Bengal

Race: Bengal

Nationalite: United States

Standards:
Weight: 5.5 to 9 kg
Size: medium to large
Type of hair: short

Standards colors: The coat may be:
Spotted tabby. The spots can be black, chocolate or cinnamon. The bottom coat is preferably orange.
Black stripes near the shoulders and rings on the tail whose tip is black.
Marble tabby. Large drawings resembling the shell of an oyster on the flanks and butterfly wings on the
shoulder.

Origin and history In 1963, Jean Sugden, a breeder in California, bought an Asian Leopard cat, Felis
prionailurus bengalensis, that is to say, a wild cat, a miniature panther with a spotted coat. She crossed
it with an American Shorthair cat, creating a breed of a domestic cat with the characteristics of a
wildcat. Cross-bred with their father, they gave birth to kittens with a spotted coat. In that moment, the
Bengal was created. In 1973, Dr. Centerwall of the University of California continued his hybridizations
to test the resistance of the Asian leopard cat against the feline leucosis virus. The Siamese, Egyptian
Mau and Burmese were used by breeders to create new lines. The first subject of this breed, "Millwood
Finally Found", is registered to TICA in 1983. The CFA did not recognize it while the FIFe just did. In
France, it would appear in 1991.

Personality: This cat is balanced and pleasant, provided that it at least belongs of the 4th to the 7th
generation after the hybridization between a cat and an Asian leopard cat. His instinct to hunt and his
dynamism are above the average of the species. The kittens are somewhat pests. The male has the
reputation of being much nicer than the female who is often independent and excessive, both in her
anger and kindness. Sociable towards his peers and dogs although "wild" behaviors can be observed. He
needs space. Exclusive to his master, he needs some time, but he could also be just as affectionate as
any other cat. His voice is discrete.

Note: Maintenance is easy. Other names: Bengali, Cat of Bengal, Léopardettes