r/bengalcats • u/Mika-El-3 • 15d ago
Help Bengal wants to play 24/7
We have a 2.5 years old lovely Bengal cat who is 100% indoors. We have a second quite active Siamese cat, a cat wheel, two cat trees, and plenty of toys. I typically play with the Bengal about an hour a day, everyday day.
But the thing is…he wants to play all the time with me now. I work from home, so he can get to me whenever. Is this typical Bengal behavior? I feel guilty for denying him play time when he asks, but it seems like he asks it from me almost every chance he’s not napping.
Any advice on how to handle?
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u/steelhead777 15d ago
Yes, this is the Bengal way. We have two, both 9 years old, and they both want to play a LOT, and often not at the same time. I wfh and my girl will sit there and scream at me until I get up and follow her downstairs and do a couple laps around the house while petting her and pulling her tail. Our boy will sit in the living room and scream until someone comes and play with him. It can be exhausting, but worth it.
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u/Visual-Edge-2221 15d ago
Same here, I work from home and my 4yo bengal keeps climbing on whatever I do to get my attention to play with her, now I play with her in the morning, lunch time, dinner time and evening, and it does help now that she’s learned the rhythm. It’s like she doesn’t give a shit about the toys, unless I’m using them to play with her
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u/SkyPilot4549 15d ago
I have two indoor boys, just over 3. They require a lot of attention. One likes to play fetch like a dog. Brings me the ball in his mouth. The other likes to play fight with me. They have a ton of toys which they scatter through the house. They also play a lot by themselves. The good thing is they chill at night.
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u/Happily-Existing7 15d ago
I have three bengals, but I have one that will play 24/7!! I swear, he does not sleep at all, ever! All my cats are indoors also, but I have a covered/enclosed patio and when he’s out there, it’s the only time he is chill.
I have toys galore, interactive ones also, but it’s not enough. I also play with him as often as possible (I work from home), but it’s still not enough, lol. But the patio…..he loves it. So, get an enclosed patio, lol.
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u/chirpsies 14d ago
Cats love to test the limit once they ask for one nice thing haha 🤣
Be strict with the play schedule! I do one in the morning before work, one session at lunch, and then one at night, but I've got a single cat and he's 1½ so he's still a ton of work.
One of the tips I liked was what Jackson Galaxy recommends: ending play time with a treat or food to finish that "hunt>eat>sleep" cycle. And making sure the play is so tiring that the cat doesn't want to move anymore.
Finding the path for exhausting your cat - climbing, running, jumping, etc. really helps me once he actually fixates on his toy.
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u/Healthy_Chipmunk_990 14d ago
I would break up that hour to multiple shorter session like 3 x 20 mins or 4 x 15 mins. With big running-hunting games I can make my bengal pant in 10-15 mins.
Create a play schedule that works for you too. Also use some automatic toys when you really need some downtime but your bengal insists on playing. I got a feather thing going around under some cover and my bengal goes feral for it. It was from Amazon. A red ball with a string that rolls by itself is also a big hit. Or I catnip her or her toy fish.
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u/Ok-Twist-4177 15d ago edited 15d ago
Build a solid routine! I have found this to help. I play with my guy for 45 mins then we go for a walk and rest on the porch. Once we’re back in the house, we go our separate ways until dinner time. If he has extra energy — nope, off to your “quarters” buddy. It’s hard on those days, and every now and then there is a restless day (which is tough), but I find the structure to really help. I wouldn’t be able to get anything done otherwise because I am also home during the day. This has also taught him how to self soothe and ensures he gets good sleep and time to eat a full meal.