Adoption & Misc. Info

Why is it Epsilon a great place to purchase a Bengal Kitten?

We pride ourselves with our ability to match cats with homes and people.

We’ve been breeding and placing kittens and cats for a very long time. We will only place them in approved homes we think are a good match. We have few absolute guidelines, but we strive to get to know a prospective buyers needs and desires as well has their living situation so we can better serve you and provide the best homes for our beloved cats and kittens. We evaluate based on a “spirit of well being & care” a potential home may provide and the ability of caretakers to make good decisions regarding the cat’s welfare.

All of our cats are usually spayed or neutered prior to moving into new homes, but COVID has changed that for the moment. *See note below

We practice early spay/neuter and place our breeding stock in a conscience manner. All our cats are micro-chipped and if one of them enters a shelter or is lost, they’ll be rescued. The cost of this procedure is usually included in the price. Generally if a cat is priced at $1200 or more this procedure is included in the price. We also work with owners if they find they can no longer keep & care for their Bengal, so that the the cat is safe & is moved to a good new home or brought back to Epsilon until a new home can be found.

COVID-19 Note: While spay/neuter services are limited during these challenging times, we are placing our kittens with Spay/Neuter agreements instead of spaying them prior to release. The number of Vets that do early spay and neuter are limited and it takes months before we can get them fixed.

We provide a 1 week unconditional guarantee.

If you don’t like how your cat is eyeballing your gold fish with bad intent or doesn’t fit in to your home in some way, you can bring them back for a full refund. We want the Bengal cat you choose to be the right pet for you. After all, it’s going to be with you for many years.

All of our cats are micro-chipped. This is done to protect the animal throughout its life if it’s lost, stolen or otherwise left in a compromised position. The microchip ID is kept in at least 3 databases: 1 international (when owner registers the microchip), 1 US (Microchip vendor) & in Epsilon’s database. If a Bengal from Epsilon gets lost, a shelter or rescue will scan for a microchip and obtain contact information from the public databases and contact the owner or Epsilon if the owner is unable to be contacted. I use my database to associate the microchip # with the owner. I have been contacted about a lost cat several times, so this process works. If you register your microchip, then you’ll be contacted if your cat is found. Please register the microchip.

We are responsible and reputable.

Breeding & placing kittens is a very complex process. Sure it looks easy to put a male and a female together, let them breed and then kittens appear in 9 weeks. There are some many different elements to evaluate in breeder/show cats and kittens like structure, appearance (according to the TICA standard and the breeders goals), health, temperament, genetic health. It’s easy to create a litter of kittens, but it’s really challenging to really produce better Bengals long term. There is a “sweet spot” where a seasoned breeder knows that the cats they keep back are as strong as they can be without losing too much of what we wish to keep. Sometimes a fine animal in most respects needs to be retired or not used in the first place because the short and/or long term liabilities of breeding them outweigh what might be produced in the short term.  There will always be kittens with flaws and defects. We do occasionally have kittens with defects that we place at a reduced price.

Then there’s the matter of how to manage pet kittens and breeding rights so that there’s not an unnecessary population boom leading to poor homing of kittens, back yard breeders, kittens and cats ending up in rescue and animal control. We make that easy by practicing early spay and neuter (ESN) as well as carefully choose homes for breeder/show cats. Some breeders say it’s unhealthy for the kittens. Please visit the linked page about ESN: www.bengalsillustrated.com/2081/early-spay-and-neuter-the-pros-and-cons

What the diseases that affect Bengal cats?

There are only a few illnesses that affect Bengals that can be tested for in one way or another. Some breeders post a long list of test results from the Optimal Selection (TM) test panel for all breeds of cats that have nothing to do with Bengals. This is misinformation.

Simple recessive genetic based illnesses are preventable through testing. These are PRA-b (Progressive Retinal Atrophy-Bengal gene) which causes blindness and PKDef (Erythrocyte Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency which cause anemia.

Baseline tests are those that track some indicator of an illness. These can reveal onset of an illness, but are usually done routinely to monitor if a disease is developing. In Bengals, the most prevalent test is for HCM. One or several HCM test that shows a healthy heart does not mean a particular cat doesn’t carry all the 5 genes currently thought to cause HCM as well as many modifiers that control how it develops. This large number is both good and bad news. Good news: It means that just the right genes need to be present for a cat to develop HCM and that lessens the risk. Bad news: it’ll be a long time before a genetic test will be available for HCM in Bengals. THERE IS NO GENETIC HCM TEST FOR BENGALS. A Bengal may not screen positive for HCM for years or never at all, but will still carry at least some of the genes that cause HCM. This means a stud or queen may produce 50 or more kittens before the disease reveals itself or the offspring used for breeding may be affected.

The good news about HCM in Bengals is that it usually develops later in life, is more mild & treatable. It is less prevalent in Bengals compared to other breeds that are prone to HCM. That said, there are cases of early onset and fatalities from HCM.

There are PCR (Polymerace Chain Reaction) tests that determine the presence of opportunistic viral and bacterial infections know as URI (upper respiratory infections). These panels test for 2 bacterial infections (Bordetella Bronchiseptica & Clamydophila felis, aka Clamydia) which can be treated with antibiotics. They also test for 4 viral infections FCV (Feline Calicivirus), Feline herpesvirus 1 (aka, Rhinotracheitis), Influenza type A & Mycoplasma felis. The viral tests only test for active infections. Most, if not all cats carry Rhinotracheitis and/or others but do not register in these tests. They are opportunistic and surface in times of stress and poor breeder living conditions. It can also be cause by the onset of another illness, old age or in a cat with a week immune system. As a long time breeder, our housing & practices have virtually eliminated active URI infections.

There are PCR tests for gastrointestinal infections. These test for Feline Enteric Corona virus, Feline Panleukopenia virus, Campylobacter, Clostridium, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Salmonella, Toxoplasma Gondii and Tritrichomonas (aka,  Tri-Tric).  Those not noted as a virus are bacterial & are treatable with antibiotics. It’s important to test when chronic diarrhea appears. Testing of new cats entering the household is important because a couple of these infections agents can spread to other cats causing an outbreak.

Finally, we do little testing for FeLV and FIV because these are diseases of urban indoor/outdoor and rescue cats. It’s extremely rare that breeding colonies of indoor cats and cats with outdoor runs in rural areas. Outdoor runs in urban areas that don’t have solid protective barriers are at some risk of becoming infected by one of these viruses, so if I bring in a cat that I’m not sure of their safety in this matter, I will test. For the most part, the breeders I deal with are mindful of this problem and take preventative measures.

What testing does Epsilon do?

We test only for the genetic illnesses that affect Bengal cats and for opportunistic viral agents if an infection surfaces. Our sound husbandry practices and living environment minimize the occurrence of upper respiratory, gastrointestinal illness and other preventable conditions. There are only a few conditions that are an issue with Bengals and these are tested for (HCM-heart condition, PkDef-anemia, PRA-blindness). Many of the cats we’ve used for breeding have been tested HCM negative after they’ve reach 8 years of age, which are the best results to have. A cat may test negative under 8 and still get and produce HCM offspring. HCM testing is different than genetic testing like PRA and PK-Def which yield accurate results. There is no guarantee that a kitten won’t develop HCM, although the chance of this is low due to the nature of HCM genetics in Bengals. And sometimes a cat that tests negative at 10 or 12 years will produce offspring that become HCM positive. Over 30 years of breeding has taught me that prevention works and that’s evident with the excellent health of our Bengals. We are one of a very few early breeders that are still breeding Bengals.

What’s the procedure for acquiring a Bengal from Epsilon?

First, please practice pleasant persistence. I get lots of inquiries, many of which are’nt serious, so it’s best to both call and email. Texting is best left for misc. correspondence, so please keep it mostly to email and phone calls. I don’t correspond thru Facebook and Facebook messaging will ask you to use email. Frankly, it gets overwhelming with multiply communications streams, so I prefer to keep it simple so I can better serve you. Getting on my waiting list gives a buyer first right of refusal of kittens over those below them on the waiting list and non-waiting list buyers.

I recommend contact me after you review this adoption info and tell me a little about yourself and others in your household. By getting to know you a little and learning what you hope to see in a Bengal kitten or cat, I can better match you with a great companion animal. I usually provide pictures of available kittens, but obviously, meeting a kitten or cat is best. Often, people come with a list of favorite kittens and end up leaving with one they hadn’t even considered. I find that they’re even more beautiful in person and I’ll answer questions and provide more useful information about specific kittens and the breed in general. I rarely ship kittens and find that having people visit to meet and interacting with the available kittens provides the most rewarding adoption experience. Some breeders don’t allow prospective owners to visit their home. Our humble abode is open to all who wish to meet, interact and choose a kitten for the best experience possible.

How much do Bengals cost?

The price for Bengal pets (not for breeding) over all varies from $1350 to $3500 or more, but some go down to $800 or even less on occasion. The general price range of kittens for our kittens is $1350-$2500. This includes spay/neuter, microchip implant and basic vaccinations. The cats are popular and many people are willing to pay top dollar for the right cat. If someone that has the resources wishes to pay top dollar for a stunning cat, whose to judge a breeder that puts a high price on that cat. For me, I try to serve most people with a wide range of prices, depending on the traits of a kitten. Placing kittens is an honor to me and it’s rewarding to find a kitten for those on the lower end of the price spectrum as well as a top quality one to those who wish to pay the higher price and everything in between. Part of the pricing is based on what is popular, so there’s decent kittens that will sell for less.

Most quality pure bred kittens go start at $1500-2000 so this price range is consistent with other breeds considering the popularity of the Bengal breed. Since they’re very popular so you can expect to pay more for a quality kitten compared to a similar quality purebred.

Sometimes we have kittens for less if they have a faults, or aren’t what I consider to be higher quality or have been passed up continually for other kittens. Adults go for $250 to $600 depending on age. A young breeding or show quality adult that for some reason became undesirable for breeding may sell for $400 to $1200 or even more for a spectacular cat. Older cats are priced depending on age and overall quality from $250 to $400.

The cost of a kitten usually includes spay/neuter, microchip implant and Veterinary doctor health exam. We’re always investing in our animals wellbeing and work hard to provide the best quality and state of health of precious cats and kittens so your new pet won’t have be fixed and probably not need veterinary care immediately. In spite of our good care, occasionally kittens do encounter stress related other illnesses just as human children do and will need vet care.

Please see this web page for more pricing information”

Bengal Cat Prices : Updated Guide for 2024

Are there any additional costs?

Unlike some other breeders, I include spay/neuter for cats costing $200-$600 or more & microchip implant, which would be a cost of $30 to $50, depending on the vet clinic used.

Even though our kittens are vet checked at when they go in to be fixed, you are advised to take your new kitten/cat to a vet for a checkup and follow up with a third vaccination and a rabies vaccine (at 4 months of age) now required by the State of Washington. And remember, these are living creatures that, no matter how well they’re raised, may encounter illness just like children. We have an excellent record of minimizing the occurrence of upper respiratory (runny eyes, nasal congestion and chronic sneezing) and gastrointestinal (which cause diarrhea) afflictions. Please note that most cats carry Feline Herpsvirus Type-1 (rhinotracheitis) but a cat raised and maintained in a healthy environment usually doesn’t develop chronic illness.

COVID-19 Note: While spay/neuter services are limited during these challenging times, we are placing our kittens with Spay/Neuter agreements instead of spaying them prior to release. The number of Vets that do early spay and neuter are limited and it takes months before we can get them fixed.

How are Bengal kittens evaluated?

It’s hard to evaluate kittens because they change quite a bit as they grow. I’ve often placed a kitten and later get pictures of the grown cat showing an exquisite animal I would have loved to keep for breeding and showing. That said, I have years of watching kittens develop and know pretty well how they’ll develop.

“Pet quality” is a broad classification that is defined by whether they will be spayed or neutered. Within that pet quality range can be your average Bengal to a premium show quality animal. When I say show quality, I mean that a cat has a good chance of performing well in a show and conforms well to the TICA Bengal standard. Pets that don’t fall into the show quality category can be spectacular or very plain. Kittens are evaluated for health, conformation (how the cat is built), coat quality, color and pattern and temperament (not necessarily in that order)

Can I show my kitten/cat?

Some cats can be shown. They can be shown in the Alter class at a TICA show. There are other cat organizations where Bengals may be shown. Even though I allow the showing of a cat, no cat is guaranteed to perform in the show.

How much does shipping cost?

The price for shipping is $350-$500 in addition to the price of the cat & micro-chip registration. That includes a quality carrier, vet exam and health certificate, rabies vaccination & actual shipping costs from Seattle/Tacoma international airport. I rarely ship as stated previously because there’s an abundance of great homes looking for Bengals in this area.

What colors/patterns do I breed?

I specialize in Black/Brown Spotted (Leopard) Bengals, but we do get an occasional Snow color and Marble pattern. I really like a good marbled Bengal and consider them very special and unusual. They’re like an abstract painting on a living, breathing animal.

Why don’t you have your address on your web site?

Many Bengal breeders, including Epsilon, have had cats stolen. As a security measure, we don’t list our exact location. We may ask for name, address and phone number and require that I speak with you prior to scheduling an appointment and providing our address. And if you’re thinking you might find a Bengal breeder a good theft target, think again. Most of these thieves get caught as they did in my case.