Bengal Kittens
Bengal History
The journey of the Bengal's began when small wild Leopards of Asia mated with cats such as Abyssinian and Burmese (domestic breeds). This is how Bengals acquired their beautiful, distinctive spots that create their stunning exotic appearance. The first recorded cross of these two animals' dates back to the early 1960's but it wasn't until 1985 that the first cat was exhibited in a show. Since then, Bengal cats have continued to increase in popularity and are desired by cat fanciers all over the world.
The Asian Leopard's are known in Latin as Feline Bengalensis, hence where the name 'Bengal' came from. These cats are small leopards and look very much like domestic cats except they have bigger eyes, longer legs and unique patterned coats. Their temperaments however are much different to that of a domestic cat because they are wild animals.
The creation of the first Bengal cat is quite a unique story and happened by mistake rather than intentionally; during 1963 and American lady wanted a unique looking animal so she acquired a female Asian leopard and kept is as a pet. A few years later she bought a male domestic cat. The cats were allowed to interact with each other because she had assumed they wouldn't breed! However, they did and the leopard gave birth to a litter of kittens. Unfortunately, only one of the kittens survived and she was named Kin-Kin. Kin-Kin mated with her father and produced two more kittens, one had the temperament of the Asian wildcat but the other inherited his father's gentle character. The personality of these cats however was rather unpredictable and it wasn't until the kittens were several generations away from the Asian leopard that they became a little easier to predict. For this reason, the Bengal cat has a temperament standard it must meet to be classed as pure bread.
Bengal's are clever cats with friendly temperaments and exotic appearances. The breed has been an inspiration to cat enthusiasts all over the world and has encouraged other similar cross breeding to take place. The Bengal remains the only spotty breed that is an immediate relation of the Asian Leopard Wildcat, which is why it is one of the most unique, sort-over breeds of the domestic cat.
Bengal Appearance
Bengal cats have unique spotty markings all over and can come in a variety of beautiful colours; snow spotted, snow marbled, brown/black spotted and brown/black marbled, blue (can be registered and shown with TICA) or silver (eligible for GCCF registration and TICA registration and showing). The first type of pattern marking (spotted) can range from small spots dotted all around the body to much larger ones that are separated a lot more by their skin colour, the spots are aligned horizontally. The second type of marking is the marbled effect; patterns are symmetrical on each side and should create a marble appearance by swirling colours around the body.
Bengal's are quite large for a domestic cat with extremely short fur, which is shiny and velvety. They are quite muscular and their bodies tend to be long which sometimes makes them look bigger than they actually are. Their ears are relatively small and rounded and they have large eyes that are set wide apart. Brown Bengal's usually have almond, gold and sometimes green eyes, Snow Bengal's commonly have blue eyes but other colours are possible. Bengal's faces have high cheekbones, large noses and accentuated whisker pads. Their legs are long and muscular with large paws and their tails are thick at both base and end and have a rounded tip.
Bengal Character and Personality
These cats are playful, fun and quite boisterous but also sweet, affectionate characters that love company and humans. Bengal's are extremely active and always after a game, they are one of the only domestic cats who enjoy playing with water, bathing in it and chasing a hosepipe round the garden! You can train most Bengal's the way you can train a dog! If you teach them they will learn to play games like 'fetch' and will even walk on a lead, they also have the tendency to follow their owner around and be at the door waiting for them when they arrive home.
They are very loving and adapt to their environment, being able to mix with adults, children, other cats, dogs and lots of other animals as well (although their compatibility with children and other pets is low-medium). Bengal's are vocal animals and will speak to you on a regular basis, they are loyal and friendly and will remain a companion to you forever. Most owners will agree, Bengal's make adorable, fantastic pets. In order for a Bengal to be shown they must be at least four generations away from their wild leopard ancestor, however cats that are only two or three generations away can be sold as pets.
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Bengal Lifespan
9 - 15 years
Bengal Average Litter Size
Their average litter size is usually between 4 and 6 kittens.
Bengal Recognition
This breed has been given Championship Status by the following Assosiations:User Comments
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I have a bengal called flimpo, he is the cutest thing!
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I have a beautiful Bengal called Tiggy who is a true F4 with one of her Great Great Grand parents being an ALC, my Tiggy should have been sold with a Health warning, luckily I'm patient and love her lots, just be careful about choosing a Bengal, they might be pretty but can be very hard work, but worth it!!!
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We got our Bengal for free. She had been used to breed kittens four times and the breeders didn't want to go anymore than that with her, so they gave her away to get a new one. She's about 18 years old now and shows no signs of slowing down, she's slimmed down as she ages, but still eats like a horse and runs around like crazy!
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I looked into all cat breeds around a year ago and i must admit although i do love alllll cats the bengals just took my breath away and last year after carefully researching all there was to know i homed my first bengal kitten,there personalitys are just as fascinating as there wild looks..but be careful as you will be smitten and probably want more as i do ! I homed my first from a lovely couple and heres there link www.electricbengals.net
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i have 2 bengals,a f4 silver called bailey who i paid a thousand pounds for and a brown spotted called honey i must say if you are looking for a different cat and have the time on your hands i would really recommend getting a bengal. my eldest is 4 and i must say of all the cats i have ever had these are so much better than any domestic cat and a lot more intelligent,personally i think it was a thousand pound well spent.
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I have a 14 month old Bengal kitten named Daff (don't ask) who we all love to pieces! He is very affectionate and will often headbutt me as he walks past me in the house, and curls his tail around my leg as he walks past. They do tend to be very destructive at times though, most things in the house now have scratches on (such as the large painting in the dining room which he appears to have tried to scale at some point.) He can be very naughty at times too, and can sometimes scratch or 'rabbit foot' during games. He doesn't mean to hurt people, but doesn't realise how much he hurts, so I would recommend thinking carefully before bringing a Bengal into a house with small children. Daff can be very intelligent at times (he can open doors!) but can also be stupid and run into windows and seems to fall off things a lot and will happily be carried around in plastic bags with his feet sticking out of them at opposite angles(!) Daff is an indoor cat as we fear he may get stolen, but we take him for regular walks outside on his harness and lead which he adores! They will instinctively take to being walked, and generally offer no resistance. I also notice that no one has mentioned about bengals' tails! When Bengals get excited or scared their tails fluff up into a huge 'raccoon tail' and they run around like mad, ricocheting off anyone and anything around them! However, if you want a quiet pet, this is not the breed for you as he can make an extraordinarily loud noise, which ranges from quiet, happy chirrups, to yells which are not unlike a child crying. Daff cost me £350, and was worth every penny and I would thoroughly reccomend this breed for anyone who wants a lively and lovable pet :)
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We were very fortunate to get our Bennie from the RSPCA as a rescue kitten. Judging by everything about him, he is a Bengal cross of some sort. He loves water (plays in the bath), feet (weird), food, playing fetch (self taught), people, jumping, following me around the house. He's growing very fast, is totally manic, has the biggest appetite I've ever seen, is muscular, has long legs, big feet, a very big tail, has fabulous markings and soulful amber/gold eyes. The only thing he doesn't do is miaow a lot - yet. He squeaks instead! So it's worth a look at your local rescue centre.
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I have a brown marble bengal, hes one years old now and ive got to say that they are the most fabulous creatures ever and everything they say about them is true, my cat has diffrent vocal expressions to let me know what he wants, however they can be very demanding and i wouldnt recommend leaving them for long periods of time as they can be very mardy like siamese and burmeses,
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i love bengal kittens they are so cute. mi dad has one and it is going to have kittens and i am having one
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i would love to get a bengal cat but live in a 2 bed flat (without a secure garden) and work during the day. i'm worried that a bengal wouldn't be happy in this environment and could become distructive???
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i am hoping to get a bengal kitten but i already have a mischievours kitten called crunchie will they like each other or not because when my little kitten last met a cat she started spitting at it !!
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i am looking for a bengal or bengal cross. will either of these be able to leave the house and roam like non-pedigree domestic cats?
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I really like the temperament of the bengal because they are playful, can be walked like a dog and play with water. The only problem is I also like the idea of a cat that can sit on my lap or next to me for the duration of a movie. Are Bengals too energetic to do this?
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We are the very proud owners of a 16 week old baby F4 snow marble called GARY! Lots of people have criticised our choice of name for our beautiful boy however, he is one true thug, nick-named by my mum as the hooligan. Before you buy a bengal, know what you are letting yourself in for. We researched with vets, internet, and breeders and were fully aware of the mischieveous attention seeking hyper-active ASBO requiring teenage stropping little darling that is our Gary. WE WOULDN'T HAVE HIM ANY OTHER WAY. He is loved beyond belief and returns that love ten-fold. However, to the woman who said "Can I have one free" earlier in the year, lady if you can't afford to buy one, you can't afford to keep one ie vets bills, proper food etc. One of our moggies just had £1,780 worth of vets bills, so if you can't afford £500 for a bengal, get a fish!
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Does anyone know where to get one for £300 or less? They are absolutely gorgeous.
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I was lucky enough to pick up a cross breed bengal kitten from the RSPCA. She is beautiful, and I hope she loves my female oriental, male Tonkinese and cross breed male abyssissian cat.
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I have had a female bengal (Miso) for over a year now. My finace and I just adopted a male domestic house cat (Sake). However, Miso is very vocal and seems to be jealous of Sake. Will this roll over eventually and will Miso and Sake get along? Thanks for any help.
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Nicola...if your kitten is coming from a reputable breeder and is well handled and friendly, then you will have no problems. All cats, when first introduced will hiss a bit and maybe growl as they are unsure of their new surroundings and companions. I have bred Bengals for many years and never had a problem with kittens interacting in their new homes. They can take between just a couple of days up to a couple of weeks to settle in properly. There is an 'Advice on Buying a Kitten' page on our website for those who are thinking of purchasing a kitten: http//:www.suntouchedbengals.co.uk If I can answer any questions for anyone, please feel free to ask. Karen
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I'm a Bengal owner and got mine from a reputable breeder. I find them extremely intelligent,playful and mischievous also very sociable and friendly toward other pets and people.In fact they are almost dog like and will go and fetch a toy for me to throw so they can play fetch, they were never trained to do this. Yes they are expensive but they are worth every penny.
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Hi, I'm due to get a young 13wk old F5 Bengal kitten from a reputable breeder in early March and am also getting a British Shorthair kitten at the weekend. I currently have 2 moggies - both 8yrs old - female and a male. Can I be assured my new Bengal kitten will interact with my current 2 cats and also the new kitten and not attack them? I hear conflicting stories about Bengals and am not sure what to believe now?!
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these are cool looking cats but i would like to know the price range in U.S currency if anybody knows
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Expect to pay £350 - £450 for a kitten to have as a pet @ 13 wks old. For show and breeding it can be over £1K
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We have got a bengal and bsh mixbreed he is 13 weeks old and absulately amazing. He loves jumping, hiding, runing up and downstairs, looking out the window and most of all loves playing with feet. He is very affectionate and loves a cuddle and to be stroked, and would not change him for the world.
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what is the overage price of these georgous cat i totally want one :)
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my bengal kitten was from barnsley, just near where i live, she was 100 pounds but shes a cross breed too, her name is Mya and I love her dearly
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Two questions.. is it hard to find bengal kittens and what is the usual range in price? does anyone know
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I have had a Bengal Cat now for 2 1/2 weeks and I love her very much. She is a beautiful blue eyed Snow Bengal. Very affectionate doesn't seem interested in water. But loves to play and sleep with me. She will sit on my lap for about an hour then has to go do something.
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I have a blue eyed marbled snow bengal cat called Lucy, who gave birth to a dark, green eyed, marbled kitten who we named Ollie. My cat then had four baby kittens! 3 of them are mostly white and have the markings, but one turned out to be completely bengal! They are about four weeks old now, and love to play-fight and chase each other!
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There are some great comments about the lovely Bengal cat, and also some ludicrous ones about them 'eating' other cats and of them being of low intelligence and not getting along with kids! There is probably a lot more to this than meets the eye, so do NOT believe all you read! Having had Bengals for MANY years, they are found to be great, loving, intelligent and friendly cats, unless of course, the owner is an idiot! It is the same as many good pedigree dogs, who are ruined by irresponsible owners!There are always exceptions to the rules, but speak as you find....and 99.9 % of people are totally amazed and thrilled by their Bengal kittens/cats. NEED I SAY MORE!!?? From: A Reputable long-time Bengal Shower & Breeder.
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my silver bengal rocky is incredibly intelligent and affectionate...he loves to cuddle and nap with me. He is very vocal and loves to play also, the only non bengal characteristic he has is not really liking to play in water. But he will sit by the faucet for 2 hours if you just turn it on...so I dunno...
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i LOVE these cats...i have 2 of them and they are absolutely adorable the the most lovable and affectionate cats ive ever had or seen in my life.
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I love them so much! I desperately want one when I move into my own house!
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This cat looks like my cat Dawn!!!
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I have one but dont you think they should have very low for intelligence!
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Me and my friend think these cats are sooooo cute!!! they're just like real leopards but tiny!!! THEY ARE THE BEST!!!
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Your statement that bengals like children low-med is very wrong. Kittens raised properly and socialized properly love children and seek them out to play. Any kittens raised the way so many breeders of all kinds of cats raise them in garages ect.... away from human contact except when their food bowls are refillled, will avoid children.
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i luve it i want a cat just like this
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bengal cats r better dan all da rest of da breeds n second is a siamese
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I have owned two Bengals: a spotted F4 with a sweet, loving temperament and a marble-coat F3 who was very energetic, attention-seeking and extremely intelligent. Both were vocal and fun to play with. Bengals are not the cat for you if you are inexperienced at owning pets. Due to their intelligence, they are easy to train, housebreak and get along with. But they also can be mischievous if left on their own for a long time and will want to follow you around the house, etc. but all in all, AMAZING cats, beautiful coats... but definitely NOT a lap cat due to their energy.
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I am looking for a bengal kitten
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i really want a bengal but there just too expensive do you know anywhere i can get one for free or cheap?thanks
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I love bengals cats and there fur.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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