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Bengal breed guide
The Cat Fanciers' Association says the Bengal takes spots a step beyond other spotted breeds, with rosettes outlined in dark.
The breed descends from an Asian Leopard Cat cross made in 1963. CFA registration requires five generations of pure domestic ancestry.
Temperament
Confident and affectionate, Bengals get along well with other pets when properly introduced. Their inquisitive nature makes them a good choice for families with children.
They keep a kitten-like energy and attitude well into their senior years.
Personality
Water fascinates them: a Bengal may watch you brush your teeth or try to join you in the shower. They are highly trainable, often learn tricks and many enjoy walks on a harness and leash.
Talkativeness varies from cat to cat, with some holding frequent conversations and others keeping their thoughts to themselves.
Care
The coat is soft and silky, unlikely to mat and not a heavy shedder compared with other shorthairs. Weekly grooming with a soft-bristled brush conditions the coat and removes dead hair.
Bathing is unnecessary unless the cat is shown.
Health
Genetic testing lets breeders screen for several heritable diseases and remove carriers. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy needs an echocardiogram to detect, so most breeders have breeding cats scanned by a cardiologist before the first litter and at regular intervals afterward.
History
Conservationist Jean Mill crossed a black domestic tom with a female Asian Leopard Cat in 1963 while working to preserve that small arboreal wildcat. Dr. Willard Centerwall was separately breeding similar crosses to give domestic cats the Asian's natural immunity to feline leukemia.
Mill later obtained breeding cats from Centerwall and eventually produced sweet-tempered cats five generations out from the wildcats. CFA accepted Bengals for registration in 2016 and advanced them to championship status in 2018.