High Energy, High Risk
Zara thinks she's still a wild cat. She climbs everything, jumps from impossible heights, and gets into places no normal house cat would even attempt.
This makes for entertaining stories. It also makes for expensive vet bills.
The Bookshelf Incident
Zara decided the top of my 7-foot bookshelf was the perfect place to nap. Getting up there wasn't the problem. Getting down was.
She landed wrong and dislocated her kneecap. I didn't even know cats could do that.
The emergency vet visit cost $450 just to walk in the door. The X-rays were another $300. Surgery to fix her kneecap was $2,800.
The vet said patellar luxation is actually common in Bengals. Something about their leg structure. Great timing to learn that.
Zara recovered fine, but now I'm paranoid about her jumping. Good luck stopping a Bengal from jumping, right?
The Eye Problem I Didn't See Coming
Zara's eyes have always been stunning. Bright green with this intense stare that makes you feel like you're being hunted.
During a routine checkup when she was four, the vet noticed something wrong with her retinas. Progressive retinal atrophy.
I'd never heard of it. The vet explained that it's genetic in Bengals. Zara's retinas are slowly deteriorating. Eventually she'll go blind.
There's no treatment. Just monitoring and making adjustments as her vision gets worse. Each specialist visit costs $300.
Zara doesn't seem bothered by it yet, but knowing it's coming makes me watch her differently.
Heart Problems in a Young Cat
The vet found a heart murmur during Zara's exam when she was five. She's young and active, so it was completely unexpected.
Bengals can get hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Another genetic thing I wasn't prepared for.
The echocardiogram cost $480. Fortunately, Zara's heart function is still normal. But now she needs cardiac monitoring every year.
It's scary knowing these genetic problems are just waiting to show up. Makes every vet visit stressful.
What Bengal Insurance Really Needs
After dealing with Zara's various issues, I know exactly what matters in Bengal cat insurance.
Injury Coverage for Daredevils
Bengals get hurt doing normal Bengal things. Climbing, jumping, exploring places they shouldn't be.
Make sure your policy covers accident-related injuries without a bunch of exclusions. Zara's kneecap surgery would have been completely covered if I'd had better accident coverage.
Also check that they don't have weird restrictions about injuries from 'normal cat behavior.' To a Bengal, jumping off a bookshelf is totally normal.
Genetic Problem Coverage
Bengals come with a package of genetic issues. Eye problems, heart conditions, joint problems. Don't let insurers exclude these as hereditary.
Zara's eye condition requires ongoing monitoring. Her heart condition needs regular checkups. These aren't optional expenses.
Find a policy that covers genetic conditions common to the breed. If they won't cover Bengal-specific problems, what's the point?