BENGAL CATS

Bengal cats are one of the most intriguing cats available in the domestic world today! The Bengal cat is a medium to large domestic cat that originated from crossing the small Asian Leopard Cat to the domestic cat.

Description

The goal of the Bengal breed is to replicate the appearance of the wild leopard cat as closely as possible while including the loving temperament of domestic cats. Bengals are long, lean, and very muscular. Their hind legs are longer than the forelegs, with the shoulders being very muscular. The top line of the back should be curved with the tail set low. The head should look wild or feral, rather than domestic. The whisker pads should be puffy, the ears small and rounded and pointed forward, the eyes large and round and set widely apart. The coat of the Bengal cat is short and tight with a thick, soft texture.

Bengal Cat Coat Patterns

Bengals come in two basic patterns - spotted/rosetted and marble. There are as many variations of spotted/rosetted and marble patterns as there are cats. The most important thing about both patterns is that the markings should be very clear and sharp appearing with strong contrast with the base color of the coat. Spotted/rosetted Bengals should have random markings with no stripes or bars. Marble bengals should have a very flowing and random pattern.

Colours

Brown (spotted, rosetted or marble) Bengals are the most common colour. Some Bengal cats are nearly steel gray with black markings and others are bright cream with rust markings. All shades of brown Bengals will have black tail tips. These are just a few of the variations in rosetted bengals. The so-called "snow" Bengals come in actually three slightly different colours: Seal Lynx Point -which have a very light cream ground colour, dark chocolate markings and, usually, slightly darker legs, tails and ears. These cats also have blue eyes. Bengals also come in Seal Sepia, Seal Mink,Solid Black, Silver and Blue.

The energetic Bengal is not for people who just want a leopard print cat for decoration. Bengal cats are constantly on the move and are perfect for anyone who wants to interact and play with their cat daily.

Characteristics and Temperament

The Bengal cats are happy, active, interactive and extremely intelligent cats. Every domestic cat breed has its unique features, and the exotic heritage of the Bengal cat can be seen in their every day activities. While Bengals will happily search out a lap or stretch out on the sofa next to you during naptime, they are very active the rest of the day.

What sets Bengal cats apart and makes them a joy to have around are their unusual traits. Most of these traits relate back to the Bengal's wild heritage, including their fascination with water.

Special Requirements

Bengal cats are no different than any other domestic cat when it comes to care and feeding. They have litter box habits and the same nutritional and immunization requirements as other domestic felines. There is nothing difficult in owning a Bengal.