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The Bengal cat is a beautiful, muscular creature that resembles a leopard. Bengals have spotted coat patterns that make them easy to spot, and they look like they might belong in a jungle. While they resemble their distant leopard ancestors, they are friendly, domesticated cats that make excellent additions to any home. However, they are prone to certain medical conditions that you should familiarize yourself with if you’re thinking of acquiring one.
In this article, we’ll look at some common health issues that could affect these intelligent cats. We will start with eye diseases, joint problems, and more serious health conditions to look out for in your Bengal cat.
Common Bengal Eye Diseases
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): This condition is a group of degenerative diseases that affect the eye’s photoreceptor cells, which ultimately causes a cat to lose sight entirely. The Bengal breed has a known inherited form caused by a CEP290 gene mutation. Clinical signs typically appear between 8–20 weeks of age in affected kittens, with progressive vision loss leading to blindness. A tell-tale sign is dilated pupils and decreased night vision. This condition occurs from an autosomal recessive trait.
- Uveitis: Uveitis is inflammation in one or more structures in the eye, which are the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. It can occur in just one eye or both eyes. Causes include infectious diseases (such as feline infectious peritonitis, toxoplasmosis, FeLV, and FIV), trauma, or immune-mediated conditions. Prompt veterinary diagnosis is essential to prevent vision loss. While not breed-specific, it can occur in Bengals as a secondary effect of these conditions.
- Entropion: This eye condition is an abnormality with the eyelid that causes the eyelid to roll inward. It irritates the cornea with painful friction, and this can cause ulcers, scratches, inflammation, discharge, and pain.
Lower eyelid entropion is more common, and it usually affects the outer edge of the eye. This condition can also cause conjunctivitis.
Common Bengal Joint Problems
- Luxating Patella: This painful knee condition stems from the patella falling in and out of place in the knee joint, and Bengals are occasionally reported to be genetically prone to it.
Surgery is available for severe cases, and weight loss can also help with the condition. Signs appear gradually over time, and in severe cases, your Bengal will probably not jump and may even have a lame leg. - Hip Dysplasia: This condition is hereditary and rare but documented in Bengal cats. It causes arthritis in the hip joint due to a malformation of the hip joints. Walking can become difficult for your cat, and it’s usually genetic. It’s painful, and clinical signs include limping, chewing, licking the area, and pain when touching the affected hip. Radiographic screening is the only way to confirm the diagnosis. Maintaining a healthy body weight and providing low-impact exercise can help slow joint damage.
Serious Health Problems
- Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PK Deficiency): This is an enzyme deficiency that affects red blood cells. The red blood cells can’t make enough energy because they lack an important enzyme called pyruvate kinase. This leads to episodes of anemia (low red blood cell count). The condition is inherited from both parents, and there is a simple DNA test available to check whether a Bengal carries the gene before breeding.
- Distal Neuropathy: This condition affects the nerves, causing weakness and loss of muscle tone. A few young Bengals have been reported with a nerve disorder that causes weakness in the back legs. Most cats recover over time.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): This is a disease of the heart muscle. It is a heritable condition often seen in Bengals, though it may not appear until adulthood. The heart walls thicken, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Some cats may never show any symptoms until the disease has reached a critical stage, which can result in heart failure or blood clots. Responsible breeders screen for HCM using echocardiography before breeding.
- Dental Disease: All cat breeds can suffer from dental disease, but it is a common problem that should never be overlooked. Cats over 3 years old are more prone to develop dental disease. Common symptoms are bad breath, gingivitis, and periodontal disease.
The best way to prevent dental disease is by brushing your cat’s teeth and keeping up with dental cleanings. Dental cleanings may be a bit costly, but it’s nothing compared to surgery to remove teeth. If left untreated, your cat can develop other problems, such as organ damage from constantly swallowing bacteria from infected teeth.
If your cat gives you trouble and cannot handle having its teeth brushed, you can try dental treats or water additives to help with dental hygiene.
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- Obesity: Bengals are energetic, but they can still gain weight if overfed or under-stimulated. Extra weight puts pressure on the joints and increases the risk of diabetes and arthritis. Feeding measured portions and providing daily playtime can help keep your Bengal fit and healthy.
- Diabetes: Diabetes affects the pancreas and causes the inability to produce the appropriate amount of insulin. Insulin regulates blood sugar, and if left untreated, it can cause serious problems or even death.The good news is that it’s treatable through diet and medication so that your cat can live a normal life. Increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss, and an increased appetite are the more common symptoms.
- Allergies and Skin Problems: Instead of “psychogenic alopecia,” Bengals more often develop itchy skin from flea bites, food sensitivities, or environmental allergies. Stress can make these worse, causing overgrooming or bald patches. A veterinary exam and allergy testing help identify the cause, so appropriate treatment and stress management can resolve the problem.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Bengal cat can be prone to these medical conditions we’ve listed above. Keep in mind that these conditions may not develop in your Bengal cat, but it’s good to know what to look for in case your Bengal gets sick.
A way to prevent certain medical issues is to only buy a Bengal from a reputable breeder. A responsible and legit breeder will take the necessary steps to avoid breeding a male and female carrying any genes that could affect the offspring. Another tip is to ask many questions and always request to meet the parents of a litter and ask for proof of health screening, including DNA tests for PK Deficiency and PRA-b, as well as heart screening for HCM. Regular veterinary checkups, a balanced diet, dental care, and daily enrichment will help your Bengal stay healthy, happy, and active throughout life.
Featured Image Credit: Dina da, Shutterstock
