The Bengal breed is a very interesting breed of cats. It was originally a hybrid cat from a domestic cat crossed with a wild Asian Leopard Cat. The Asian Leopard Cat is a small wild cat found in Asia.  It is about 10-15lbs and is a non-agressive cat that will run before attacking normally.  They can be shy to humans.  When bred with a domestic cat some of this wild blood disappears from the shy temperment.  After about 3 generations or more removed from the leopard, you can expect an exotic looking pet with a loving domesticated personality.  The original hybrids were many years ago and was created by Jean Mill back in the 60's.  

Some breeders own Asian Leopard Cats (ALC) and still breed early generation bengals.  These cats are not for everyone and you must be very knowledgeable before adopting one of these very special animals.  Early generation bengals are as follows.  They are labeled as F1, F2, F3.  F1 for example is a bengal with one parent an ALC and the other a bengal.  An F2 is two generations from the ALC and the F3 is three generations down.  Once you get to an F4 they can be shown and are considered a domestic bengal cat.  These are labeled SBT bengals. They behave like other domesticated cats and are a joy to have around.

The bengal cat has become a recognized domestic breed that can be shown and registered. This is one of the most energetic domestic cats I have ever seen. They are also some of the most fun. A Bengal cat is very curious and full of energy. They are great climbers and love to explore your house. They are much like dogs in personality and can actually be taught to walk on a leash. You will even see Bengals that love to swim. Tex and Zoey will get in the tub with my kids and go for a swim.  Most of them are curious about water and some will play in it. They are very talkative and some will actually carry on a conversation with you.  These cats are so friendly and loveable.  Although they are not lazy cats that sleep all day, they will sit with you and love to be cuddled.  These cats are similar in size to the average cat with the females averaging 7-12lbs and the males 10-15lbs.

Bengals love people and love other animals.  This is not a cat you will have to worry about around children.  They love them to death.  I have attached some pictures below of children playing with bengals and you can see how gentle and loving they are.  As you can see our siamese loves them as well and he protects them like they were his own children.  They also get along great with dogs.  They are just an all around great cat.

The Bengal standard includes a nice horizontal flow to the spotted pattern or to the marbled pattern. Rosettes are preferred but not necessary. These are the tricolored spots like the leopard has. It is preferred to have small rounded ears and a wide muzzle. A white tummy is a bonus and is always preferred on Bengals. This resembles the Asian leopard cat. A short fat tail is preferred.  A Bengal is a muscular cat with sleek tight fur. Some are glittered, meaning they literally shine gold or silver in the sunlight.

Below are some pictures of the asian leopard cat, from which the bengal is derived.  Special thanks to Callista Bengals for the great pictures of Elias, their very special ALC.   This asian leopard cat is also the father of my beloved Faith so he is special to us as well.

Asian Leopard Cat as a 4 week old baby	Asian Leopard Cat as an adult

BENGALS LOVE PEOPLE AND OTHER ANIMALS