Bengal

Bengals thrive in active households. They like to play long games of fetching water and have fun in water tubs and bathtubs.

Quick Facts
Weight: 10 - 15 pounds
Height: approximately 16 inches
Coveted for its exotic wildcat look, the Bengal prowls around like a small leopard with its smooth, muscular body, oval eyes, wide nose, strong chin and wedge-shaped head. Its hind legs are slightly longer than its front legs, giving it a "stalker" look.

The TICA recognizes 13 different coat colors in competition, ranging from brown tabby and seal lynx dot to mottled and mottled patterns on her short to medium coat that is silky to the touch.

Females weigh between 2 and 3 kilos and males weigh between 3 and 4 kilos on average.

Features
Beautiful leopard print coat
Agile and athletic
Very vocal
Highly intelligent
Requiring
Loves water
Ideal human companion
Active and busy families
Experienced cat owners
Households with other pets, including dogs
What they live with
Bengal put the "b" in occupied. These cats are active, alert and agile. They study the actions of their people and learn how to open cabinets, doors and even windows. They are able to climb walls, perch on refrigerators and other high places in the house.

Despite its growing popularity, Bengal is certainly not a cat for everyone. It does best with experienced cat owners who are willing to spend time every day interacting. Bengals require attention. They are quite talkative, capable of a wide range of vocalizations, from chirps and songs to squeaks and howls. Some growl when they eat.

Bengals thrive in active households. They like to play long games of fetch, walk on a leash and play in water dishes and tubs.

What you need to know
Show-quality Bengals can cost $2,000.

Bengals take up to two years to mature.

Bengals are ideal candidates for click training.

They like shiny objects and can steal and hide them.

History of Bengal
A controversial new breed, the Bengal is growing in popularity, due in part to its wildcat appearance. Bengal began as a hybrid breed, created by crossing the Asian leopard cat with the domestic cat. The first "pet leopard" was introduced in Japan in the early 1940s, but the first appearance of Bengal in the United States was in the 1970s.

As a breed, Bengals were first shown in cat shows in 1985. Today, the International Cat Association classifies Bengal as its most popular breed, well ahead of the Ragdoll, second with over 60,000 Bengals registered with TICA. However, the Cat Fanciers Association, the largest cat breed registry in the world, does not recognize Bengal as a breed.

To compete in the show ring, the Bengal must be at least a fourth generation descendant from a cross between a wild Asian leopard cat and a domestic cat. The aim is to keep the "wild look" with a pleasant domesticated personality. Any Bengal that shows pawing or other signs of aggression towards a show judge is disqualified from the competition.