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What's in a Name

The Bengal is a relatively new breed of cat first bred in the United States by crossing an Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic cat. In many of the early breeding programs, other established breeds were used as well, such as the Egyptian Maus, Abyssians and Ocicats. First generation crosses are known as the "filial generations". When you breed an ALC to a domestic cat, the offspring are known as "F1's". An F2 is the progeny of one F1 parent and one domestic parent (usually a Bengal these days), while an F3 has one F2 parent and one domestic parent. F1 males are usually sterile; F2 and F3 males also often have fertility problems. That is why the female Asian Leopard Cat hybrids are bred to male domestic cats. The fourth generation and beyond removed from the Asian Leopard Cat is considered a domestic animal, and is officially a Bengal and not a Leopard Cat hybrid.

The name "Bengal" is derived from Felis Bengalensis, the Latin name of its wild ancestor (Asian Leopard Cat). The Asian Leopard Cat is not restricted to Asia as its name may lead you to think. It can be found across India, throughout China, Korea and the Soviet Far East. It is found on many islands such as Sumatra, Philippines, Taiwan, Borneo, Bali and Java. As a result of this wide range in its habitat it is known by many different names. A few you may see or hear are:

That Look

The general build of an Asian Leopard Cat is similar to any domestic cat, but with somewhat longer legs, a longer back, a relatively small head, a short narrow muzzle, large eyes (because of its nocturnal habits) and a thick tail of about 27.9 cm to 36.56 cm (11 to 14 inches) in length. Its body varies in length from between 63.5 cm to 81.28 cm (25 to 32 inches), and it weighs between 3.2 kg to 6.8 kg (7 to 15 pounds). As a rule the males are generally heavier than the females. However, size and weight can vary between subspecies in different regions. There are ten sub-species and each shows a distinct variation in body colour. Leopard Cats in the Northern regions tend to have more reddish brown spotting on a yellowish-grey background. Leopard cats found in the more humid regions tend to be an ochre-yellow to brownish tone. With breeders introducing these other Leopard Cat bloodlines into their programs we are now seeing the diversity of colours in our Bengals as well. All subspecies have a spotted or ringed tail, with a black tail tip, and four black bands running from the forehead to the back of the neck, which break up into elongated spots on the neck and shoulders, often forming a "broken necklace". The round, black ears have a white spot on the back, and all cats have white undersides, throats and cheek-flashes. The under-parts are spotted on the white background. The body markings can be solid or rosetted and sometimes show marbling. Unfortunately, it's these markings that have attracted the attention of the fur trade.


Dwellings

As mentioned earlier, the Asian Leopard Cat can be found in many different areas, from Southern Asia to the Philippines. Though generally solitary and nocturnal in behaviour, it prefers the brush or forest to make its homes. Hollow trees make a perfect den as do small caves. It will even find adequate shelter under large roots. Because of the wide range of environments it can be found in, ALCs have developed a wide variety of skills. They are fantastic swimmers and skilled at fishing due to the fact they often live near water. They are very agile climbers and are very much at home in the trees where they can hunt for birds, squirrels, tree shrews, and other prey. There have even been some reports of tropical Leopard Cats as tree dwellers.


The Founder

In 1963, Jean Mill (Sugden) crossed a female ALC and a male black domestic cat. The resulting offspring were a mix of solid and spotted kittens. From this litter, Jean bred a little hybrid female named 'Kin Kin' back to her father which resulted in a litter containing spotted kittens. This was technically the beginning of the Bengals. One problem Jean encountered was that Asian Leopard Cats (ALCs) are very protective of their young, as are many non-domesticated animals. If the ALC feels threatened, it may harm the babies, show aggression, or neglect the babies altogether. Unfortunately, Jean experienced some of these behaviours and postponed her program. This was paired with a personal loss.

In the 1970's, Jean acquired 8 female ALC/domestic offspring from the University of California that had been a part of a research project of Dr. Willard Centerwall on the ALC's natural partial immunity to Feline Leukemia. The first babies flourished from the planned pairings of these females and become the basis for the Bengal breed.


With A Goal in Mind

The goal in developing the Bengal Cat breed was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its small, beautiful, wild forest-dwelling ancestor, and at the same time be alert, large, sleek, and muscular. This goal definitely realized some of the wild ancestor genes, such as an incredibly soft, short pelt and gorgeous rosettes. The spotted or marbled coat of the Bengal is a major contribution to its distinctive wild appearance. Its glittered pelt has a rich, smooth feel of satin or silk. Glitter is the unique gold or pearl dusting effect that no other breed of cat displays. A Bengal's hindquarter is slightly higher than the shoulders. It should have a thick tail that is carried low. The voice of the Bengal is different from that of other domestic cats in that it can coo and chirp. It also loves to jump and somersault. Like its ancestor's talent for swimming and fishing, the Bengal is famous for playing with and in water.

Today's Bengal may be similar in appearance to the Asian Leopard Cat, and its genetic makeup may contain contributions from that wild cat species, but the temperament is that of an affectionate and loving cat that will be a pleasant and trustworthy family companion. Bengals are self-assured, affectionate, and playful, with the stunning looks of their wild ancestor.

The Bengal breed was registered in 1983 with TICA (The International Cat Association). It was then shown in TICA in 1985 in the NBC (New Breed or Colour) class. Bengals can now be shown in the championship class in many other associations, including ACFA (American Cat Fancier's Association).