Accidental mating
The first mating of an Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic cat was in fact an accident and occurred in 1963 in California on Jean Sugden Mill’s property. Two years later, after seeing the results of this chance breeding, Mill’s intentionally started breeding domestic cats with Asian Leopards Cats.

 In 1973, Dr Willard Centerwall-a paediatrician and geneticist at the University of California-observed that Asian Leopard Cats displayed a natural immunity to the Feline Leukaemia virus. He decided to cross Asian Leopard Cats with domestic cats to see whether this immunity could be inherited by domestics. The results were disappointing and the experiments were shelved. As the experiments had proved fruitless, Dr Centerwall decided to give Mills eight of his hybrid cats. 

 A decade later, Jean Mills registered the first Bengal Cat; ‘Millwood Finally Found’. Several other breeders picked up on the trend and started breeding with Asian Leopard Cats in the following years. In 1990 Bengal Cats were accepted by the International Cat Association and a few years later they were introduced to South Africa.

 

Ancestors

The Asian Leopard Cat itself is prolific and can be found throughout Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines. A diminutive forest-dwelling predator, these felines usually live near water and live on insects, birds and fish.  The Asian Leopard Cat is by nature solitary and reclusive and is not known for interacting with humans. These beautiful beasties were once hunted extensively for their rich fur. More than 200 000 were killed for their pelts and the practise was only curtailed as late as 1994.

 

Bengal breeding explained

The modern Bengal is at least four generations removed from the Asian Leopard Cat. Initially, early crosses with the Asian Leopard Cat were to non-pedigree cats but later crosses were made with Egyptian Mau’s, Abyssinians and Burmese. These particular cats were combined in the hope that the beautiful coat of the Asian Leopard Cat would win through, while the domestic nature would prevail.

 The first three generations of Asian Leopard Cat/ domestic cat crosses are known as ‘filial’ generations. A Bengal Cat that is bred using an Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) and a domestic cat is called an ‘F1’ Bengal. An ‘F1’ Bengal that is then bred to a domestic or Bengal male will produce ‘F2’ kittens. The males of the first three generations away from the ALC are sterile, so only the females with a varying degree of fertility can be used in these breeding programmes.

Kittens bred from an ‘F2’ female and another domestic or Bengal cat are known as ‘F3’s.  Kittens that come from a domestic or Bengal mating with an ‘F3’ Bengal cat are termed ‘F4’s.  ‘F4’s are considered domestic cats and can be designated as ‘Stud Book Tradition’ [STB] Bengals. ‘Filial’ cats are labelled ‘foundation’ stock and are usually only reserved for breeding purposes.  It is thought that only 12 to 18 Asian Leopard Cats have been used to develop the breed. The majority of Bengals that live in South Africa today are ‘F4’s and STB cats.

 Today the breed is recognised as a pedigreed breed by most associations, most notably the International Cat association or ‘TICA’. However, the breed has been refused recognition by the Cat Fanciers Association, which is one of the largest and oldest cat registries in the world. Apparently the CFA has denied them recognition because they are reluctant to accept cats with ‘wild’ blood in their recent ancestry.

 

Coat

The popularity of the Bengal can be attributed to its spectacular coat. The Bengal has a unique ‘glitter’ and is attributed to a single cat named ‘Deli’. The story goes that Jean Mills found the cat in a New Deli Zoo. The brown-spotted, feral cat was sharing quarters with a rhinoceros when Mills came across him. The cat was tail-less and Mills was concerned that the cat had some sort of genetic defect but he was re-assured that the rhino had in fact stepped on it. Luckily for Mills the story was true, as none of Delhi’s litters ever had short tails.

 Bengal Cats could possibly be nicknamed ‘rainbow cats’ as they come in a wide range of hues and patterns.  Golden, rust, brown, orange, sand, buff, and ivory are the most common base coat colours, while their spots can be rust, cocoa, chocolate brown, charcoal or black. Some Bengal’s have been lucky enough to inherit impressive rosettes and spots made up of more than one colour.  

 Another Bengal pattern is ‘marble’, which is unique to this breed and has a horizontal flow of rosettes from the Asian Leopard Cat and the domestic classic tabby pattern, but without the bull’s eye. Basically it can be described as one or more colours swirled into the base colours. As the original purpose for breeding Bengal Cats was to try to replicate the look of the Asian Leopard Cat however, the dominant spotted pattern is still most common.

 Coat colours that are eligible for competition today are: The Brown Spotted Tabby, Brown Marbled Tabby, Seal Sepia Spotted Tabby, Seal Sepia Marbled Tabby, Seal Mink Spotted Tabby, Seal Mink Marbled Tabby, Seal Spotted Lynx Point and Seal Marbled Lynx Point.  In 2004, the Silver Bengal became a recognized colour for champion status. Blue and black also occur but are not yet recognized by most associations.

 

Characteristics

The Bengal is a fairly large breed of cat. Males can weigh as much as ten kilo’s while females usually weigh about five. Bengal’s are quite muscular. Their hind-quarters are slightly higher than their shoulders and they have a thick tail that is carried low. Bengal’s sometimes display a slightly feral countenance that can be traced back to their wild roots.

 Sterilising your Bengal early is recommended as these cats tend to become quite territorial. Kittens should also be handled a lot from an early age. Although not as vocal as some domestic cats, they have inherited the ability to ‘coo’ and ‘chirp’ from their wild brethren. 

Do Bengal’s make good pets?

A prevailing myth is that Asian Leopard Cats are aggressive but studies have shown that they would rather run than fight. Bengal Cats are occasionally painted with the same brush and called ‘wild’ or ‘aggressive’ but this is due to shyness rather than a hostile nature. As is the case with all breeds, there will always be some cats that are less extroverted but by and large they are just as sociable and amenable as other domestics. Bengal’s are not for everyone though as they do tend to be rather ‘active’ and need a lot of attention.

 Bengals have been branded as somewhat ‘different’ and the fact that they have been known to play ‘fetch’, ‘hide and go seek’ and jump into water whenever they please does nothing to dispel this rumour. Bengal’s should not be left alone for long periods of time, as they can be quite mischievous and destructive when bored. If an owner is likely to spend much of the day away, having another high-energy feline companion to occupy your Bengal is an excellent idea. Overall the Bengal is a happy, energetic, intelligent breed who gets along well with children and other animals.

 

Up for debate
There is some debate as to whether ‘F’ hybrid cats are suitable as pets.  The answer is generally ‘no’. Although ‘F’ hybrids are bred a couple of generations away from their wild forefathers, they still generally maintain very ‘wild’ characteristics. It is argued that if socialised correctly, ‘F’ hybrids make decent pets but it is recommended that only extensively experienced pet handlers should attempt to keep these cats.  In essence they are ‘semi-wild’ and need to be treated as such.

 
Fact file

·        Country of origin: USA

·        Colours: Various

·        Weight: Males: 7-10 kgs. Females: 4-5 kgs

·        Temperament: Outgoing, sometimes shy with strangers. Very energetic

·        Indoor/outdoor:  A cat-safe garden is a must

·        Grooming: Easy to manage. Easy to bath. Combing is discouraged as the coat can be spoiled with too much grooming

·        Health: Bengal’s have few health issues although tail-faults sometimes manifest and although undesirable in the show ring, don’t affect the cat’s well-being.  Bengal’s are no more susceptible to infectious diseases than other cats

·        Feeding: Like most cats, Bengal’s thrive on a well-balanced diet. Raw ostrich heart and mince can also be served occasionally. As always, fresh water is essential.

 

Text: Jackie Gray
Photography: Theresa Fouche and Johann Theron