About Bengal
Cats
The Bengal cat breed originated
from the crossing of the wild Asian Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)
and Indian and Egyptian Maus.
The resulting feline exhibits the "wild" characteristics of
the Asian Leopard -- spots & rosettes on the top coat, white
underbelly with spots, and an athletic body structure. Although the Bengal cat has
a desirable "wild" appearance, it has a gentle domestic cat
temperament. Bengals
bred in the U.S. are typically separated by at least three
generations from the original crossing between a domestic feline and
an Asian Leopard Cat.
The first U.S. Bengals were registered with the American
Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) in 1977 as experimental and were shown throughout
the 1970s. Around 1982,
an American breeder (Jean Mills) traveled to India where a zoo
curator showed them a feral Indian Mau. This was how the famous
rosetted domestic called "Millwood Tory of Delhi" came to be found
in virtually all Bengal pedigrees. Meanwhile, Greg and
Elizabeth Kent developed a separate line of Bengals using Asian
Leopard Cats and Egyptian Maus. Many modern Bengals find this
original crossing in their genetic
pedigree.
As the number of breeders and
owners grew, TICA formed a Bengal Breed Section, and it adopted the
first written breed standard in 1986. Soon thereafter, The
International Bengal Cat Society (TIBCS), the Bengal Breeders
Alliance (BBA) and the Authentic Bengal Cat League (ABCL) were
formed. These organizations exist to promote good breeding
practices, discourage unscrupulous breeders, and educate people
about the Bengal breed.
Characteristics
While Bengals are large cats, they
typically fall within the size range of a conventional domestic
feline. Females are generally 7 to 10 lbs. and males are generally 9
to 15 lbs. They are
large-boned, well-muscled cats with the male in particular being
extremely muscular.
Bengals can have either spotted or
marbled coat patterns.
The following colors and patterns are recognized: Brown Spotted Tabby, Brown
Marbled Tabby, Seal Sepia Spotted Tabby, Seal Sepia Marbled Tabby,
Seal Mink Spotted Tabby, Seal Mink Marbled Tabby, Seal Spotted Lynx
Point and Seal Marbled Lynx Point. Silver was recently accepted as a
color variation eligible for championship status.
Bengal
cats are the only breed of cat which displays the gold or pearl
dusting effect referred to as glitter. Its pelt has a rich smooth
satin or silk feel. Even the voice of the Bengal is different from
that of other domestic cats. Males and females are extremely vocal.
Life expectancy is 12 to 16 years.
For more
information on the Bengal breed, click on the logos below.
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