to about 18 lbs and 13 lbs respectively. So, much more exercise, combined with having to jump up to platforms for smaller quantities of food is in store for both cats.

From the You Tube description”
“Clicker training is not only enjoyable for cats, but it can be life-saving too. Suppose you had an extreme emergency and needed to get your cat out of the house immediately? A cat that is clicker trained will quickly jump into his carrier. Richard Norton clicker trains his Bengal cats, starting with very young kittens, as shown in this YouTube Video. Richard explains the click as a conditioned stimulus for operant behaviour. “This means that the click alone can elicit some of the same bodily responses and processes that food could elicit. This is achieved by presenting food and the click nearly simultaneously. Our experience is that 3 or 4, 5 minute sessions is more than adequate to fully establish the click as a conditioned stimulus for operant behaviour.“

Video explaining the clicker training process with a young kitten

Video of clicker training process to teach a Bengal cat to press a light switch

I tried out a few clickers at Petsmart (had to go to the dog training aids area), Then I found some healthy treats my cats might get excited about. While we have tried this technique before, I was unsure if my cats would really respond well. Having found these videos I am more determined to make it work this time.

If you have a cat behavior issue, you can visit Marilyn Krieger’s site The Cat Coach. She advises clients about modifying an unwanted behavior through clicker training and other techniques.

Some really good books about training cats from Amazon.com:

Cat Training in 10 Minutes
I just ordered this one. I will let you know how we are doing

Getting Started Clicker Training for Cats

How to Get Your Cat to do What You Want

I remember when we got Charger, my 20 lb. Bengal male. He was advertised in a “For Sale” paper because the family did not want him anymore. The college daughter’s boyfriend was jealous of this big friendly playful cat. Personally, I would have ditched the guy.

When I met my future husband, Dragon (David), I was wearing Bebe, my boa constrictor. He is still with us 30 years later. You can see one of the many things Dragon is into at Homerecording.com.

For those who are not so fortunate here are some places that seem reputable. YMMV!

Pets Friends
Must Love Pets
Pet People Meet
Love Me, Love My Pets
Date My Pet
Animal Attraction

This weekend, visitors to the CFA/IAMS cat show at Madison Square Garden in New York City will be able to see Tabouli and Baba Ganoush, two kittens that have been cloned from a Bengal cat named Tahini.

The irony of this is that the CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) does not recognize the Bengal breed (one of the most popular in the United States), and so Tabouli and Baba Ganoush will probably be the first and last Bengals ever to appear at a CFA show.

The kittens were developed by the brilliantly-named Genetic Savings and Clone , who has a great picture on their home page.

It seems extremely hypocritical to us that the CFA pretends that Bengals don’t exist 99% of the time, but is willing to exploit these two cute cloned kittens for their news value. It would be entertaining to have their owner attempt to register them with the CFA at the show, with the world’s media watching. And it would be instructive to see how a cloned cat’s pedigree would read in any case!

Right now they are snuggled up, Charger stretched out on our bed and Glory nestled leaning against him, her head on his broad back. We would never have believed this could happen a year ago…

We had gotten Glory, a retired Bengal queen, the year before. As we were both working and the boys were in school, we did not always have enough time for our 3 cats. Glory, who fought with Panther and Jennifur, lived in her own territory, our master bedroom. Often she seemed lonely and would call for a cat friend.

It wasn’t just Glory who wanted a friend. Each of our three cats had adopted a human in our family, and I was feeling cat-less. That is, I got to feed, water and clean litter boxes, but no cuddling or play time, nor even a cat sleeping near me.

On my birthday, David saw an ad for a “Bengal cat male 1 1/4 years $90.00″. He called the woman who was selling the cat and we went the next day.

Gorgeous green eyes, beautiful brown spots and that Bengal striped tail combined with a powerful feline physique. The biggest domestic cat I had ever seen — and he played, pounced, purred. The mother of the young woman whose cat he had been clearly did not want this large cat playing with her petite cat and dog.

I talked with the cat, describing our family, and asked if he would want to join our family. Somewhat hesitantly he said yes. He felt unwanted and was keenly aware of being disliked. I also talked to our cats at home about Charger and his desire for a home where he was wanted and liked. I started by asking his real name. Charger was named by his mother and he wanted to keep that name. I even managed to find time to talk that night to my husband and younger son

Yes, I am what others call an animal communicator. More on that topic will appear in another article soon.

Having brought the cat carrier with us, we made our arrangements with the woman and brought Charger home, talking to him during the hour-long trip. Meow! Are we there yet? Will there be food? Can I have my own place to sleep? Can I meet the other (cats)? Will you lock the door?

Once again, we had rescued a cat from an environment where he was not wanted, to give him love and acceptance instead. And Charger is quite a sight when he gallops around our home .

Charger has taught me to be playful, calm, and to take some time to enjoy life, not just live it.

Glory is a beautiful and talented Bengal cat. After successfully mothering many kittens, some of whom became Champions and Grand Champions in the TICA cat show circuit, Glory has found time in her retirement to communicate her philosophy and songs to her human family. Glory communicates with her human Susan, both through song and thought. With her permission, we share these with you.

Philosophy

On living:

Peaceful beginnings are best before starting any enterprise.

It is not necessary to capture the moment,
Relishing the moment is [what is] important.

Peaceful, restful time goes quick/slow
depending on how much you desire it

Restful thoughts always waiting
Beneath the surface of turmoil
Let them shimmer [shine] bright

Good going and coming
Through fields and streams
Silently go all cats

On exercise:

Exercise is best taken in small doses. Enjoy what you do and try different maneuvers.

Sometimes exercise can be creative.

On creativity:

I sing when I have the urge to create my songs. The desire to create shows itself at different times and in different ways.

Morning Songs

It is a wondrous day
Like many another
Full of smells, sights, sounds
Delicious

A mellow day starting slowly
Becoming
Brighter Still

The light enters in patches
Spots of golden light
Moving slowly across the floor

Evening Songs

Night comes slowly, light fading
Colors change, shadows deepen
Walk among the coolness

I walk my territory
Bold is my grace
Silent as I choose (to be)
Covering ground low and high