Wilma: I have a Bengal cat, Merlot, who is two years old. I’ve had him since he was six months old. He is a very vocal cat, which is apparently common for this breed. However, when food is present — especially meat of any kind — he becomes unbearably loud. He also jumps up on the kitchen counter and stove, even when it is turned on.

He opens cupboards and the garbage can in search of food, and if the fridge is open, he will crawl right in. I even opened the refrigerator door once to find him sitting inside the fridge, eating chicken leftovers. It’s amazing he didn’t freeze to death.

My cat’s behavior has become frustrating. He has done these things for as long as I’ve had him. The breeder tells me she’s never heard of this before, but my sister also has a Bengal cat, and her problems are almost the same concerning food.