About The Bengal
About The Bengal
The Bengal cat is one of the most intriguing domestic cats today. It is a medium to large breed, created by crossing the Asian Leopard Cat with domestic cats to produce a companion with the “exotic” look of the wild but the temperament of a domestic cat.
The first cross of an Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic cat is called an F1, the second cross an F2, and the third an F3. These first three out-crosses are known as Foundation cats, Filial cats, or early-generation Bengals.
Male foundation cats are often infertile, so the generation of a kitten is determined from the mother. Once a Bengal reaches the fourth cross, it can be registered with TICA (The International Cat Association) as an SBT (Stud Book Tradition) domestic Bengal and is eligible for championship competition.
The Asian Leopard Cat (Felis bengalensis) is found throughout Southern Asia. It is about the same size as a domestic cat and has stunning leopard-like markings, puffy whisker pads, and large, nocturnal eyes, looking just like a miniature leopard.
The Bengal’s spots appear in many forms, from arrowheads to paw-print–shaped rosettes, each with a lighter centre surrounded by a darker outline. The Bengal is the only domestic cat that can naturally have rosettes like those found on leopards, ocelots, and jaguars.
The other recognized Bengal pattern is the clouded-leopard or Ocelot look of the Marble Bengal. The Ocelot has rows of distinctive spots (rosettes) that often align into chains or streaks, which can create a somewhat marbled or streaked appearance. A quality Marble Bengal features a combination of swirls, rosettes, and dots flowing in a horizontal fashion, creating a “stained glass window” effect that is unlike any pattern seen on a domestic cat.
There are many colour variations in the Bengal, but the three breed-accepted colours are brown, silver, and snow.
Character
While every cat, including the Bengal has its own temperament, Bengals are not typical domestic cats that nap all day, and love to stay active, explore and play.
Bengals have high energy levels due to their wild blood from their Asian Leopard Cat ancestors.
Bengals love the great outdoors, though roaming freely comes with risks. You can build a secure enclosure or cat-proof your garden, but only you can decide if your home and surroundings are suitable for your Bengal to enjoy freedom safely.
They also love walking, special jackets can help, though many will happily follow you without one. Walking with a Bengal is a magical experience, and if you live in the countryside or a wild, beautiful place, your cat will no doubt adore accompanying you.
The Asian Leopard Cat is almost constantly on the move, hunting for food. To survive, it must be alert, agile, and clever. These traits have been passed on to the Bengal. Thanks to its intelligence inherited from its wild ancestor, the Bengal is not only extremely athletic but also has a highly active mind.
So quite an Intelligent Cat?
Bengals love to play hide and seek and will fetch and retrieve toys for you endlessly. They also sometimes like to hide their favourite things, pens, hair bands, cable ties, and stash them in the oddest places. I’ve been told so many funny and incredible stories by my customers, but one that made me laugh was a Silverstorm kitten who had been sneaking pound notes and hiding them in his owner’s shoes!
Bengals are so clever that they can even be taught to use the toilet. In fact, it’s something they often take to naturally, as their wild ancestor, the Asian Leopard Cat, tends to eliminate in water in the wild to hide their scent. Helena taught her first Bengal, Kooga, how to do this. When Silverstorm Sabre joined the family, he worked it out for himself after watching Kooga a few times, well, almost!
Bengals’ love of water is infamous, they will often join you in the bath or shower and love nothing better than a running tap to play with. I have even had Bengal kittens jump into the pond on purpose on a summer’s day.
If your Bengal does not get enough attention or stimulation, it can become bored, and rest assured, it will let you know! I’ve even heard of a Bengal who watched a water fountain being taken apart to be cleaned, and when left alone one day, his owner came home to find, to her astonishment, her Bengal sitting among the disassembled pieces of his water fountain!
Some Bengals are more vocal than others, but they all have a wide range of vocalisations, often chattering and chirruping like birds rather than cats.
The Bengal is a happy, funny, confident, and interactive cat that likes to get actively involved with the household and help out when it can. One thing is for sure, there won’t be a dull moment with a Bengal around, although a sense of humour is needed sometimes!
If your Bengal is to be left on its own for periods of time, it is often better to have two; they will provide company and entertain each other in your absence. Apart from another Bengal, other extrovert breeds of cat can also make good companions, depending on the individual character of your cats, of course.
Bengals also get along very well with dogs…
Bengals seem to have a natural affinity for children and find children’s play a huge source of fun and entertainment.
A Bengal will love you deeply, often finding one special person who they become especially devoted to. Female Bengals tend to bond deeply with their chosen person, while males are usually more affectionate with everyone. They may follow you around, talk to you, perch on your shoulder, and even groom your hair. They are not typical lap cats; although they may curl up on your lap, they like to decide when this happens and often prefer to jump onto a shoulder rather than be picked up and carried.
There is no love quite like that of a Bengal, it’s playful, loyal, and full of surprises. It’s easy to see why people say the Bengal is “dog-like” in its devotion to humans.
GLITTER: Bengal’s Unique Sparkle
Not all Bengals have glitter, but when present it is highly desirable. Glitter gives a brown coat the effect of gold sparkles, while on silver or snow Bengals it looks like tiny crystals. Like ice on a tree limb, glitter refracts the light, enhancing the coat’s natural colour and giving it a wonderful luminous quality.
Under the microscope, glitter appears as hollow air spaces within the hair, sometimes described as tiny bubbles or almost crystal-like structures.
Glitter does not come from the Asian Leopard Cat but is thought to have originated from a domestic street cat found in India, named Millwood Tori of Delhi. Tori was discovered living in a rhino pen at the New Delhi Zoo! He was later taken to the US by breeder Jean Mill to be used in her breeding program.
Apart from the Toyger—who likely inherited the recessive gene from the Bengal—Bengals are the only domestic breed noted for this sparkling effect.
When present in a Bengal, glitter adds an almost magical sparkle, catching the light with every movement and gives the fur a glass-like feel, extremely soft like silk.
The Fuzzies
Before a Bengal’s adult coat reveals its full beauty and glitter, most kittens go through a stage we breeders call the ‘Fuzzies’…
Most Bengal kittens go through what breeders fondly call the “fuzzy ugly” stage. Much like a wild cat cub, nature hides their markings beneath a soft, camouflaging coat, similar to the grey fuzz on baby cheetahs.
At around three weeks old, nature hides a Bengal kittens’ pattern with white-tipped guard hairs called the fuzzies. By the time they’re four to nine months old, their sleek adult coat begins to emerge, revealing the beautiful patterns underneath.
