The Bengal cat, at the fifth generation level
(five generations from the Asian leopard cat and domestic cat hybrid), can
be found in the show halls of the ACFA and in TICA. These cats are
championship cats and are in the same class as the other domestic cat
breeds registered with ACFA and TICA. Earlier generation cats can be
registered in ACFA and TICA but cannot be shown. The fourth generation and
beyond are often referred to in the Bengal cat world as being studbook
tradition (SBT).
Cat enthusiasts have long been attracted to the look of the wild cat.
Documents show hybridization in the 1800s but sterility of offspring
limited these crosses. In 1983 Jean Sugden Mill began successfully
breeding later generations. She began creating a truly domestic cat with
the look of a small forest dwelling wild cat. Most of the Bengal cats of
today trace their heritage to the Centerwall line that Jean Mill worked
with in the 1980s. The Centerwall crosses were the result of scientific
research on feline leukemia. Research showed the Asian leopard cat has a
natural immunity to feline leukemia, a viral cancer. Today, this research
continues, but with the goal of human applications.The original idea was to create a cat that
resembled a leopard with the temperament of a domestic cat. Genetically
this cat is as a brown spotted tabby. This idea quickly expanded with the
addition of the marble pattern, the silver color, and the albino series of colors: seal lynx,
seal mink and seal sepia.
The brown spotted tabby is found in shades of brown in the background,
from a gray-tawny tone to a vivid orange-gold. The spotting is to be
distinct and clear (color range from brown to black) and is to be aligned
horizontally or diagonally not vertically. The tail tip and the paw pads
are black.
The brown marble tabby brings a new term to the cat fancy with the
introduction of the marble. Marble describes the influence of the
classic tabby gene (the bull's eye effect) and the horizontal pull of the
nondomestic gene. The result is a marbling of the colors. There should be
three or more colors involved in the marble pattern and some basic falling
out of the centers. Again the flow should be horizontal with no bull's eye
effect.
The albino series of colors gives a whitish to cream coloring of the
background and contrasting spots or marbling. The spots can be gray or
seal brown in tone and the background white to tarnished gold. The genes
at work are from the domestic genes of the seal lynx (blue eyes) and the
seal sepia (green to gold). These genes in combination give the coloring
of the seal mink (aqua to green).
The conformation of the Bengal cat is to resemble the nondomestic
ancestor. The Bengal cat weighs between 6-14 pounds, has a longer body
than high, hindquarters higher than the shoulders, a modified wedge shaped
head with "cotton ball" whisker pads, high contrast between
pattern and background coloring, and a confident, interactive personality.
Bengal cat breeders focus on temperament inheritance. The Asian leopard
cat has survived by avoiding humans. So combining that genetic shyness
with a friendly domestic personality allows for gene selection toward cats
that seek and want human contact. The genetic component of this is
evident; combining selection with proper socialization creates excellent
house cats.
Shorthair breeds tend to be more active than longhair, so owners should
utilize vertical space as well as floor space for movement and
entertainment. As a shorthair breed, Bengal cat owners enjoy their low
maintenance coats and often find the hair to be less shedding, less
allergy causing and glittery to the eye. Some Bengal cats enjoy the
glitter gene that gives a metallic shine unique to the Bengal cat.
This
glitter gene was introduced when Jean Sugden Mill found a street cat in
a zoo in Delhi, India that whose coat had an unusual sheen and glistened
in the light of the sun. Captivated by this unusual characteristic, she
brought back this cat and introduced this gene into the breed.
Bengal cats tend to follow their owners around (people are where the
action is), get involved in what ever activity their humans are doing,
play in water, play fetch, walk on leashes, sleep with owners, play with
and thoroughly entertain their human companions. They are excellent with
other breeds of cats, dogs, and other four and two legged inhabitants! |
