ABOUT BENGALS

ORIGIN

The Bengal got his breed name from a little wild cat, the Benal tigercat (Latin name: Prionailurus Bengalensis, formerly Felis Bengalensis). During the 1950′s, these little wild cats and domesticated cats were crossbred in the United States. The primary intention was not to create a new breed of cat; the crossbreeds were done by researchers because one had discoverd that the Prionailurus Bengalensis was immune to the leukaemia virus. Possibly known, leukamia has claimed many victims among both purebred cats and housecats because there is no vaccine on hand with 100% coverage against this deadly virus. The researchers wanted to examine how this increased sensitivity was inherited. Later on in the examination, the offspring of wild and domesticated cats did prove to be susceptible to the feared disease. Beside that, it seemed that many of the offspring of these breeds were not all as fertile. Mainly the tomcats did’t all prove to provide for decsendants, who were apart from that, in good health. The hybrids came in the spotlight after a researcher gave up a number of cats to Mrs Jean Mill. Mill wanted to breed a breed of cat that had the appearance of a feline, combined with the friendly character of the domesticated (house)cat. In later decades, there were more people next to Mill that crossbred Bengal tigercats with domesticated housecats, including usual housecats, but among others also Abessins, Ocicats, Egyptian Maus and Burmese cats. Finally, this lead to a new cat breed, the Bengal. Although the breed is the most popular in the United States, it isn’t recognized there by the American CFA, but it is by the TICA, the British GCCF and the FIFe. This last coordinating cat organization recognized the breed in 1999.

Asian Leopard Cat (ALC)              Picture courtesy From Bengal House

CHARACTER

The Bengal is a very active and adventurous breed. What a Bengal needs above all, is activity. Although a Bengal sleeps many hours a day just like other cats, it’s not a cat that lies on bench for days ‘being beautiful’, he loves to play and climb. They don’t need a free outlet to go outside, but there have to be enough possibilities inside to run, climb and jump. One or more floor-to-ceiling, stable climbing poles wouldn’t be no luxury. The like company: you can’t do anything worse to a Bengal than keep the animal as only cat, particularly when you are away from home regulary. In general, they are good at handling other cats, but because they can be a active and perseverant and fanatic in their playing behaviour, they agree better with like-minded, just as active and able-bodied cats. For very calm or diffident cats, the company of an active Bengal is soon too much. Though it is known that Bengals don’t shun water and take a shower with their owners if they have the chance.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

The Bengal needs relatively little fur care: a weekly brush is sufficient and sometimes not even necessary.

APPEARANCE

BODY

The Bengal has a quite long, vigorous and well developed body with heavy bones. The hind legs are a bit longer than the forelegs. The feet are relatively big and round shaped. A loose skin crease between the hind legs is highly appraised. The tail has an average length, feels solid and has a rounded tip.

HEAD

The wedge-shaped head is small in proportion to the body and a bit longer than wide. The rather small ears are somewhat aligned forward, wide at the start and they cannot show wisps. The eartips have to be rounded. The long, wide bridge of the nose shows a slight curve, there where the bridge proceeds in the crown of the skull. The eyes are big and almond-shaped to fairly round. Bulky whisker cushions are highly desirable.

COAT

The coat is, as for the length, short to medium and lies smooth against the body. The structure is soft and silky. Kittens can have a slightly longer coat than fully-grown animals. Long-haired animals occur now and then, but are undesired on shows and for breeding because of the longer hair the shape of the head and the contrastful tabby pattern couldn’t come out well.

COLOURS EN PATTERNS

PATTERNS

There are two tabby patterns that occur on the Bengal: spotted tabby and marbled tabby, and four ranges of colouring (brown, seal sepia, seal mink and seal lynx).

THE SPOTTED

Spots shall be random, or aligned horizontally. Rosettes showing two distinct colors or shades, such as paw print shaped, arrowhead shaped,doughnut or half-doughnut shaped or clustered are preferred to single spotting but not required. Contrast with ground color must be extreme, giving distinct pattern and sharp edges. Strong, bold chin strap and mascara markings desirable. Virtually white undersides and belly desirable. Blotchy horizontal shoulder streaks, spotted legs and spotted or rosetted tail are desirable.Belly must be spotted.

THE MARBLED

The marbled pattern is generally similar to the marbled pattern of other breeds, but has to form long-drawn-out patterns (horizontal or diagonal) in stead of round ones. The marble pattern also has preferably more then two colours: the ground colour, the drawing and an ‘extra’ warmer colour in the drawings. Marbles also can have four or more colours, because more warmer colours ‘fit’ in the wider drawings, especially on the shoulders. The contrast on the black tabby needs to be very clear. It is highly desired that the whisker cushions, chin, chest, belly and the inside of the paws have an as light as possible ground colour, with black drawings. These drawings embrace the spots on the belly, ribbons on the neck and chest and flecks on the whisker cushions. The eyes and lip edges as well as the nose have a black outline. The sole of the feet and the tail tip are always black. The eye colour is green to copper.

THE SNOW BENGAL (3 varieties)

1. SEAL LYNX (POINT) OR SIAMESE SNOW BENGAL

The muzzle, ears, tail and paws of the Siamese Snow Bengal are somewhat darker coloured than the rest of the body. Where for the most Siamese and most other breeds with point a big contrast between the body colour and the extremities (head, tail, paws and ears) is desired, it is for the Snow Bengal on the contrary not the intention that the points contrast too much. It is desired that contrast between the points and the rest of the body is as little as possible. The Siamese Snow Bengal has an ivory to cream ground colour and the tabby pattern can vary from seal (genetic black), dark to licht brown to yellowish. The tail is dark brown to black, the tail tip is black and the eyes are always blue. The soles of the feet are dark brown, possibly with a pink undertone, but never really pink. Unlike to the most other breeds, the Snow Bengal kitten’s tabby drawings are already visible at birth. Thus they are rarely born white, like is the case for most cats with points. Kittens with this range of colouring who have little or no tabby pattern, often don’t get the pattern anymore at an advanced age. The better the pattern is at young age, the better the animal colours at later age. The light ground color becomes darker over the years though.

2. SEAL SEPIA OR BURMESE SNOW BENGAL

Seal refers to the black ‘seal’ tabby patterns, sepia refers to the Burmese factor. Seal sepia is therefore a combination of tabby and the Burmese factor. The ground colour is ivory, cream or light tawny. The drawing colour varies from reddish to dark brown. Just as for the white Snow Bengal, a colour contrast too strong between the points and the rest of the body is not desired. The tail tip is dark brown, possibly with a pink undertone, but never pink. Just as for the Siamese Snow Bengal, the colour of the body darkens as the animal gets older.

3. SEAL MINK OR TONKANESE SNOW BENGAL

Seal mink is a combination of tabby and the Tonkanese factor. Seal refers to the black tabby pattern, mink to the Tonkanese part. Tonkanese Snow Bengals kan be born form Siamese and Burmese Snow Bengals. Tonkanese Snow Bengals have a slightly lighter colour than the Burmese Snow Bengals, but they are in practice difficultly distinguishable from each other. Just like the other Snow Bengals, this one’s body color darkens as the animal gets older.

RANGES OF COLOURING NOT YET RECOGNIZED IN THE NETHERLANDS:

The Blue Bengal

The blue colour is an unwanted colour, which only manifests itself when the recessive gene for blue is provided by both parents.

The Silver Bengal

The silver colour is unlike for the Snow Bengal or Blue Bengal, a range of colouring that springs from a dominant gene. If you don’t see a silver colour, it isn’t present in the genes. A black tabby Bengal, whether or not sprung from silver parents, therefore can never have silver kittens.

THE BENGAL IN A NUTSHELL

The Bengal looks totally different from other cat breeds. As far as the appearance goes, he is based on a little white cat that lives in the woods. The Bengal is an athletic animal, attentive to its environment; a kind, curious cat full of confidence with power, limberness, balance and grace. It is an avarage to big cat which is well-muscled and of solid build. Queens are in general smaller than studs and proportionally show the same qualities.

The wide nose with prominent whisker cushions en big oval, almost round eyes in a somewhat small head add to the wilde appearance and expressive “nocturnal look”. The very tight, almost straight, hollow profile and the relative short ears with a wide base and rounded tips add to the typical and unique appearance of the Bengal.

The pelt is one of the most distinguished properties of the Bengal. The short dense pelt, with whether randomly spread spots or marbled drawings, feels uniquely soft and silky. The pelt can or cannot have glitter, neither one is given preference.

A thick, lowly positioned tail of average length adds balance to the cat.

Head

The unique head is the first thing that should catch the eye while looking at a Bengal. The head is relatively small, rounded, with big eyes and small ears, and is placed on a muscled, clearly visible neck.

Shape

Broad modified wedge with rounded contours. Longer than it is wide. Slightly small in proportion to body, but not to be taken to extreme. The skull behind the ears makes a gentle curve and flows into the neck. Allowance to be made for jowls in adult males. Overall look of the head should be as distinct from the domestic cat as possible.

Ears

Medium to small, relatively short, with wide base and rounded tops. Set as much on side as top of head, following the contour of the face in the frontal view, and pointing forward in the profile view. Light horizontal furnishings acceptable; but lynx tipping undesirable.

Eyes

Oval, almost round. Large, but not bugged. Set wide apart, back into face, and on slight bias toward base of ear. Eye color independent of coat color except in the lynx points. The more richness and depth of color the better.

Chin

Strong chin, aligns with tip of nose in profile.

Muzzle

Full and broad with large, prominent whisker pads and high, pronounced cheekbones. Slight muzzle break at the whisker pads.

Nose

Large and wide; slightly puffed nose leather.

Profile

Curve of the forehead should flow into the bridge of the nose with no break. Bridge of nose extends above the eyes; the line of the bridge extends to the nose tip, making a very slight, to nearly straight, concave curve.

Neck

Long, substantial, muscular; in proportion to the head and body.

Body

The body is relatively long, with characteristic solid muscles and bones and is carried by not too long, muscled legs. The tail has an average lenght, coming to a rounded tip.

Torso

Long and substantial, not oriental or foreign. Medium to large (but not quite as large as the largest domestic breed).

Legs

Medium length, slightly longer in the back than in the front.

Feet

Large, round, with prominent knuckles.

Tail

Medium length, thick, tapered at end with rounded tip.

Boning

Sturdy, firm; never delicate.

Musculature

Very muscular,especially in the males, one of the mostdistinguishing features.

Coat

The coat feels almost like fur, which is unique for this breed.

Length

Short to medium. Allowance for slightly longer coat in kittens.

Texture

Dense and luxurious, close lying, unusually soft and silky to the touch.