First notion first: Some people wonder about where an ad for purebred pets should be posted. Should you post legit ads for kittens such as Bengals, Cheetohs or other purebred or recognized outcross kittens only in paid ad places because that is where reputable people or breeders post ads or is it okay to post via free ad venues online and/or why would anyone legit post a free purebred kitten ad? The answer, in part, is this: I have posted paid ads, such as a paid for ad which cost me over $40.00 for nothing more than one short sentence leading into my Blog url, and from that costly paid ad (i.e. for what it was) I was contacted by three pet buyer scammers that wanted to send me money order or cashiers check payment from afar. These particular scammers will lure purebred pet owners and breeders as well as others offering a desirable pet (not to mention other things, even cars or furniture) into accepting a money order or cashiers check that is in truth a well crafted forgery. The seller then deposits the forged money order/cashier's check at the bank, the bank does not notice the document is a fake, the scammer then asks the seller to send funds via Western Union or other similar means back to the scammer or to a 3rd party. The seller ends up out of the funds since the money order or cashiers check was a forgery - as well as potentially in legal trouble due to the cashiers check or money order that was a fake. This is the sum total of the response I got for a costly paid ad. It is not productive to pay for an ad to get contacted only by scammers! Paid ad vs free online ad, the end results for me are about the same. I get contacted by scammers either way and flagged by scammers and others who penalize anyone who is not offering accidental animals born from the failure to spay or neuter. Etc.
The exact ages of all of the kittens can be seen on my Blogs and in the YouTube videos I regularly post. I update my Blogs and videos pretty regularly so interested party's can review kittens birth, development and see news updates on a reasonably regular basis.
Despite ads I may have or have placed, the kittens are not necessarily ready to be weaned right now (i.e. the moment I post initial ads).
I put the ads in early so that people can have a heads up that I will have litters available soon. In regards to summer 2018 kittens, later this month (July 2018) I will have kittens weaned, vaccinated and ready to go. I also do my best to deworm kittens before placing them, but keep in mind dewormer can be a lot for very young kittens to handle and I do not deworm when I feel kittens are still too small to handle a toxin designed to kill any potential worms common in kittens. My kittens are indoor raised and may not have worms at all, Nonetheless deworming if always a good idea as long as kittens are old enough and have a body weight compatible with the deworming process.
Placing ads early - I truly like to give people a heads up to litters soon to be available as Bengals and Cheetohs go really fast and this allows people to find my kittens, get their homes and lives ready for the addition of a quality purebred kitten (i.e. I think getting a Bengal or Cheetoh is a more serious commitment than getting a free barn kitten), and perhaps save money as purchasing or adopting a purebred kitten generally costs more than running out on the spur of the moment to get a barn or street kitten for free or cheap.
Having some advance notice allows good pet home owners to gear up to get the kitten of their dreams even if paying a $300-$400 to $500 rehoming fee would be difficult or impossible for them if they had to come up with the adoption fee /purchase price at the last second when weaned kittens will be gone within probably 24-48 hours or so, which is how fast these kittens oftentimes tend to find new homes once they are completely ready to go.
Pricing and/or adoption fee for kittens: I get asked about this all the time and the reality is that Bengal and Cheetoh kittens color pattern develops over time. The quality of the color kittens are born with and display especially prior to weaning age can improve drastically by the time kittens mature to weaning age. So a kitten with unimpressive color pattern can literally grow into a kitten with amazingly stunning Bengal color. For this reason I cannot give an exact price or adoption cost for kittens early. No cattery does, in fact or when they do they simply price their kittens at the average for breed price which is about $1,000 to $2000 per kitten, period. Most who breed Bengal kittens average $600 on the low end per kitten and Cheetohs average at $800 per kitten. This is the pricing with no breeding rights and a signed contract indicating you must spay or neuter the kitten or registration papers are withheld until spay or neuter is complete on kittens placed for the low cost of $600 to $800 each. The reality that most buyers and/or adopters are unwilling and/or unable to pay $600 - $800 or more for one kitten have led many to simply not go through the TICA registration process - nonetheless many breeders still have clients sign a contract to spay/neuter to avoid clients breeding the kittens when they reach mating age. So for those who want an exact cost per kitten, please be advised it is difficult for me to price specific kittens before they are ready to be placed in new homes. The bottom line is posting early ads does allow everyone to get ready for the range of cost which is involved. Also with multiple kittens usually available there are likely kittens for every person who is seriously interested and ready for a purebred pet of this type. My pricing is indeed lower than the norm. I also occasionally have rescue kittens are those are less costly, though they are not as inexpensive as barn or street kittens (i.e. nor should they be cheap because cheap pets tend to not end up in quality homes). Keep in mind that if you care for your kitten/cat your pet will be with you for an average of about 15 or more years. This is a long-term commitment with long-term rewards....
Advance notice allows people who want a kitten to find a vet they plan to use, purchase cat trees and toys, purchase litter box and litter, purchase premium kitten food (i.e. my kittens are fed a mixed dry food of Iams kitten and Blue Wilderness as the primary dry kibble - I mix dry kibble in a storage container), purchase a new carrier and more. I strongly recommend kittens are transported in a cat carrier. Transporting a kitten or cat without a carrier can lead to potential injury to the cat/kitten, loss of the cat/kitten and/or injury to the new pet owner as a cat/kitten will typically be terrified when being moved to a new owner and brand new life. My kittens are indoor raised and when they are brought outside for the first time to go to a new owner, new car, new life the experience is frightening. The fear can cause a normally tame pet to cling with claws, accidentally scratch or potentially even bite. A carrier is a MUST for the safe and humane transport of a new kitten/cat.
I do send all kittens placed with a decent welcome kit, which allows adopters/buyers to go straight home with their new kitten or kittens. However, the kit is not intended to include literally everything you will need for your new pet forever.
Right now, as of July/5/2018, the oldest litter of kittens was born June/5-6/2018 (i.e. from my immediate memory, please review my Blog and video updates to confirm the age of any applicable litter of kittens). These are Mystic Sweet Dreams marble Bengal kittens. Note I have posted photos of what is included in the welcome kit within my blog. Individual kits may vary slightly due to what items are available at the time you adopt or purchase your kitten or kittens. Etc.
Regarding kittens coming up available right now, clearly as of today's date, July/05/2018, the kittens are not yet 6 weeks old, much less 8-12 weeks old. Please be advised that 6 weeks is the very earliest they could possibly go to new homes. Some litters or some kittens from particular litters are not ready to be weaned at 6-weeks old and there is no way for me to guarantee exact weaning age until I am there at that 6-week point. There is a reason I am currently placing some kittens at 6-weeks and I will not always place kittens at that age in the future.
Also keep in mind I vaccinate all kittens with their initial core vaccine before placing them. Thus they must be ready for a vaccine as well as weaning and weaning at 6 weeks IS considered an early weaning. Typically I do have kittens robust enough to be weaned and to go at 6-weeks though -- I suspect I will have a number of these current kittens weaned and good to go by that age.
Keep in mind that it is necessary to give the initial core vaccine and then hold onto the kittens for 24-48 hours after to ensure there are no negative affects from the first core vaccination. Also keep in mind that the initial core vaccine begins the process of kittens having resistance to preventable feline illnesses, but kittens are not immune against these illnesses until they have developed a titer and this does not happen until vaccines have been properly boostered. Vaccines are boostered after 3-4 weeks of time (i.e. after the initial vaccine has been given). For this reason it is important to avoid exposing new kittens to potentially diseased kittens/cats, diseases that can piggyback on hands/shoes/clothing/used cat trees-toys-bowls-litter and litter boxes, etc.
(This material is copy and pasted from an email to a potential adopter) As stated previously, with some additional information and please do check out my Blogs and videos to learn more -- the fact I've posted ads early to give everyone a chance to get ready for a kitten allows you time to review Blogs, videos and other information about Bengal and Cheetoh cats, which means you can make a better more educated decision. It is wise to learn more about Bengal and Cheetoh cats before bringing one or more into your home: "There are females in all litters. I have lots of videos and photos on my Blogs - not to mention videos on YouTube.
For those who want to see my videos - my YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/ch
Regarding the difference between male and female cats. I can assure you that males are as affectionate, intelligent and civilized as females, but there are females in all the litters.
Males cats are no more likely to "spray" or roam and try to get outside than females if male cats are neutered, especially prior to them reaching breeding age.
With male cats, obviously if you do not neuter them and they reach breeding age they could spray inside your home to mark territory, particularly if the male cat does not feel secure in his realm.
Female cats that are not spayed that reach breeding age can also spray, though are less likely to, but are highly likely to become obsessed with getting to a male cat to mate.
So female cats that are not spayed will call loudly while in heat, call non-stop to attract a male, and try desperately to escape your home in order to find a male to breed.
Basically, if you spay or neuter there is no marked difference between male cats and female cats as pets.
Males tend to be slightly larger than females and often males have more impressive coloring. However, the bottom line is that male kittens/cats are not inferior pets to female kittens/cats - the issue is that people who fail to spay or neuter spread a lot of incorrect information biased against male cats.
There is in truth no good excuse for failing to spay or neuter your cat unless you plan to breed to another purebred cat and if you intend to breed there are a lot of serious factors to take into consideration, including the fate of any kittens you create, the care of your breeding animals when not breeding as well as when breeding/pregnant, the potential for birthing complications with female cats, the potential costs of complications with birthing and young kittens.
The nightmare occurs when unprepared cat owners fail to spay and/or neuter and then their animals suffer the consequences of unplanned attempts to breed, unplanned breeding, diseases that can result from unplanned breeding, which can include your unfixed cat mating with feline leukemia and/or FIV positive street cats since the cats that are not fixed are likely to get out of the home and find random cats to mate with.
The price of kittens truly depends upon the kitten, but the general range is between $300 or $400 - $500, with my Cheetohs likely to be on the lower end due to the reality I don't know how many people in AZ are familiar with Cheetohs at this point. In some other states they are extremely popular. However, for me at this specific moment I do not know what the demand for Cheetoh kittens in Arizona is. Therefore what is stated about the price range for Cheetohs herein may be incorrect and I may learn they command a more typical for breed price range - time will soon tell as I have my first Cheetoh kittens growing towards weaning age right now/
Repeat for all those who contact me stating they only want a female kitten: "There are females in all current litters. For those who always contact me requesting pictures: I have lots of videos and photos on my Blogs - not to mention videos on YouTube. I really try my best to update with photos and videos. I may not be able to take additional photos and videos on demand. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Bengal Blog: https://mysticmarbleb
Cheetoh Blog: https://mysticmarble
I can again assure you that males are as affectionate, intelligent and civilized as females, but there are females in all the litters. The key to having a positive experience with either gender is usually to spay or neuter. If you do not spay/neuter you will discover both female and male cats will give you problems specific to gender. Female cats that reach breeding age will call and scream for a male cat to mate with non-stop and try desperately to get outside to mate. This IS a big deal and can result in an unplanned litter as well as serious and life threatening kitty diseases!!! Male cats that are not neutered can begin to spray inside of your home as they reach breeding age as well as embark on behaviors designed to find a female cat to mate with.
The final questions typically is, are you interested in the marble Bengals or in Cheetohs? " It is a good idea to again research the breed of cat you are interested in. Kittens do grow up and thus it's important to understand what your furbaby will grow into when the months of kittenhood come to pass.
It's important that anyone interested in a kitten or kittens research the breed of cat you are inquiring about. Bengal are NOT for anyone. Bengals tend to be highly intelligent, extremely active, etc. Cheetohs are a cross between the Ocicat and the Bengal. Cheetohs are also not necessarily for everyone. In my view these are awesome cats, but their energy level can be too much for some people. Also though Bengals are more hypoallergenic than many other breeds of cats they are not literally 100% hypoallergenic. So those expecting a Bengal will not trigger any allergies at all in those with cat allergies are looking for a pet cat with unrealistic expectations. Please consider what you plan to do if you get a Bengal and find your allergies are triggered by your new pet despite the fact Bengals do not trigger allergies as much as many other breeds of cats. Etc.
Second to last is the topic of what kind of kitty litter I use and recommend: In my personal case I have a relatively large number of cats and it is important to me that the environment I house my cats in stays clean and odors are very well controlled. For this reason I use standard clumping cat litter (i.e. any of the major brands) for my adult cats. I do at times use non-clumping litter in kitten rooms as clumping litter can cause serious issues if ingested. When kittens are rehomed it is up to the new pet parent/parents to decide what kind of litter they wish to use. It is true that clumping cat litter is not necessarily the best in regards to health for cats. If injested it is not ideal. There is Feline Pine litter, which requires a specific kind of litter box with a sifting pan. There are natural wheat and other litters. I recommend you research the different kind of liters and choose the kind that works best for you and your lifestyle. If you work a lot and are away from home 8 to 9 hours per day you may opt to use odor control clumping litter. If you are a stay at home person who can manage the litter box more, you may opt for the Feline Pine or Wheat litter or perhaps the crystal litters. The litter I provide in my welcome package is the nonclumping basic clay litter. It does not provide perfect oror and moisture control and is not at a great enough quanity for longer term use, but it does get new pet owners through the first hours, day or night ,well enough - preventing the potential need to take a brand new kitten that has not had the full series of booster vaccines into the pet store where diseases could be floating around to purchase kitten food, litter, a litter box, etc. before heading home. I have also recently purchased cloth kitten carriers for those who meet with me to get their kitten and have forgotten their carrier at home and/or did not manage to purchase a new carrier at the store before coming to get their kitten. I came to the conclusion that some people feel rushed and end up not arriving at the meeting spot with a carrier and this creates a risk for their new pet on the journey home. As stated I really try to ensure the well being of new owner and kitten as much as possible....
Lastly but definitely not irrelevant: I run a closed cattery, meaning I do not currently allow clients into my home. Why? Because we no longer reside in any form of "safe," "secure" or honest world and the purebred pet scammers are no longer a rarity. Purebred pets can and do get stolen. The criminals not only steal photos of purebred pets, they also steal actual animals and sell those stolen animals. In addition, there are plently of people who will break in and steal purebred pets for their own ownership and use. My little cattery does not cover all of my bills. I am at work literally nine hours every day and while away at work I have no one at my home. I cannot risk losing my cats to thieves! Add to that the reality clients can and do bring potential diseases into a cattery on their hands, shoes, clothing and any other items they carry in with them. Research feline diseases and you will see there are many that can piggyback in on hands, shoes and clothing and measure that against the fact that kittens do not have immunity until they have been vaccinated and received booster vaccines, which they cannot possibly have until they reach an age beyond that which they are placed into new homes at. The litters of kittens too young to receive a vaccine are beyond sitting ducks for serious and sometimes lethal infections that can spread like wildfire in a cattery. For this reason I plan to maintain a closed cattery until I can find some way to limit the risk of animal theft and the introduction of diseases that can easily piggyback in on hands, shoes, clothing. I have an article about the closed cattery concern within my Mystic Marble Cattery Blog. I try to show everyone what my cattery and cats are all about via my blog posts and YouTube videos.
Lastly but definitely not irrelevant: I run a closed cattery, meaning I do not currently allow clients into my home. Why? Because we no longer reside in any form of "safe," "secure" or honest world and the purebred pet scammers are no longer a rarity. Purebred pets can and do get stolen. The criminals not only steal photos of purebred pets, they also steal actual animals and sell those stolen animals. In addition, there are plently of people who will break in and steal purebred pets for their own ownership and use. My little cattery does not cover all of my bills. I am at work literally nine hours every day and while away at work I have no one at my home. I cannot risk losing my cats to thieves! Add to that the reality clients can and do bring potential diseases into a cattery on their hands, shoes, clothing and any other items they carry in with them. Research feline diseases and you will see there are many that can piggyback in on hands, shoes and clothing and measure that against the fact that kittens do not have immunity until they have been vaccinated and received booster vaccines, which they cannot possibly have until they reach an age beyond that which they are placed into new homes at. The litters of kittens too young to receive a vaccine are beyond sitting ducks for serious and sometimes lethal infections that can spread like wildfire in a cattery. For this reason I plan to maintain a closed cattery until I can find some way to limit the risk of animal theft and the introduction of diseases that can easily piggyback in on hands, shoes, clothing. I have an article about the closed cattery concern within my Mystic Marble Cattery Blog. I try to show everyone what my cattery and cats are all about via my blog posts and YouTube videos.
I can be contacted via email at mysticmarblebengals@gmail.com
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