Frequently Asked Questions:
Where is Lava Peak Bengal Cattery located?
We are located in Philadelphia, Tennesee.
Do you offer shipping or delivery for kittens?
We are willing to deliver kittens anywhere in the state of Tennessee and all of the surrounding states. The cost of delivery depends on distance and driving time and starts at $100.
*Shipping can be arranged in the United States for $450 (temperatures permitting).
We are also able to deliver kittens via airline in person starting at $750.
Please inquire for more information.
*Shipping can be arranged in the United States for $450 (temperatures permitting).
We are also able to deliver kittens via airline in person starting at $750.
Please inquire for more information.
Why should I choose a Bengal from Lava Peak Bengals?
We cherish our time with our kittens, each and every one. We get to know each kitten and are committed to making sure our kittens are going to a home that will be a long term fit for them specifically, not just a sale. It is such a joy for us to bring up our Bengal kittens knowing that their owners will be getting a very well cared for and socialized kitten! One of our most important focuses are on the temperament of kittens we produce.
We are also very honest and our top concern is the happiness of our clients, therefore we do everything we can to make sure our kittens are healthy when they leave for their new homes, even if it is expensive to make sure this happens.
We are also very honest and our top concern is the happiness of our clients, therefore we do everything we can to make sure our kittens are healthy when they leave for their new homes, even if it is expensive to make sure this happens.
Recognizing Bengal Scams!!! Beware, there are many out there.
*Price is likely the first thing that you will notice with a Bengal scam. If it seems too good to be true it is.
*Kitten pictures on the website have a variety of different backgrounds. We watermark the majority of our pictures to try to prevent this. Real breeders are usually consistent with the pictures they take.
*Inconsistencies on the website such as the name of the cattery or which cat registry they have their cats registered through. A lot of scammers just copy and paste from legitimate breeders sites and they tend to look over the name of another cattery being in the information they have stolen.
*Kitten pictures on the website have a variety of different backgrounds. We watermark the majority of our pictures to try to prevent this. Real breeders are usually consistent with the pictures they take.
*Inconsistencies on the website such as the name of the cattery or which cat registry they have their cats registered through. A lot of scammers just copy and paste from legitimate breeders sites and they tend to look over the name of another cattery being in the information they have stolen.
Do you offer a guarantee?
Our kittens are sent with a 2 year genetic health guarantee which covers genetic defects and HCM for 3 years as well as FIP for 18 months.
We also give a 5 day guarantee that covers infectious disease to homes with no existing cats and 2 days for homes with existing cats during which time we will cover vet bills (when treatment options are discussed with us prior).
We also give a 5 day guarantee that covers infectious disease to homes with no existing cats and 2 days for homes with existing cats during which time we will cover vet bills (when treatment options are discussed with us prior).
Do Bengals get along well with children, dogs, and other cats?
All animals have a unique personalities, this is an important question to ask if you have other pets or children to make sure you choose a kitten that will be a good fit for your family. I ask these questions on the application so I will be able to make an informed decision whether the kitten of interest will be a good fit for your home. All of the kittens we have produced so far have been around children and our toy poodle. All have loved other cats to date, some love the kids and the dog and some do not.
How do I get added to a waitlist if the type of kitten I want is not available?
You can fill out our application under the Contact Us tab.
Once we have looked it over, we will contact you to let you know the status. If you list on your application that you are interested in a future kitten we will put you on our non paid waitlist at that time.
*If you wish to be on the guaranteed waitlist then you will need to pay the $200 non-refundable deposit at that time.
*Clients that have paid to be on a guaranteed waitlist will be give priority.
Once we have looked it over, we will contact you to let you know the status. If you list on your application that you are interested in a future kitten we will put you on our non paid waitlist at that time.
*If you wish to be on the guaranteed waitlist then you will need to pay the $200 non-refundable deposit at that time.
*Clients that have paid to be on a guaranteed waitlist will be give priority.
What should I know about Bengals?
Bengals are one of the most active, intelligent cat breeds; they require significantly more interaction and entertainment than a regular cat.
Bengals tend to be a lot more social than other breeds of cats.
Bengals tend to be a lot more social than other breeds of cats.
Are Bengals hypoallergenic?
Thanks to the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) ancestors of Bengals they normally have silky, single layer coats (pelts) that require minimal maintenance. Because they only have a single layer of fur as opposed to two or three (like regular domestic cats), that means less saliva adheres to it. This means less reaction in the majority of people with cat allergies. Normal domestic cats have two to three layers of fur which are courser and due to this, their fur holds onto more saliva which causes allergic reactions for some.
Something we noticed from a litter earlier this year is that longhair carrying Bengals can cause more of a reaction than kittens that do not carry the gene. Gerald carried longhair and passed it down which was a huge factor in choosing to retire him.
My son has a test confirmed moderate allergy to cats (tested because we got a regular domestic cat in 2014 that we ended up rehoming). He cannot hold a regular cat for more than a minute before his symptoms become intolerable (very red itchy eyes, pouring sinuses, itching, & headache). If he lives in a house with one he develops a persistent cough. He has been living with our Bengals since the beginning of 2017 with no cough and is even able to handle our Bengal cats and kittens without symptoms or minimal symptoms when kittens are in the throws of the fuzzy stages.
There is no guarantee that all people with a cat allergy will be nonreactive, but we are happy to schedule a visit if you want to see how you react. We can also mail a scent cloth for a $5 fee if you are long distance and want to test whether you will have a reaction. It should be a good indication whether the kitten of interest will cause a reaction.
Something we noticed from a litter earlier this year is that longhair carrying Bengals can cause more of a reaction than kittens that do not carry the gene. Gerald carried longhair and passed it down which was a huge factor in choosing to retire him.
My son has a test confirmed moderate allergy to cats (tested because we got a regular domestic cat in 2014 that we ended up rehoming). He cannot hold a regular cat for more than a minute before his symptoms become intolerable (very red itchy eyes, pouring sinuses, itching, & headache). If he lives in a house with one he develops a persistent cough. He has been living with our Bengals since the beginning of 2017 with no cough and is even able to handle our Bengal cats and kittens without symptoms or minimal symptoms when kittens are in the throws of the fuzzy stages.
There is no guarantee that all people with a cat allergy will be nonreactive, but we are happy to schedule a visit if you want to see how you react. We can also mail a scent cloth for a $5 fee if you are long distance and want to test whether you will have a reaction. It should be a good indication whether the kitten of interest will cause a reaction.
What is the fuzzy stage?
Bengal kittens are usually born with a beautiful coat that shows their rosettes and contrast very well (longhair carriers can be born fuzzy).
Typically around 2-8 weeks they begin to grow guard hairs with white tips on the ends that obscure their markings making them look washed out.
These guard hairs fall out between between 3-5 months leaving them looking stunning once again.
Typically around 2-8 weeks they begin to grow guard hairs with white tips on the ends that obscure their markings making them look washed out.
These guard hairs fall out between between 3-5 months leaving them looking stunning once again.
Why are registered Bengals more expensive than non registered kittens?
"You get what you pay for" is a quote that applies to Bengal kittens.
*Being an ethical breeder, we tests all of our breeding cats for the genes that cause blindness and anemia (which can be fatal).
We also go to a test our breeding cats for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy which can often times lead to early death. In most cases, cats end up requiring medications to treat and prevent symptoms such as high blood pressure starting at an early age for the remainder of their shortened life.
This test is very expensive and that cost adds up to get all of the cats in our cattery tested repeatedly.
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*We also have our kittens examined by a veterinarian, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new homes.
*Buying top quality Bengal cats for breeding is typically 2 to 4 times more expensive than buying a pet Bengal. Frequently a breeding cat produces kittens with traits that do not meet standards or aren't bringing out the traits they were intended to and they must be retired after 1 or 2 litters of kittens.
*Maintaining a healthy, and disease free breeding cat population can create quite a large veterinary bill very quickly.
*Providing a nutritious diet, entertainment for cats/kittens, and clean litter is very costly each month. Also many hours of our days are devoted to cleaning up after & socializing our kittens so they make good life companions.
*Being an ethical breeder, we tests all of our breeding cats for the genes that cause blindness and anemia (which can be fatal).
We also go to a test our breeding cats for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy which can often times lead to early death. In most cases, cats end up requiring medications to treat and prevent symptoms such as high blood pressure starting at an early age for the remainder of their shortened life.
This test is very expensive and that cost adds up to get all of the cats in our cattery tested repeatedly.
.
*We also have our kittens examined by a veterinarian, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new homes.
*Buying top quality Bengal cats for breeding is typically 2 to 4 times more expensive than buying a pet Bengal. Frequently a breeding cat produces kittens with traits that do not meet standards or aren't bringing out the traits they were intended to and they must be retired after 1 or 2 litters of kittens.
*Maintaining a healthy, and disease free breeding cat population can create quite a large veterinary bill very quickly.
*Providing a nutritious diet, entertainment for cats/kittens, and clean litter is very costly each month. Also many hours of our days are devoted to cleaning up after & socializing our kittens so they make good life companions.
What colors do you breed? Do you breed marbles?
We breed Brown, Silver, Mink, Lynx kittens. We will have Sepia kittens spring of 2020. We only breed for spotted bengals currently.
Seal lynx point transformation: This is Zsa Zsa at 8 weeks old and again at nearly 2 years old. The spots on a SLP darken up as they grow older, their legs and faces darken up during that time as well.
