BENGAL CAT
Breed Overview
- Other Names – Cashmere, Beckoning cat (ancient times)
- Weight – 8-16lbs
- Length – 36-46cms
- Coat – Spotted and Marble
- Eye Colour – Green, Gold, Hazel, and Aqua
- Coat Colour – Brown Spotted, Brown Marble and Snow spotted
- Nature – Affectionate, Active, and Intelligent
- Life-Expectancy – 10-16 Years
- Cost – $1500-$3000
Origin
Even though Bengal Sounds Indian, the Bengal Cat is a hybrid version crossbreed founded by Jean Mill in 1960 in the United States. She crossed a Domestic cat with an Asian Leopard Cat(Prionailurus Bengalensis) that looked similar in size to the domestic cat. Jean Mill had a degree in psychology from Pomona College and took classes in genetics from the University of California. She owns the credit for introducing the modern Bengal cat breed having the right domestic personality along with an exotic wild cat look. Although people commonly know about brown spotted and rosetta spotted breeds, there are a variety of Bengal breeds available.
Now we have a lot of Bengal cat breeders around us and the cat falls in the domestic pets category. Bengal cats have a wild and stunning big cat texture that comes in Spotted and Marble stripes. The creator actually wanted the texture of a leopard on a cat and her project was not very simple to handle. The Bengal cats were expected difficult to handle but things are actually opposite. Bengal cats are super friendly and attention-seeking domestic pets who are very playful and active. Generations from F1 to G3 are considered foundation breeds. Most male breeds of that generation were considered infertile and that’s why the domestic Fertile male cats were crossed with female breeds of F1, G2, and G3 generations. The current government only approves Bengal cats of F5 and above to be registered as domestic cats in most countries.
Daily Routine
Short hair makes the grooming session simplified.
Take periodic dental care
Dip them in water and they would love it
Feed them protein-rich foods
Characteristics
- Adaptability
- Affection Level
- Child Friendly
- Shedding
- Socialising
- Playfulness
- Grooming
Food Favorites to Munch
Meat
Chicken & Turkey
Beef
Lamb
Food to Steer Away From
Chocolate
Garlic & Onion
Raisins
Coffee & Tea
Alcohol
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
UNIQUE FACTS
They have a touch of poetry attributed to their native name. Originally Siamese cats were also titled ‘Wichien-maat’ which translated to ‘Moon Diamond’ or ‘Diamonds and Gold’. They were found in the manuscript called Tamra Meaw which roughly translates to Cat Poems.
Bengal cats were known to be called Safari Cats till the ’70s. Then their name was planned to change in such a way that their name was meant to resemble the Asian Leopard cat’s scientific name- Prionailurus bengalensis.
Bengal cat’s meow might sound like a bark and you need not worry about it
They are naturally resistant to feline leukemia (FLV). Because of this resistance, Bengal cats have been studied at the National Institute of Cancer because of their natural resistance ability against feline leukemia.
About Bengal Cat
Having a wild, exotic domestic cat as a pet would be challenging at the same time fascinating. Bengal cats earned their fame for having an attire of a leopard cat and loyalty towards a single master. They are similar to having a dog as a pet and are very friendly with dogs and other pets. Bengal Cats like talking to people but the sound won’t be anything similar to meow or purr, But instead, it might feel they are barking at you. They are very picky and concerned about the cleanliness of their litter tray. So make sure you keep it impeccably clean. They also like to bite things when they are bored. Bengals need to be sterilized to avoid further consequences like annoying cries or scratches around everywhere in your room.
A Bengal cat is seen in two skin pattern types namely spotted and marble. These are further subdivided into different skin tones including brown, snow lynx, snow mink, snow sepia, charcoal, blue, silver, and black.
Brown includes all colors of brown that includes jet black sliced rounds added to the blend. These cats will have golden or green eyes that give them an even more wild look. The snow mink and Snow lynx breeds come with blue or aqua eye color. Most of these cats are either having green or golden eyes and some have hazel eyes.
Characteristics
Bengal cats typically weigh around 15 pounds and they have a, long sleek, and masculine body ranging from 14” to 18”. But some reports also suggest that their length could go up to 22”. Their heights stand between 8” to 10” having a lifespan of 9 to 16 years They have a unique-looking coat that is more glittery during daylight. These pattern-skinned cats are of short hair breeds although long hair Bengal cats are also available. Bengals are more affectionate towards their owners and they are more playful and friendly pets you can domesticate where there are children at home. They do not have a tendency to louden their voice and you won’t have trouble grooming them up.
These cats are highly intelligent pets who are not very friendly with strangers. Bengals can be considered as the least shredding cats when compared with other domestic cat breeds. At times when you notice a heavy shedding, it might be because of anxiety, stress, or climatic change. Maybe it isn’t pleased with the weather changes and fixing the shedding would only be through getting relaxed. So make sure you do things that make the Bengal feel at home. An ideal solution to stop shedding will be adding Omega 3 rich foods to its diet.
Quick Facts
- Rosettes spots give Bengals a leopard lookalike
- Loyal and connected to one master
- Born hunters who can hit down birds easily
- They tend to hide all your stuff including your keys.
Care
As most Bengal cats today are several generations away from their African leopard cat-bred ancestors, they require no special care. These “house cats” are part of the F5 generations or above and thus they are safe and friendly to have them home. Groom them weekly as combing them helps you separate dead hair and prevent any hairball formation. You must trim your cat’s nails once every 2 weeks, keep your cat’s litter box clean and fresh because they ignore dirty or stinky litter boxes. Since Bengals are active, try to have a climbing tree or a spot on top, similar to a tiny treehouse, Try to interact more with your Bengal cat at least 15 minutes a day and play with them. They would be happier and training your cat would be as easy as snapping your fingers. Having a laser would be fun to play with your Bengal.
Since Bengal cats love water make sure your fishes in the aquarium won’t keep dying every day.
Daily Routine
- Since Bengals are having short hair you won’t have a hard time grooming them. But it would be perfect if you run your hands through their body as they crave affection. Since they don’t shed much of their hair, you have no trouble handling their grooming session.
- Periodontal diseases can be life-threatening and your Bengal needs utmost dental care. So make sure you protect them from dental flaws.
- Bengal cats love getting dipped in water which is an unusual and peculiar thing that can be countered against the common fact that cats are allergic to water.
- Bengals have stronger immunity although they are susceptible to HCM and few other diseases. Regular vaccination along with routine check-ups will help you track your cat’s health and prevent anything serious in the future.
- A protein-rich diet must only be fed to your pet and avoid chocolates, coffee, and other foods that are unhealthy for them. This will retain your Bengals skin quality. Make sure you avoid a grain-mixed diet.
Do’s And Don’ts Of Diet Plans/ Ideal Food For your Paw Friend
Despite being inherited, Bengals are a perfect domestic pet that seeks affection from its master. We must perfect them by teaching everything. Even the eating habits must be something that you should focus on and it is highly recommended to avoid foods that include lots of grains. Grains are bulky and having them with cat food will lower your expense and won’t be good for your cat Large amounts of grains cannot be digested forcing the Bengals to deal with digestive problems. It’s true that grain-free foods are a bit pricey, but for your Bengals happiness and better health, it would be ideal to go for grain-free cat foods.
The next point to look out on will be about feeling raw meet to Bengals. Fresh meat diets are essential for skin and gastric-related problems although vets don’t recommend it. Adding supplements with premade mixes can be added to the raw meat if you seek improved results
Bengals eat fish but it’s better if you do not entertain them with excess fish food so that you don’t have to deal with deficiencies. Providing iodine-rich fishes once a week will be a great idea to go with.
There are certain foods to keep away from your Bengal naughty. Make sure you do not feed them avocados, chocolate, raw potatoes, sweet potatoes, fresh eggs, yeast dough so that they won’t have to strain much with digestive problems. Another thing to note is to stop overfeeding your cat. So there won’t be a question of bloating, gas and diarrhea problems.
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