Bengal Cats (and Leopard Cats)

History

The spotted cat has always been very popular, because the markings remind us of true wild cats. The idea of a small spotted leopard cat with the temperament of the domestic moggies seemed appealing, and so it was decided to try to breed such a cat.

In America in the early 1960s, the first planned mating took place between a domestic shorthaired cat and an Asian leopard cat, but it was not until the late 1980s that a structured breeding plan was developed. This was the beginning of the breed that we now call the Bengal. An American geneticist was particularly interested in these cross-matings, as it appeared that the Asian leopard cats did not have the feline leukaemia genome in their DNA structure, and so were immune to this virus. This made the Bengal a very sturdy breed.

As their popularity increased, they were seen on exhibition at cat shows and by 1991 were granted championship status by The Independent Cat Association (TICA) in the USA. More recently, they have been imported into the UK, where a new breeding plan has been set up.

Character and Temperament

Although a comparatively large breed, it is friendly, loving, alert, curious and intelligent. The Bengal has little fear of other cats, or any other animal, and makes a charming pet.

Type and Standard of Points

The general appearance should be of a large cat, with a coat pattern and colour mimicking that of the wild leopard cat; of equal importance is the temperament, which should be gentle and friendly, The  cat should be sleek and very muscular, with the hind legs slightly taller than the front. The coat, which should be spotted and show a distinct contrast between the  spots and background colour, has an unusual texture which is more like a wild cat's pelt than a domestic cat's fur. The head is a modified, broad, long wedge, with distinctive whisker pads, and the ears are short, medium-set and with a broad base ending in round tips.