Bengal
Cat
Weight:
9-12 lbs.
Overview - Described by the breed founder as the "domestic reproduction
of a leopard," the Bengal descends from crosses between a wildcat and a domestic
cat. Overall Appearance
- The Bengal is a medium to large cat withh a head that is longer than it is wide.
It is bred to retain its wild appearance: sleek, long, and muscular, with the
hindquarters slightly higher than the shoulders. The black-tipped tail is carried
low. The Bengal has short, rounded ears; oval, wide-set eyes; prominent whisker
pads; and rounder nostrils than other domestic cats. The Bengal's most defining
characteristic is its spotted or marbled coat with thick, peltlike fur. In spotted
Bengals, the spots appear randomly or in horizontal patterns and stand out in
extreme contrast to the background color, which may be a bright shade of tan,
gold, or mahogany. Marbled cats have horizontal stripes arranged randomly, like
waves of color running through a piece of lighter-colored marble.
Personality - Bengals
are intelligent, friendly, assertive, and active cats. Some like to retrieve objects,
and many have a fondness for climbing and playing in water. They also enjoy cat-and-mouse
games and will find their own toys if none are provided. Their voices are sometimes
rather wild-sounding. Breed
Fact - Hoping to produce an animal with the appearance of a spotted wildcat
and the sweet disposition of a house cat, in the 1980s an Arizona woman began
a breeding program with eight female descendants of crosses between Asian Leopard
Cats and domestic cats. She named the new breed Bengal after the scientific name
(Felis bengalensis) of the wildcat forebear. Breed-related health problems include
entropion. Please
visit our Bengal Cat Links Page!
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