All About Bengals

While there were previous attempts at breeding hybrids between African leopard cats (ALC) and domestic cats, the Bengal cat hybrids are credited to Jean Sudgen Mill in the 1970s. She acquired hybrids from Dr. Willard Centerwall who was breeding them at Loyola University to study their genetics. She bred the hybrids with domestic cats to produce a breed that had the personality of a domestic cat and an exotic look. Greg and Elizabeth Kent crossed African leopard cats with Egyptian maus to develop a line of Bengal cats as well. Bengal cats were first recognized as an experimental breed by TICA in 1983 and received full recognition in 1993. The Bengal cat gained breed recognition by the Cat Fancier's Association in 2016. They are also recognized for registration by the American Cat Fanciers Association, the Canadian Cat Association, the United Feline Organizations, and the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.

Here's a great example of the many beautiful colors Bengals come in. Charcoal is technically a pattern and can actually be combined with any color you see in this chart. (Ex. Charcoal Mink)

WEIGHT: 8 to 16 pounds
LENGTH: About a foot and a half
COAT: Short (although there is a long-haired variant)
COAT PATTERN: Spotted, Marbled and Sparbled coats with patterns outlined in black, chocolate, or gray/silver
EYE COLOR: Green, Blue, Aqua or gold
LIFE EXPECTANCY: 12 to 16 years

While Bengals are the first domestic cat to have glitter, not all Bengals have it.

You can see the glitter by the shimmering, sparkling effect on your cat’s coat. Even in low lighting, you’ll be able to see the sheen of the glitter on the Bengal. 

“Glitter” is a translucent hollow hair shaft that catches the light and reflects it. It is present throughout the fur of your cat.

It’s truly a beautiful and remarkable sight! Who knew cats could be even more magical?

Bengals are sometimes considered dog like. They are frequently reported to like playing fetch by owners. They are also well known to love water. Don't be surprised if you catch your Bengal fishing in your aquarium or trying to join you in the bath!