Bengal is a cross from the Asian Leopard Cat and a domestic cat such as an Abyssinian, American Shorthair, Burmese or Egyptian Mau
Generally short-haired (although there are long-haired Bengals)
Coat Colours
Bengals coat ranges from golden, rust, brown and orange, to sand, buff or ivory.
Spots also vary from rust or cocoa and chocolate brown to charcoal or black.
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
Seal Marbled Lynx Point
Silver
Blue & Melanistic
There are two Bengal Patterns- The Spotted or Marbled. Both patterns should have a horizontal flow rather than a vertical appearance.
The dominant spotted pattern is most common.
Characteristics
Active and energetic
extremely intelligent
requires a lot of attention and affection
gentle and friendly temperament
curious
Bengals love running water and getting wet. May even jump in the shower or bath.
not really lap cats. They prefer to play or be petted than to be held
mischievous and destructive when bored.
requires another high energy companion, if their owner is away for most of the day.
they have been described as being capable of jealousy and spitefulness if they feel like they are being ignored or another feline is getting more attention.
talkative cats
a very people oriented cat
affectionate
bedhoggers
loyal
quick to learn and adapt
has many dog-like features- loves to play fetch,will follow owners around the house while chores are being done
confident, outgoing, friendly
Bengals are great climbers and love height. It is necessary to provide them with a cat tree for this pursuit.
playful nature makes them excellent companions for children
Male Bengal's weight may reach 15 pounds or more
A Female Bengal is much smaller and lighter and may weigh around 8 to 10 pounds.
Likes to be boss
Bengals are one of the healthiest and intelligent of all breeds of domestic cats.
Description
heads are wild looking and formidable
face should have a feral expression with small rounded ears, intense facial markings and pronounced whisker pads.
very muscular, long and lean
hind legs are longer than forelegs, and shoulders are very muscular.
Leukemia Research
The Bengal Breed owes its beginnings to Leukemia Research. The Leopard Cat cannot be infected with Feline Leukemia and researchers used them to find a cure for Leukemia in felines and in other species including humans. The researches crossed the Leopard Cat with the domestics to study the differences in the offspring.
Bengal Cats may hold the key to the future health of all breeds of cats as they may contribute new genes to other domestic cats if ever needed.