Every Important Information About Bengal Cat Breed

Bengal is a very naughty, energetic and curious cat. Sometimes you can not control their extreme energy level and naughty things. If you are looking for a gentle cat then Bengal is not a perfect cat for you. They are very intelligent so they can learn the trick easily. Bengal cat has some attributes as like a dog. They like to walk outside with his owner and never mind to walk on a leash.

Bengal has some wild activities and sometimes they are in a destructive mind. They show their wild behavior when they want somethings or bored with his toy. That time they raise their voice extremely loud and sometimes cut the tissue paper or other paper in thousands of small pieces. This naughty cat loves to play various games and also love to play some dog’s favorite game.

They love to hide glittery things like jewelry, keys, etc. They have great hunting and climbing ability. Where Bengal cat lives there no small animals are safe. In spite of having some wild activities, they are very adjustable with family members and other friendly pets.

Discuss on Bengal Cat Breed

Some Interesting Fact

• Bengal has a great attraction to the water. You often see that they are directly drinking water from the tap. Sometimes they want to share bathtub or shower with family members.
• Bengal cat is very talking talkative. They can create numerous voice pitches. Their soft and gentle meow reveal their love but noisy sounds declare their angry mode.
• They are the result of breeding Asian leopard cats with some domestic cats.

History

The Bengal cat is a hybrid of the Asian leopard cat and the domestic cat. In 1963 breeder Jean Mill of Covina, California bought a female leopard cat. After several years to remove the loneliness of the female leopard cat Mill Brought a male domestic cat in cats cage. An unbelievable romantic relationship was waiting for Mill. In 1965 her leopard cat produced a litter. One hybrid female from the litter. That time Mill contacted Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York. They told the female hybrid whose name was kinkin is sterile.

But that proved wrong and kinkin grew up. She produced two more kittens. One was black and its behavior was like a wild leopard cat. Another was a spotted male with characteristics of a domestic cat. After that Mill decided to create a crossbreed. She wanted to provide the American market with an acceptable spotted substitute.

Many breeders were strongly against the Bengal cat because of its wild characters. The Cat Fanciers Association also continues to refuse its registration. In 1983, after overcoming a number of blockage Bengal recognized by TICA ( The International Cat Association ). Some associations named CCA, UFO, TCA, and CFF are also allowed them. ACFA also accept the Bengal but having a wild temperature ACFA does not allow them to the show halls.

The early generation of Bengal cats was not entirely socialized. But in the fourth generation, the breed exceeds exception in friendliness, affection, and gentility. It is a wonder that it has been the recipient of numerous show award.

Physical Appearance

This cat has a wild look with spots in its body. The Bengal is a domestic cat breed which is developed to look like an exotic jungle cat. The size of Bengal cat is long, muscular, medium to large. Its head is broad and muzzle with high cheekbones. It has a pronounced whisker pad. Its eyes are round and wide with dark marking around the eyes. The ears are small and rounded at the tips. It’s back legs are little longer than the front legs which make the hind end a bit higher than the front legs. Their belly is white. It has a lush, dense and remarkably soft coat.

The preferred colors are black or brown spotted and black or brown marbled. Sometimes Bengal reflects a trait called glittering. It makes the coat of Bengal cat spotted. It enhances the beauty of the Bengal cat. The spots should be in sharp contrast to the background color. Though black or brown spotted cat is more preferable, breeders made snow spotted and snow marbled Bengal cat.

Size:

Bengal is one of the largest cat breeds. They are typically larger than the other house cats. On average males weigh in between ( 10 to 15 ) lbs or (4.5 to 6.8 ) kg and females weigh in between ( 8 to 12 ) lbs or (3.6 to 5.4 ) kg.

Coat Color:

Bengal has a beautiful coat which comes in many background colors ranging from rust, golden, orange and brown. Their spots also vary in colors from rust, black and ‘chocolate brown’. They have also marbled pattern coats, one or more colors rotated into the background. Some Bengals coat described as “glitter gene”.  Which gives their coats an extra brightness. This gene will sparkle in the sunlight.

Personality

Bengal can be tamed easily and has an affectionate personality. They are very active, energetic and highly intelligent. They like human company especially the company of children.

This friendly cat is talkative with his owner. When you ignored your Bengal or when they need something then they raise their voice. But their soft meow expresses their love. Bengal cat loves to play games and walk outside like a dog.

They have a great affection towards the water. Sometimes they want to share bathtub or shower with his owner.

They are very intelligent and curious. They can learn trick easily. It is very easy to teach a Bengal cat how to turn on and off a light switches. They do not like to play with the same toy and soon bored with their toy. Sometimes you will find them in a destructive mood. Because of their wild characteristics, they show the hunting instinct.

They not only hunt small land animals but also hunt ”water dwelling” creatures. You must be extra careful if you have a bird pet and aquarium. They have an impressive climbing ability. You often find them in the highest position in your house. Having some wild activities Bengals are very friendly with the owner and love to expend time with his owner.

Children And Other Pets

Active, curious and social Bengal is a perfect family cat. They easily make friends with children and other pet cats. Bengal has also good relation with the cat-friendly dog. They are never afraid of outside cats. Bengal likes to play with children because children’s are very energetic and curious. They like to walk outside as like a dog and sometimes play games with dogs. They are very loyal and trust his owner.

Related: Fact you might like about Ragamuffin Cat Breed.

Cost

The cost of a Bengal cat depends upon age, quality, breeder, etc. The cost of a greater quality Bengal is about $1100 to $1500. The price of a kitten is between $1200 to $4000 . The average cost is between $650 to $2000. There are some additional costs too.

This cost can be a lot more than it’s the average cost. In case of buying a cat from the internet from the outside of the state, there might be a shipping charge. Other costs are included toys, food, cat litter, and vaccinations.

During buying a Bengal cat customers should be careful. Many have discovered that a number of breeders have cats which looks like Bengal cat but they are not actually a Bengal. So it is essential to ask some question to the breeder about the cat. It will ensure the purity of the Bengal cat.

Care

Bath is not so necessary for them. It is better to comb their soft coat weekly to remove the dead hair. This weekly combing makes their coat clean and distributes their skin oils. Brush their teeth frequently to protect them from periodontal disease. Always try to use a vet authorized pet toothpaste.

Check their ears frequently. If you find any dirty thing inside their ears then clean it immediately and use a cotton ball for cleaning their ears. Corner of the eyes should be wiped with a soft and damp cloth. To avoid the infection use separate pieces of cloth for each eye. Cut their nails when needed. A monthly veterinary checkup is a good idea to keep them risk-free.

Always Keep their litter box or bowl clean otherwise they start using other places.

Always try to keep them indoors to protect them from other wild animals and diseases. Keeping them indoor also safeguards local birds and small pet. This expensive cat also runs the risk of being stolen by someone, so keep them as an indoor-only cat is a wise decision.

Rescue Groups

Though Bengal is a very popular pet, sometimes you will find them without proper shelter. If you find a shelter-less Bengal cat or you are interested in adopting a Bengal cat please contact with specializing rescue groups. Here we list out some best specialize rescue groups.

Bengal Rescue Network (USA, Canada, UK and Australia)

Great Lakes Bengal Rescue (USA – Midwest)