Bengal cats
Bengal cats are a new breed, crossed with a bobcat. Their spotted or mottled coat is smooth and thick, they have a large, muscular build, a long, rounded face, oval eyes, and a thick tail. They have an enviable and exotic appearance without the wild temperament of their much larger untamed ancestors.
Characteristics
Bengal comes from the taxonomic name of Asian leopard cats (ALC) and not from the more well-known species of Bengal tiger, which is not related to the ancestry of Bengal cats. These cats have a series of horizontal stripes on their faces, known as mascara, that run along the eye to the nape of the neck. Its back and sides are marked with jaguar-like spots, and the rest of the body, legs, and tail are marked with symmetrical stripes. Stains sometimes have a marbled appearance and are generally made up of two colors. The following colors and patterns are recognized as Bengal cats and are therefore eligible to compete; Brown Spotted Tabby, Brown Spotted Tabby, Seal Mink Spotted Tabby, Seal Mink Spotted Tabby, Seal Sepia Spotted Tabby, Seal Sepia Spotted Tabby, Seal Spotted Lynx Tip, and Seal Spotted Lynx Tip. These pets are the only variety that sometimes have a pearl or gold dust, sometimes called glitter, and their fur texture is rich and silky smooth. Bengal cats even have a different sound to their voice and tend to be very vocal.
Temperament
Originally, some of the Bengal cats inherited the wildcat’s unpredictable temperament, but breeding programs focused on raising a gentler nature. The domestic feline is very lively and active, but also quite autonomous and silent.
Brief history
As the story goes, Jean Sugden Mills, around 1982 raised a domestic cat with a wild Mau Indian. Around the same time, Greg and Elizabeth Kent started their own breed of Bengal cats using an Egyptian Mau. Both Jean Mills the Kent worked hard to popularize this breed, and in 1986, the International Cat Association adopted the first written breed standard. Today, Bengal cats are the most popular registered breed of cats.
