Bengal
The Bengal is a breed of cat originating from the United States. It is the result of crossing a domestic cat with the Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), a small wild feline found in Asia and more particularly in the province of Bengal. The first cross between a domestic cat (the Shorthair) and a wild feline was carried out in 1963 by an American geneticist named Jean S. Mill. From this cross came the hybrids "F1" (1st generation) then "F2" (2nd generation) of semi-wild cats. Bengal cats called "domestic" belong to the 4th and 5th generations at least. It is from the 4th generation that they can participate in competitions or exhibitions and be sold to individuals.
Since then, breeding work has helped to keep the wild appearance of the Bengal Leopard Cat while preserving the character of the domestic cat. Mrs. Mill was helped by the University of California at Davis, which provided her with eight females from the same cross. There were also crosses with the Egyptian Mau, the Burmese and the Siamese in order to fix certain physical characteristics and not fall into too much inbreeding. It was not until 1985 that Jean S. Mill was able to present one of her cats in an exhibition. The success was immediate and the TICA quickly recognized the breed as a "new breed" in 1986.
The main physical characteristics of the Bengal are as follows:
- very athletic and long body;
- robust and rather medium-sized bone structure;
- strong and visible musculature;
- legs of medium length, and as for the rest of the body, muscular and robust;
- large, round feet with prominent toes;
- tail of medium length, quite thick at the base, tapering very little towards the rounded end;
- triangular-shaped head, longer than wide, with rounded sides;
- long, broad nose; high, prominent cheekbones;
- strong muzzle with more developed paws than average;
- eyes that are wide apart, large, oval or round;
- green, gold, blue or aquamarine in color;
- rather small and short ears, with a wide base and a rounded tip;
- short hair, soft and silky to the touch.
The coat is the most important feature of the Bengal, as it is its characteristic feature with its spotted or marbled patterns.
The Bengal is generally said to be lively, intelligent, curious but also very affectionate, especially with other animals and children. It has the particularity of loving water, unlike other cats. It particularly likes to perch high up. It is sporty and talkative. These character traits remain, however, perfectly individual, depending on the history of each cat.
Source: Wikipedia
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