Do Bengal Cats Play Fetch? Benefits and Tips!

Bengal cats are intriguing creatures. A lot of people love them for their very dog-like behaviors and seemingly endless amounts of energy.

Normal house cats are usually known to be a little passive but Bengals are the complete opposite. This makes them great for active families and people that want to be very involved with their pets.

A lot of house cats enjoy playing fetch when they’re young but when they become adults it becomes less and less of an activity that they enjoy. Bengal cats, however, will play fetch all throughout their lives if they learn it.

So do Bengal cats play fetch? Bengal cats are bold and confident and that makes them very adept at learning fetch and other cat tricks/activities quickly. Especially if you play with them a lot during their early weeks as a kitten. Fetch is also a great interactive activity that curbs behavioral issues and lets them expend their energy quickly.

Bengal cats, in general, enjoy most ball toys for fetch but they do have a preference of the material and type of ball that they enjoy. Keep reading below to see what type of ball or toy is best at making your Bengal cat go crazy!

For those that want to learn about a Bengal cat’s personality within a home and how they are day-to-day, read my article: Bengal Cat Personality (What Are They Really Like?)

Fetch Benefits for a Bengal Cat

Fetch is a great exercise for our Bengal cat or any cat for that matter. It brings out our cat’s drive to chase and hunt and catch. Also, it’s a great activity for us butlers too because we don’t have to move too much compared to other interactive toys such as wand/feather toys.

Fetch allows our Bengal cats:

• Problem solve – fetch is super mentally stimulating, Bengal cats really have to think to retrieve the toy
• Expend energy – Bengal cats usually don’t have a problem with being overweight but they do have boredom problems. Fetch expends their energy quickly and it’s an activity that can keep them busy for much longer than other toys.
• Strengthen relationships – every time you play with your cat, you create a bond with them. Play-time is one of the most exciting and engaging activities that your cats can do, letting them associate this feeling with you is great for your relationship with your Bengal cat.
• Curb behavior issues – if your Bengal cat is exhibiting issues such as biting, scratching, or general unwanted behaviors towards you or other objects in the room then tiring them out with fetch can be an effective tool.
• Use all types of movements – depending on how well your home is catified, fetch is a great activity that can through a lot of different types of movements and actions. It helps keeps their body strong and agile!

A quick note though that all cats are individuals and they all have preferences on how they like to play. While Bengal cats are quicker to learn to fetch faster than most cats, there could be a chance that he might not like fetch as an activity.

What is The Best Bengal Fetch Toy?

As said before, Bengal cats will enjoy most toys but having the right toy for fetch makes them much more excited and give them a more engaging play session.

Spongey, rubbery textures make the ball bounce around like crazy and the random movement makes Bengal cats super stimulated. The texture is easy to grab and bite down and gives them a visceral sense of catching something.

The size is also optimal for them to fit the toy(s) in their mouth and it is light enough to be carried around. Ball toys that are too big tend to be ignored.

I’ve tried a lot of toys and honestly, sometimes the simplest toys are usually the most effective toys. Find out why some toys are more effective than others here: Best Indoor Cat Toys! I go through why some toys are more effective than others and I recommend the type of cat that can use each toy category.

What’s the Best Way to Play Fetch?

Although fetching is just a game of getting the ball and bringing it back to you, it doesn’t have to be just back and forth.

Bengals are great at working out the best ways to get something. Throw it on the cat tower and watch them climb up and retrieve it.

If your home is catified (catify on a budget, click the link to read my post on how!), have them fetch to the highest point of the room or somewhere that’s difficult to retrieve. You’d be surprised at how well they can problem solve and work out a path to get the ball or toy.

They’re not even afraid of retrieving it when it goes into the water. They’ll paw at it or, if your Bengal loves water he might even jump in! They’re really a different sort of cat.

How to Train Your Bengal to Fetch

The easiest way to train your Bengal to fetch is to start when they’re young because that’s when they pick up tricks the easiest and they’ll have a lot of energy to do anything that you want to try!

There are 4 parts to fetch.

1. Focusing on the ball
2. Chasing after the ball
3. Grabbing the ball with their mouths
4. Bringing it back

It could be that the first time you try it that they know exactly what to do and bring it back to you but if they don’t, take it slow.

Each time they go past their previous step, give them a reward in the form of snacks. Keep going until they complete all the parts to fetch. Remember to reward them at the end of the play session.

Try to get them when they’re energetic (usually when they’re super chatty and noisy) and they’ll be more likely to participate.

When they get used to playing fetch, it’s very possible that they’ll bring the ball to your lap as a sign that they want to play.

Other Activities to Play With Our Bengal Cats

Fetch and other interactive toys such as wand toys are the most effective at allowing our Bengal cats to expend the most energy and create hunting situations that keep them engaged.

Other toys and items just simply are not as effective. However, there are some special items and products that enhance their stimulation and engagement. These products help us butlers vary the environment that our cats can play in.

They’re also great to use during fetch too! Throw the ball and watch your cats zoom in and out.