Animal-World > Cats > Exotic Cats > Bengal Cat

Bengal CatsBengal, Bengali

Family: Felidae

• Puzzles
• Postcards

Felis lybicaPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Justin Brough

     The exotic Bengal retains the striking wild appearance of its Asian Leopard ancestors, while gleaning the friendly, even temperament of its domestic heritage. This breed is affectionate, highly playful, and social. It is a great addition to families who have time to give it the attention it craves.

    Despite its wild ancestry, the Bengal is an affectionate, sociable breed, provided it is separated by at least 3 generations from the original crossing between a domestic and Asian Leopard Cat. This breed is highly active and playful, making it a great cat for children. The Bengal gets along with people, dogs, and other cats. It often attaches strongly to one person, demanding constant attention from that person. It can be taught to fetch and walk on a leash. Bengals are known for joining their owners in the bathtub or pool, as they enjoy playing in the water. They are excellent hunters. Bengals have a distinct voice from most other domestic cats. It is quiet, but has some wild characteristics.

    The Bengal originates from the United States, though its wild ancestry comes from Asia. Currently it is a rare breed that can be found in America and Europe.

Common Name(s)     Bengal, Bengali

Background      The creation of the Bengal breed began in 1963, when Jean Sugden, an American geneticist of Yuma, Arizona, crossed her female Asian Leopard Cat with a black short-haired domestic male in hopes of combining the wild physical characteristics of the Leopard Cat with the friendly disposition of the domestic cat. Though matings between domestic and wild cats usually produce only infertile offspring, the females from this cross were fertile. A female of this litter, named Kinkin, was bred with her father, and produced a litter of both plain and spotted kittens. This breeding project could have been the beginning of the Bengal breed, but it was abandoned after the second mating, when Mrs. Sugden was widowed. However, later in1973, another geneticist, Dr. Willard Centerwall of California, began a new breeding project with Leopard Cats and short-haired domestic cats in order to determine the Leapord Cat's resistance to feline leukemia. He gave eight females to Jean Sugden, now Jean Mill, after her remarriage, and she used them to start a new breeding program.
    In 1983 the International Cat Association (TICA) accepted the first Bengal for registry. His name was "Millwood Finally Found". The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) currently does not recognize the Bengal.
This breed's name was derived from the Asian Leopard Cat's scientific name, Felis bengalensis. It has no affiliation with the commonly known Bengal Tiger. Many different domestic breeds have been used in breeding programs for the Bengal, including the Siamese, Burmese, Egyptian Mau, Ocicat, Abyssinian, Bombay, and British Shorthair.

Description      The Bengal is a large breed, weighing between 7 and 20 pounds. It has a long, well-muscled and powerful body. The legs and tail are medium in length and the tail tapers to a rounded black tip. The head is large and rounded with a large, broad nose and large rounded ears. The eyes are large, oval-shaped, and wide set. The Bengal's life span is approximately 15 years.
    The Bengal's fur is short and fine. The coat is thick and extremely soft. The coat is generally covered in solid spots, even on the belly, but some specimens have dark rosettes, or two-toned spots, instead. Bengals can also have a "marbled" coat, which means the pattern flows horizontally in a swirl. The color forms include Leopard (spotted tabby), Marble, Snow Leopard (ivory background with contrasting spots), Snow Marble, Sorrel (Golden), and Mink.

Care and Feeding     The Bengal requires no special diet.

Housing Your Cat     This is a very active breed that needs a yard and plenty of room to run, play, and hunt. Kittens can be destructive, so preparations should be made to protect furniture and other items in the house. A variety of toys and a scratching post are also helpful in decreasing their destructive behaviors.

Maintenance     Bengals need a weekly brushing and combing.

Social Behaviors     This breed is very social. It enjoys being around people, dogs, and other cats. This breed should not be left alone for long periods of time because it is likely to find furniture, curtains, or other items to shred in its boredom. If it is going to be left alone frequently, having another cat can help keep it occupied. However, the Bengal can also become jealous if it thinks another pet is getting more attention than it.

Activities     As mentioned previously, this is a very active breed that enjoys running, hunting, and playing with humans, cats, and other animals.

Breeding/Reproduction     Most males are infertile, though the occasional male is able to reproduce. Females are fertile. The 1st through 3rd generations of Bengals are considered "filial", and are used for breeding and specialized pet environments. The 4th and later generations are considered domestic and can be shown and registered.

Common Health Problems     The Bengal is a hardy breed. No special health problems have been documented.

Availability     This is a rare breed, but breeders are available on the internet and locally. Prices range from $300 for an adult pet quality cat to $650-$800 for a pet quality kitten to $1200-$2000 for a show quality kitten.

Add your comment here!
Latest Comments
I have two Bengals, Ripley and Bailey. I take them for walks on a least, play fetch play in the pool and pour cool water on them until they're drenched during hot days. They coming running to the door when I come home, beg for me to take them out and talk to me ALL DAY LONG. If I say 'want to come out", they will come running from where ever in the house to the back door and wait! They loved to be reversed and forward brushed with a soft bristle brush. If I take out the brush they come RUNNING. They love going out and play in the snow if the sun is out and not too cold. Incredible tom dennen 2009-09-19
I could not believe it when my Bengal taught me to play fetch. One day she brought me a large allen wrench and would not leave me alone. I finally tossed the wrench away from me and she brought it right back...over and over and over. My friends are amazed! john 2008-03-14
Some of the coolest comments:
I have 2 bengals and people are really amazed by their behaviour. They both follow me around when taking a walk, no matter if it is at the mountain for a hike, or at town. When I go shopping they stay at the door and wait for me. Sometimes they call me and we talk constantly. While they were kittens they would go in the bathtub with me or in the shower. While sailing they will jump in the water for fishing or swimming, and actually, they have succeed a couple of times even diving to get the fish!!! I have a video of all of this and my vet has asked me for the videos to show them to his colleagues. They are excellent with kids (I have 3 little ones, 1, 3 and 5 years old) and no matter what they will play with the kids and never, ever scratch or bite them at all. I have to protect the cats from the kids, not the kids from the cats. People say that they behave more as dogs than as regular cats, but I think it is a matter of how they have been raised and the characteristics of this special breed. My hubby was amazed when he realized that they could identify all the family members by our name. I love cats and always had cats around, but nothing like these cats. Martha 2009-02-07

Back to Exotic Cats