Bengal Maine Coon Mix Cat: Pictures, Temperament & Traits

Let us introduce you to the Bengal Maine Coon cat mix. Both parent breeds are known for being exceptional companions. They tend to be very social and get along with their own families and other people.

Breed Overview

When you combine the curiosity of the Bengal with the relaxed nature of the Maine Coon, you get an outstanding balance of both and all the good traits that they share or exemplify. Find out all the details with us!

Bengal Maine Coon Mix Cat Characteristics

Bengal Maine Coon Mix

Since the Bengal Maine Coon mix combines two purebred parent breeds, the price can vary tremendously. Some breeders might specialize in this exact combination, but this might be a hobbyist breed for the most part.

We highly encourage you to purchase one of these kittens from a reputable person if you choose to go a breeder route.

Rescuing a cat versus buying is different financially. If you purchase a kitten from a person who is intentionally breeding them, they will want to make back at least what they put into the kittens. However, we think you could have some luck in your state or surrounding where rescue or shelter has a Bengal Maine Coon mix.

If you purchase or adopt from a rescue or shelter, they typically only ask for costs to cover medical expenses and care while the animal is at their facility. These usually cover spaying or neutering, vaccinations, flea treatment, and antiparasitic treatment.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Bengal Maine Coon Mix

Both Maine Coon and Bengal cats are equally intelligent. In fact, one of the things that owners love more than the impressive appearance of both of these cats is their brains. Bengal cats tend to be highly inquisitive and in your business.

They like knowing exactly what’s going on in the home at all times. They are typically very social and get along well with everyone in the home.

Maine Coons tend to be more independent but still prefer human company. Although they don’t require constant stimulation, someone should be home with them at all times, if possible. When you combine these two cats, you get a very well-balanced mixture of both.

They will have absolutely no trouble catching on to simple concepts like using the litter box. But it gets even better than that. You can teach this combination so many tricks. You can impress all of your friends. Who says cats aren’t like dogs?

You might find that you were a Bengal Maine coon mix that is constantly observing its environment. They are incredibly watchful cats and will likely enjoy much time spent by the windows looking out at all the activity outside.

Are These Cats Good for Families? 👪

The Bengal Maine Coon mix makes an exceptional family companion. These cats will thrive in social settings, getting along with furry and fluffy companions alike. These cats might be better with your family being strangers, but they typically don’t have too much of an issue evenly distributing love throughout the household members.

This is going to be another genetic breed, so they must get their exercise. They might not be the best candidates for tiny homes or inner-city living. But calmer kittens can be manageable in these situations.

Indeed, a lot of it comes down to individual personality. These cats can be very vocal, which is also something to consider if you have roommates or live where you share your walls with other tenants.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?

Bengal Maine Coon mixes can make excellent companions for other pets. They tend to be very relaxed regarding company, gladly accepting new companions. They might be curious at first, but they will warm up in no time. Because of their generally good nature, they make extremely fantastic multi-species pet households.

However, like most cats, they do have a prey drive. So, it would help if you never left any smaller caged animals unattended with them.  It is instinctual, and the cat cannot be blamed as an accident has to happen in that scenario.

Things to Know When Owning a Bengal Maine Coon Mix:

Food & Diet Requirements 🐡

It’s imperative for your Bengal Maine Coon mix that you give them the appropriate diet. They will be rather large cats and need a diet to keep up with their bodies.

All caps should have a protein-dense diet as they are naturally carnivorous creatures, even though domesticated cats have evolved to eat grains. In the wild, they are on a strict meat diet. You might hear that certain house cats get dehydrated quickly. That is because domesticated cats typically eat a lot of dry kibbles.

Dry kibble doesn’t have nearly the same moisture content as live prey. Here, we recommend giving your cat a scrumptious platter of dry kibble and wet food combination. Some people prefer to give their cats a fresh Topper. That is completely up to you.

Many companies make raw and fresh cat foods. But, if you combine the right ingredients, you can also make a topper at home. If you choose to make a homemade recipe, run it past your vet to see if they suggest additional supplements or ingredients in the mix you create.

The Bengal Maine Coon mix will generally be pretty healthy, and they will not likely develop any digestive sensitivity. However, it’s not impossible. Factors like genetics and environmental surroundings play a big impact on internal health.

• See Also: 14 Best Cat Food Bowls: Reviews & Top Picks

Exercise 🐈

Your Bengal Maine Coon mix will have plenty of energy to let loose. But they will equally enjoy their nap time. On average, cats should have about 30 minutes of vigorous exercise per day. You can break this up into small increments, and most cats will self-play that amount of time and a day on their own.

You can get a variety of toys that will keep your cat occupied. Since they are part Bengal, they will love running, jumping, climbing, and chasing fake prey. Maine Coons themselves tend to be pretty fierce hunters, notorious for getting by and even the harshest winters in desolate environments.

So, when it comes to combining these two cats, you’re probably not going to have any issue making sure they meet their daily steps. However, as cats age, their activity levels seem to increase, and their appetites seem to increase.

Without proper exercise, your Bengal Maine Coon mix can start to pack on the pounds pretty quickly. Be mindful of their life stage so you can make sure they’re getting the appropriate amount of physical activity in their daily lives. Main Koons especially are prone to weight gain later in life, so just make sure they’re keeping it in a healthy range.

Training 🧶

As we mentioned above, Bengal Maine Coons love learning new things. They are always inquisitive and want to know “why the world wags and what wags it.” Because they have a naturally curious demeanor, raining might be highly successful—especially if there are treats!

You can train this cat in combination with all of the tricks you please. When it comes to behavioral training, you shouldn’t have a lot of trouble with this particular breed. However, since Bengals are so instinctually driven, you might notice that they get on top of counters, refrigerators, and basically any high point they can reach in the home.

To curb these behaviors, rather than using squirt bottles or harsh punishments like yelling, you can get them their very own wall climbing posts, cat tree paradises, and even bridges that hang over doorways or archways in the home. You can train your Bengal to do all sorts of fun activities.

Grooming ✂️

Grooming your Bengal Maine Coon mix can vary based on their coat. Some might have a shorter coat like their Bengal parent, while others will have very thick fur that requires regular brushing.

You should acclimate your Bengal Maine Coon mix early to routine brushing. If you get a rescue, they might never have been brushed before, so this will be a slow introduction, building trust along the way. Brushing and maintaining coat health is necessary, but it also shows a huge element of connection that you have with your cat.

When you groom your cat, they are trusting you with their bodies. The more that your cat trusts you, the less they will fight when it comes to bath time, grooming, nail trimming, you name it. So if you have a new kitten or an aged shelter cat, they might initially be very unsure about any of these hygiene regimens.

You can acclimate your cat to getting baths roughly every four to six weeks, sometimes more or less, depending on how dirty they are. But over time, as your relationship builds with your cat, so will the routine bodily care. But try not to bathe your cat any more than once a month. If you do, it can deplete their hair’s quality, making it a lackluster look.

It can also wash away natural oils on the skin, which could result in irritating hot spots and other physical ailments. So, make sure that you keep within recommended parameters

Health and Conditions 🏥

Vetting your cat will be high on the priority list, especially in their first year of life. With routine vetting, you can track all your cat issues as they arise. Plus, you can build a relationship with their vet to establish trust.

You’ll probably get to know your vet really well in their first year of life. They will need all their vaccinations, spay and neuter surgery, microchipping, and other general care. However, you can trim visits to once a year afterward, permitting them to be happy and healthy.

Both breeds are notorious for being extremely healthy with robust immune systems. But that doesn’t mean that every Bengal Maine Coon mix will have the same luck and health. The best thing you can do is make sure you keep up with routine vetting to get ahead of any issues before they become major.

Even though there aren’t a lot of significant issues between these two breeds, here are a few health issues that seem to affect most domestic cats as a whole.

Male vs. Female

Regarding physical attributes, Maine Coon males can triumph over most other adults. They are thick, muscular cats weighing over 20 pounds or more. Bengal cats are not quite as large, but they can get pretty hefty.

If you see a Bengal cat, they’re one of those cats that might seem average or even sometimes petite, but they are pretty dense. Since they are mixed between two different-sized cats, it might not be all too uncommon to see a larger female.

But on a standard level, females are typically smaller than their male counterparts with daintier figures and leaner muscle mass. Conversely, males tend to be blockier with a dominant presence.

With personality, you might notice that a female cat can be a little more aloof, especially when it comes to strangers. Because they are fierce hunters, females also have a very high prey drive and might be the mousers of the household.

Cats are cats, and they are natural predators in the wild. That’s not to say that males can’t be prey-driven either. It’s just that males tend to be a little lazier than their female counterparts. So, you could say that when it comes to personality, it is entirely dependent on the individual cat.

However, as a general rule, females tend to take life a little more seriously and stay active most of the time. Males, on the other hand, tend to be a little bit more relaxed in their approach and even more amiable with strangers.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Bengal Maine Coon Mix Cat

1. Both parent breeds are rumored to come from wild animals.

What is funny about this particular combination is that both cats are rumored to come from wild animals. One is quite an interesting myth, and the other is factual.

Maine Coons are said to come from the intense loving connection between a regular domesticated cat and a raccoon. Clearly, these two species cannot mate; this is a fun story.

Bengal cats, on the other hand, come from The Asian leopard and domesticated cats. So, if you meet a purebred Bengal, you might notice that they carry many characteristics in appearance and personality to their wild cousins.

2. The Maine Coon is one of the largest and oldest American cat breeds, while the Bengal breed is a recent development.

If you’ve ever been around a Maine Coon, you were probably incredibly impressed with its size. Most Maine Coons can get extremely large, weighing upwards of 20 pounds. Some can even get substantially larger than that. These cats are not only tall, but they are also full and muscular.

These kitties have existed in the United States since the 1800s. They are also one of the oldest, originating in Maine. They are known to be gentle giants, cool, calm, and collected. So, they have quite an extensive history with their American companions.

On the other hand, Bengal cats didn’t become popular until roughly the 1990s.

Bengal cats were developed in California in 1963, but any association didn’t recognize them for several years after that.

3. This cat breed might act more like a dog, to your surprise.

Rather than acting like a stereotypical Kitty, this cat breed might surprise you with how dog-like they are. They are super interactive and social and love to explore. It isn’t uncommon to hear of this combination of fetching, going for walks, and even walking on a leash.

You might find this is your own adventure cat, coming with you on trips. They typically interact with other family pets and kids without issue. In fact, they thrive on social interaction in general.

Final Thoughts

If you are absolutely overtaken by the incredible markings and exotic appearance of the Bengal Maine Coon mix, getting your hands on one is not going to be as difficult as you might think. These are two fairly popular cat breeds in America, and the likelihood of them crossing is not a far stretch at all.

These dog-like cats will stun you with their beauty, fill your day with companionship, and impress you with their keen intelligence. If you want this awesome combination, you can search for breeders who specialize in this combination or check local rescues and shelters.

See also:

• Scottish Fold Maine Coon Mix: Pictures, Care Guide, Temperament & Traits
• Maine Coon American Shorthair Mix: Care, Pictures, Temperament & More

Featured Image Credit: Light Hound Pictures, Shutterstock