Bengal’s are a hybrid developed by breeders over several generations through a program of selectively crossbreeding domestic cats with Asian Leopard Cats and ALC hybrids. Their size varies but always falls within what would be considered the norm for a domestic house cat.

Look at the pattern on this Bengal

It is commonly accepted that the breeder responsible for the creation of the Bengal in the 1970′s is Jean Mill of California. It is assumed that the modern Bengal contains genes from crossings with many varieties of domestic cats. We know for certain that the primary breed used in the development was the Maus but that the Abyssinian, Ocicat, and domestic shorthaired have made contributions as well. Today’s Bengal’s are the result of Bengal to Bengal breeding with only a few breeders still playing with ALC’s.

The first three generations are commonly referred to as F1′s, F2′s and F3′s. ( The F stands for filial ) The first three generations are called the foundation generations. A Bengal cat with an ALC parent is an F1 and an F1 bred with a domestic results in an F2. Kittens from an F2 and another domestic cat are in turn called F3′s. In the first three generations ( F1 thru F3 ) males are almost always infertile although there have been rare F3 studs capable of reproduction. It is the females that are responsible for continuing the genetic contributions of the ALC to the next generation until F4′s.

F1 thru 3 are called foundation cats but an F4 and later generations are considered domestic cats. They are referred to as Stud Book Tradition and you will see the term SBT associated with their pedigree. Although we call the first 3 generations Bengal’s technically it not till F4′s and beyond that they can be registered as such. Prior to F4 they can not be registered or shown in serious competition

So just to clarify in order to be registered or shown as a Bengal it must be a SBT Bengal and a SBT is four or more generations removed from the ALC. It is also important to understand that as we get closer to the ALC more care is required by the breeder and the owners to manage the cats. From F4 and on they are pretty much the same as owning a conventional cat.

A glittered coat

One of the things that makes a Bengal somewhat unique is its fur. Its coloration is the first thing anyone notices followed by the feel of it which is closer to the feel of a mink then a cat.

One of the more talked about traits is something called glitter and although it is very difficult to get a picture of that gold color you see in the picture is glitter. When the light hits it just right it looks like the fur has been dusted with gold glitter. The down side is that it clouds the the cats markings by defusing the light reflected off of the fur. Cats with no glitter typically have sharper clearer markings but cats with glitter have bragging rights Glitter is only found in this one breed.

The Asian Leopard Cat ( Prionailurus bengalensis ).
ALC was given its species’ Latin name of Bengalensis since the first European to spot a wild ALC saw the kitty swimming in the Bay of Bengal. The ALC is a small, relatively non aggressive, wild cat found throughout much of Asia and parts of Russia. It is generally the same size as a domestic but there are regional differences in size and coloring. Their coloration ranges from yellow in the south to silver grayish in the north. The chest and the lower part of the head are white with spots or rosettes on the body and stripes on the head and legs.

Asian Leopard Cat (ALC)

They are a predominately nocturnal and are considered to be excellent hunters. They prey on any small mammals, birds, bats and in some cases up to 40% of their diet is insects such as moths and butterflies.

It has litters of 2 to 4 kittens; the gestation period can vary from 60 to 70 days.

Habitat and behavior
The ALC is a forest dwelling cat found throughout both low lying and mountainous areas. It prefers to live close to water and although a capable swimmer it generally avoids doing so. ALC’s are known to urinate in water as a means of masking their scent from predators.

They are a predominately nocturnal, and during the day they spend their time in dens that may be hollow trees, cavities under roots, or caves. There is no fixed breeding period in the southern part of its range although in the colder northern parts it typically breeds around March or April. Leopard Cats often pair for life and raise their cubs together for about 7 to 10 months. Full maturity is reached at 18 months, but in captivity, the male can become ready to breed at 7 months, and the female at 10 months.

Reproduction and development
The estrus period lasts for 5-9 days. After a gestation period of 60-70 days, two to four kittens are born in a den, where they remain until they are a month old. The kittens weigh about 75 to 130 g at birth and usually double their weight by age of two weeks; at five weeks, they are four times their birth weight. The eyes open at ten days, and the kittens start to eat solid food at 23 days. At the age of four weeks, the permanent canines appear and they start eating solid food.

What does the Bengal Retain from the ALC
The Bengal owes many of its traits directly to the ALC even though only a few of them are unique to the Bengal.

Physically they are typically a pear shaped cat with a small head and smallish rounded ears. That pear shape is much more evident in the females then the males. The texture and feel of their fur definitely comes from the ALC and is like nothing most people have ever encountered. It is very simply the softest, silkiest, nicest fur hands down of any breed of domestic cat. They typically have a strong interest in water although not always the way we would expect, or sometimes like. They are very strong and that strength goes all the way to the tips of their claws. They have a spooky agility that catches you off guard even after you have been surrounded by them for years. They are very fast, not that most cats are not fast but the combination of strength and agility is in this case a little more then most of us have ever experienced. They are intelligent to the degree that problem solving skills are evident and this is something that the ALC is very well known for. They may also bond to one particular person, and if that bond is broken the cat may never fully recover.

All in all the Bengal is just a cat and any specific differences are for the most part relatively subtle. When you add up the total of the differences though you have a pretty remarkable animal and much of that is directly attributable to the Bengal’s ALC heritage. Breeders deserve some credit for working to keep as much of the ALC as possible while producing the a loving gentle domestic personality.