Nobody wants to adopt a purebred Bengal cat whose been at a rescue center for 12 months

NEWS AND COMMENT - SOUTHAMPTON, UK: This is a very strange situation. A male Bengal cat, a genuine purebred Bengal cat by the way, who is four years old and whose name is Louie, has been at the St Francis Animal Welfare Shelter Fair Oak, Southampton, UK for 12 months because nobody wants to adopt him.

Nobody wants to adopt a purebred Bengal cat whose been at a rescue center for 12 months. This is Louie and it is a mystery why no one wants to adopt him. Image: the rescue center.

As a purebred Bengal cat, a popular cat breed, you would have thought that people would want to adopt him as quickly as possible. It is hard to imagine that a purebred cat can be so unwanted when people buy Bengal cats for £1,500! I am sure that the adoption fee at the shelter is a tiny fraction of that perhaps in the order of £100.

So, what is going on? I have no idea. All I know is that he was a full-time indoor care, in an apartment and is therefore a little nervous which is to be expected. They recommend that he is rehomed into a family where there are no other cats, dogs or children. But that requirement is not particularly exceptional either.

Perhaps people are cautious about adopting a wild cat hybrid because of their reputation as being a bit challenging but Louie looks like 5th generation and he'll be more or less like a regular domestic cat.

If you are interested then please contact the shelter. Their phone number is (023) 8069 3282. The address as per Google Maps is Sunnyside cottage, Mortimers lame, fair Oak, Eastleigh SO50 7EA.