What is a Bengal cat breed?

The Bengal is a domestic cat breed known for its wild appearance, athletic build, and engaging personality. The breed was officially recognized by TICA in 1983 and was originally developed by Jean Mill using domestic cats and the Asian Leopard Cat.

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Only Bengals that are four or more generations removed from wild ancestry are considered fully domestic and recognized as Stud Book Traditional (SBT).​ Bougie Bengals only places domestic SBT Bengals.

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Click here to learn more about the Bengal breed.

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What is their temperament like? 

Bengals are intelligent, energetic, and highly interactive cats. They’re often described as dog-like because many enjoy playing fetch and staying involved with their family’s daily activities. Bengals also tend to love water, climbing, and exploring high places.

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They are confident, curious, and usually quite vocal, enjoying “chatting” with their humans.

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Click here to learn more about the Bengal breed.

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What generation do you breed?

Bougie Bengals specializes in Stud Book Traditional (SBT) Bengals. SBT status means our cats are a minimum of four generations removed from the Asian Leopard Cat and are considered fully domestic. Our earliest generations produced is currently six generations removed from the original ALC.

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Click here to learn more about Bengal generations.

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Is the Bengal hypoallergenic?

“Hypoallergenic” means less likely to cause allergic reactions. While Bengals may produce fewer allergens than some breeds, they are not allergy-free.

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Because everyone reacts differently, Bougie Bengals offers scent patches filled with fur, dander, and saliva so allergy-sensitive families can test their reaction before committing to a kitten.

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Click here to learn more about Bengals. 

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How are our Bengals with young kids?

Like all animals, Bengals should always be supervised around young children. Bengals are energetic and can play rough, but with proper redirection to toys, kids and Bengals can be a great match.

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Many Bougie Bengals kittens enjoy cuddling, following kids around, and being part of family life.

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Click here to learn more about Bengal temperament and family life.

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Do they get along with other animals?

Bengals often do well with both large and small dogs thanks to their dog-like, playful temperament. Our cats regularly interact with our larger dogs and enjoy active play.

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Smaller pets such as birds, rodents, or reptiles should always be supervised. At Bougie Bengals, our kittens are introduced to our parrot “Birdie” for early socialization, and many of our families successfully keep birds, chickens, and ducks alongside their Bengals.

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Click here to learn more about Bengals in multi-pet homes.

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How big do Bengals get?

Bengals typically weigh between 9–15 lbs and should have a lean, muscular build. Males are usually larger than females.

Click here to learn more about Bengal size and growth.

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What color Bengals do you produce?

Bougie Bengals produces a variety of colors, including brown, silver, charcoal, seal lynx, and seal mink, along with their silver and charcoal variations.

 

What enrichment item should I buy for my new kitten?​

Bengals are a high-energy, social breed that thrive with daily interaction and play. We recommend cat trees, wall-mounted shelving, a cat wheel, and a variety of toys to keep them mentally and physically engaged.

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Many Bengals also enjoy having a high-energy playmate, and a safe outdoor catio is a great way to provide fresh air and stimulation.

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Click here to visit our Enrichment page.

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Do Bengals need a special diet?

Bengals do not require a special diet, but as obligate carnivores, cats thrive on moisture-rich, species-appropriate food. We recommend a balanced raw or freeze-dried raw diet to support hydration, digestion, and overall health.

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The breeder at Bougie Bengals is a carnivore nutrition and wellness coach and provides education, trusted food recommendations, and guidance for families new to raw feeding.

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Click here to visit our Cat Nutrition page.

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When can I bring my kitten home?

TICA recommends kittens go home between 14–16 weeks of age. This allows time for proper health care, socialization, and litter training to help them thrive in their new home.

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Click here to learn more about our kitten placement process.

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Where are you located?

Bougie Bengals is located in Linden, Tennessee. We prefer in-person pickup, but we also work with trusted flight nanny and ground transport services to safely deliver your kitten to your nearest airport or home.

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Click here to learn more about our pickup and transport options.

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What are my options to bring my kitten home if I live in another state?

While we prefer in-person pickup, we understand that travel isn’t always practical. Bougie Bengals offers in-cabin flight nanny and ground transport options through trusted third-party providers.

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Transport fees are not included in the kitten price, and we’re happy to help you choose the safest option for your kitten’s journey home.

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Click here to learn more about transport options.

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What are your health protocols for your kittens?

We follow a natural rearing approach and work closely with a holistic veterinarian to support our kittens’ immune systems.

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Our protocol includes homeopathic nosodes, given orally, which are intended to immunize for feline illnesses such as feline distemper (panleukopenia), herpes virus, calicivirus, FIV, mycoplasma, feline leukemia (FeLV), and FIP.

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We also use natural deworm methods along with regular fecal testing to monitor parasite health.

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Each kitten’s care is tailored with long-term wellness in mind.

Click here to visit our Natural Rearing page.

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What is Natural Rearing?

Natural rearing is an approach that focuses on supporting a kitten’s health from the start, rather than reacting to problems later. It emphasizes proper nutrition, a low-toxin environment, balanced development, and preventative care so kittens can thrive long term.

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Click here to visit our Natural Rearing page.

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How is Natural Rearing differ from conventional practices?​​

Natural rearing focuses on early nutrition, immune support, emotional development, and reducing unnecessary stressors. The goal is to raise resilient, well-balanced kittens through preventative care rather than relying heavily on convenience-based or reactive treatments.

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Click here to visit our Natural Rearing page.

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What continued health protocol do you recommend? 

We encourage families to work with a holistic or integrative veterinarian who supports gentle, individualized care. Our natural rearing philosophy prioritizes immune balance, low-toxin wellness, and thoughtful decision-making rather than one-size-fits-all treatments.

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The goal is to support long-term health through preventative care, nutrition, and stress reduction.

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Click here to learn more about our Natural Rearing approach.

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What health testing do you perform on your adult cats?​

Bougie Bengals uses Wisdom Panel Optimal Selection genetic testing to screen for PRA-b (a condition that can cause early blindness), PK Deficiency (a form of inherited anemia), and 40+ additional genetic conditions.

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Our breeding cats also receive annual heart screenings with a board-certified cardiologist to monitor for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Periodic PCR testing is performed for respiratory and fecal health.

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Health testing results are available on our Kings & Queens page.

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Click here to view our health testing page.

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Do you have a waitlist and how does it work?​

Yes, Bougie Bengals maintains a waitlist for upcoming litters. After learning about our program, families complete a kitten application on our homepage.

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Once approved, a $200 waitlist fee is applied toward the total cost of your kitten. After payment confirmation and signing the waitlist contract, you are officially added to the waitlist.

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Click here to learn more about our waitlist process.

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What is included with your kittens?

*TICA Registration

*Homeopathic Feline Immunity Nosodes

*Homeopathic Dewormer

*Lifetime Registration Microchip

*Fecal Test

*Health Records

*Spay or Neuter

*Litter Box Trained

*Harness Trained

*Biweekly video/picture updates

*Vet Health Certificate

*Airline Approved Pet Carrier 

*Parents Health tested including HCM Heart Screening and Optimal Selection genetically tested for 40+ genetic diseases (including PRA-B/PK-DEF). To view parents health results visit Kings & Queens

Results located on the Kings & Queens page of our website. 

*Extensive Socialization Program focusing on the development of the critical socialization stage 

*Extensive Health Guarantee including lifetime Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, FIP and Congenital Disease guarantee

*Enrichment items including familiar scent plush toy, blanket, sample freeze dried balanced meal, teething chew treats and raw feeding education book 

*Kitten Food Supply (Species Appropriate Raw Diet)

*30 day Pet Health Insurance with Trupanion

*Lifelong Breeder Support Specializing in Behavior, Nutrition and Overall Wellness

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We prefer our kitten families to come pick up their kitten in person, however, USDA certified flight nanny and ground transport nationwide are available. Transport is not included in our prices. Click here to fill out our kitten application.

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Do you sell kittens with breeding rights?

Bougie Bengals selectively offers breeding rights to established, ethical breeding programs whose goals align with ours. Approved programs must provide proof of health testing, including PRA-b, PK Deficiency, and HCM, along with responsible breeding practices. Click here to fill out our kitten application along with the breeder section of the application as well. 

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Do you have retired cats available?

Yes! To view our available retired adults visit Available Kittens. Click here to fill out the kitten application.

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Our retired adults include:

*TICA Registration 

*Spay or Neuter

*Lifetime Registration Microchip

*Fecal Test

*Vet Health Certificate

*Airline Approved Pet Carrier

*Health Test Results

*Raw feeding education book

*Food supply (species appropriate raw diet) and Freeze dried treats

*Extensive health guarantees

*Lifelong Breeder Support specializing in Behavior, Nutrition and Overall Wellness. 

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What do you feed your breeding cats and kittens?

Cats are obligate carnivores and thrive on moisture-rich, species-appropriate diets. At Bougie Bengals, we feed a balanced raw diet to support hydration, digestion, and overall health.

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The breeder is a carnivore nutrition and wellness coach who provides education, reading materials, and trusted food recommendations for families new to raw feeding. We also use freeze-dried options from Stella & Chewy’s and Vital Essentials.

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Click here to visit our Cat Nutrition page.

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What should I do if I'm interested in a kitten?

Click here to fill out our kitten application. However, if you have any questions, click here to contact us and you will hear back from us shortly! 

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Tell us more about Bougie Bengals and our goals?

Bougie Bengals is a TICA-registered Bengal breeding program founded in 2019, originally in North Carolina and now based in Linden, Tennessee.

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Our goal is to produce Bengals with excellent health, temperament, and breed type through responsible breeding and natural rearing practices. We focus on strong structure, beautiful contrast and pattern flow, and confident, affectionate personalities.

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We prioritize extensive health testing, supportive health guarantees, and lifetime guidance for every family.

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Click here to learn more about Bougie Bengals.

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Tell us more about the breeder?

Bougie Bengals is led by Alexa Rodriguez, an animal behavior specialist and nutrition-focused breeder with a lifelong, hands-on background working with animals.

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Her work centers on how early development, nutrition, environment, and emotional health shape lifelong well-being. Our program follows a natural rearing philosophy guided by species-appropriate nutrition, low-stress development, and preventative care.

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We are also proud members of the Natural Rearing Breeder Connection, reflecting our commitment to education, ethics, and transparency.

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Click here to learn more about Alexa and our program.

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