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About Bengal Cats
General
 The Bengal cat is a relatively new hybrid breed of cat developed to have a
gentle and friendly temperament, while exhibiting the markings (such as spots,
rosettes, and a light/white belly), and body structure reminiscent of the wild
Asian Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). In other words, a Bengal cat has a
desirable "wild" appearance with a gentle domestic cat temperament.
The name Bengal was derived from the taxonomic name of the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC),
as shown above, and not from the more widely known Bengal Tiger species, which
is unrelated to the Bengal's ancestry or appearance.
History
The Bengal has been welcomed as a pedigreed breed by several cat associations -
most notably, The International Cat Association (TICA) - but has been refused
acceptance by the more traditional Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) of the USA,
the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats. The CFA is reluctant to accept
wild/domestic hybrids.
Characteristics
Bengals are medium sized cats - a male may weigh as much as 15 lb (9 kg), and a
female commonly weighs 8 to 10 lb (4 to 6 kg). Male cats are generally larger
than females.
Bengal cats are either spotted or have marbled coat patterns. Spots with at
least two colors present (rosettes) are particularly desirable. The following
colors and patterns are recognized and eligible for competition: 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 also recently accepted as a color variation
eligible for championship status. Blue and Melanistic (black) are additional
colors that occur, but are not yet recognized by most associations that accept
the Bengal breed.
Genetics
 Bengal cats are a hybrid breed developed over several generations through a
program of selectively crossbreeding domestic cats, possessing desired features,
with Asian Leopard Cats and ALC hybrids. In the first three generations, males
are almost always infertile, though there have been the occasional, but rare F3
studs capable of reproduction. Early generation females are typically fertile,
and responsible for continuing the genetic contributions of the ALC to the next
generation.
The modern SBT Bengal gene pool contains genes sourced from many varieties of
domestic cats - mainly Egyptian Maus, American Shorthair, Abyssinian, Ocicat,
and domestic shorthaired cats. It is commonly accepted that the breed was
developed by Jean Mill of California in the 1970s; today, Bengal breeders exist
throughout the world. Many breeders are presently working to develop specific
characteristics in the breed, often by backcrossing foundation cats with
particularly vivid markings. The ALC comprises several subspecies, and
consequently, they can have considerable variations in their appearance.
The first three generations of these hybrid animals are referred to as the
filial, or "foundation" generations. A Bengal cat with an ALC parent is called
an F1 Bengal, short for first filial. An F1 then bred with domestic male yields
an F2, or second filial. Kittens from an F2 female and another domestic cat are
then termed F3. Kittens from a subsequent F3 mating with a domestic are F4s. The
F4 and later generations are considered domestic cats, are designated as Stud
Book Tradition (SBT) Bengals, and can be shown and registered. Any SBT Bengal is
at least four generations removed from the ALC. Filials (F1-F3) are typically
reserved for breeding purposes or the specialty pet home environment.
Personality
The Bengal has been welcomed as a pedigreed breed by several cat
associations - most notably, The International Cat Association
(TICA) - but has been refused acceptance by the more traditional
Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) of the USA, the world's largest
registry of pedigreed cats. The CFA is reluctant to accept
wild/domestic hybrids.
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