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What is a Bengal Cat?

The Bengal Breed was originally developed by Jean Mills of famed (Millwood Lines) the cross between an Asian Leopard Cat and domestic cats led to the Bengal of today. You can read up on Jean Mills and other important info on the breed in TICA and TIBCS. Bengal cats are unique and adorable pets that are admired the world over. Athletic, bright and ultra intelligent. The scientific name for the Bengal is (Felis Bengalensis). Bengals must be at least four generations removed from the originating wild Asian Leopard to be fully-fledged as a true Bengal. These are the types of Bengal that Hilltop Produces. SBT is (Studbook Tradition ) The first three generations of Bengals away from the original Asian Leopard cat are called "Foundation Cats". Called F1, F2 and F3. F4 or (SBT) is the cat that is recognized by TICA and is seen in the show ring and most commonly bred as pets. Foundation cats are also registered in TICA being that they recognize new blood that is introduced and have those new introductions to be noted (i.e. Foundation Registries).

Bengals resemble the forest dwelling Asian Leopard cat with pattern, coat and conformation but without the wild temperament. They are carefully bred to be well socialized and stable household pets.

Bengal Cats: Basic Terminology

· Bengal is a hybrid or a man made breed of cat. Originally bred with an Asian Leopard cat and a domestic shorthaired tabby. The Bengal was recognized as a breed of cat by TICA (The International Cat Association) in 1983 when Jean Mills first brought the foundation cat into the mainstream. They are bred to be domesticated for good temperament and give the look of the wild Asian Leopard cat with all the socialization and traits of the domestic cat.

· SBT known as an abbreviation for Stud Book Tradition. TICA recognizes these Bengals as SBT meaning they are pedigree status and at least four generations removed from the original Asian Leopard cat.

· Foundation commonly given to F1 through F3 Bengals. It is also a term given to breeding stock of any kind regardless of generation or ancestry.

· Filial refers the F1 through F3 and designates the generation or the sequence following the parental generation.

· Conformation refers to the Bengal Cat that is of the correct type. Conformation is specifically that which is fitting the standard of body structure and all that goes with this including: Head, ears, eyes, tail, legs, width of chest, neck.

· Type refers to comformation specifics. This is a buzzword used as explaining the correct look or type of a Bengal in regards to body structure and all that goes with the standards that Bengals are associated with. Head, ears, eyes, tail, legs, width of chest, neck, etc.

Bengal Cats: (Markings)

· Marble or Marbled stems from the swirling pattern of the classic tabby. Show standards and breeding standards are always striving for the horizontal markings. Vertical markings are less desirable but are ok by pet quality standards. Markings are usually black and brown, black and orange which are more desirable or brown and orange. Their coats should be distinct and crisp with little or no ticking. Coats look as if they were painted by a large paintbrush randomly. There should also be a defined distinction of a tan or a golden boarder around the colors that defines each section of the coat. Common terminology used for the marble is the tri-colored marble. Three distinct colors on the marble pattern is preferred.

· Rosetted or Rosetting refers to the two-tone spots on a Bengal. You might think of these as a spot within a spot and are highly sought after can be and often are rewarded in the show arena. They are many variations of rosetted Bengals. Shapes will vary in size and shape and often have smaller spots within a red center. You will also see shades of tan, brown orange as well as other closely related color patterns between the color variations of rosettes. There are donut rosettes, arrownhead rosettes, pawprint rosettes are the most common. Sometime random patterns that rosette occur and are desired because of their uniqueness and wild pattern that assimilate asian leopard cat.

Bengal Coats: (Pattern and Texture)

· Clear coated refers to the hair shaft being sound with little variation of color. This gives the spots and or markings more distinction and the Bengal cat is more clearly defined and vivid in its look. This is very desired in the breed. · Rufinism or Rufus refers to the yellowish-brown tint to the overall cat often red in tone, auburn undercoat.

· Pelted or Pelting refers to the texture and feel of the Bengal. Often misunderstood and misused, the four basic types of pelt textures are broken down into (Satin, Velvet feel, Plush, Coarse) Pelted goes hand in hand with Bengals that show sharp distinction and contrast in markings.

· Striping or Mackerel also called rib bars or rib stripes are (vertical striping) usually found on the torso behind the front legs region and are considered to be not desirable in the show ring but are widely accepted as pets.

· Ticking or Ticked refers to multiple bands of color on a single hair or multi-colored hair shafts. The more ticking on a Bengal the less visible the markings. The more color variations on a single hair compounded by thousands and thousands of hairs gives the coat a hazy, faded or washed out appearance with a less vivid and distinct look. Ticking is not desired in the Bengal breed.

· Glitter or Glittered is individual hairs that are gold and shimmer in appearance. This is the hollow airshaft that surrounds the coloring of the hair. Not show quality criteria but admired by many Bengal pet owners. It is unique to the Bengal breed.

· Snow or Snows is sometime a word describing seal mink, seal sepia and seal lynx point coloring. NOTE: this is in no way a specific breed or type of Bengal. Furthermore it is in no way recognized by TICA describing a type, color or breed of Bengals in whole.

Compatibility:

They commonly have no problem with other domesticated cats and dogs or other animals. We've even had one of our clients tell us they have had success with their Bengal finding a friend in the families Pitt bull.

Disposition:
They are extremely friendly, loveable and are known to be quite smart. They make excellent family pets and are safe around children and the elderly. Bengal breeds are very vocal and will delight all with their unique brand of purring, meows and cooing. They display the most amazing feats of agility making the most discriminating of cat lovers jealous of your exotic Bengal cat. They as a whole, tend to love water and will surprise you by grabbing the chance to take a quick dip when you least expect.

Size / Sex and variations:
Females or (Queens) tend to be in the range of seven to eleven pounds at their full maturity. They are naturally leaner in their body type than that that of their male counterpart. Males or (Studs) tend to be eleven to twenty pounds at full maturity. Their body type is naturally more muscular and bulky than that of the female. Both the males and female Bengal cats share a long slender body type not common to the traditional domestic cats of North America and the world. You will be amazed at their large nocturnal eyes in various shades of amber/gold, green, yellow and even bright blue or blue green. There is complimented by black mascara lines along their eyes.

Care and Feeding:

We feed our kittens Nutro Complete Kitten (dry) and leave it available for them at all times along with a scond dry food usually Adult Chicken and Rice Eukanuba. Just like people kittens and cats like variety. In the mornings we feed white meat chicken or lean beef cooked medium and also once at night. From time to time we also give our kittens and cats a spoonful of prescription AD when queens are nursing and also before they deliver. The high fat content is necessary for queens especially as they demand this during developement and nursing . We don't recommend wet food too often as it can be too rich and cause runny stools. As a rule of thumb always us (high-quality / premium) cat and kitten foods since there is less fillers in these types of foods cats tend to eat less and their stools are harder and much more manageable come litter changing. Don't feed table scraps. No real milk as it is not good for Bengals whole milk contrary to beliefs is not good for cats or kittens. Bengals and regular domesticated cats in general, lack the enzyme needed to break down the lactose sugar in whole milk. It is not easily digested by cats and kittens and can cause major stomach upset and loose stool (diarrhea). Also..No fish… especially tuna, tuna is low in calcium. The nature of fish in general, is that it is high in phosphorous levels and may cause a vitamin-E deficiency in your Bengal or yellow-fat disease and or may increase your Bengals susceptibility to rubber jaw a form of osteoporosis. If you feel you need to feed your Bengal fish and or milk products for instance, use quality premium cat and kitten chows and canned milk supplements that give the Bengal kitten or cat a flavor they crave without all the bad possibilities the "real thing" has to offer them. He or she can remain on Kitten chow for the first year of their life, unless you find that she is gaining too much weight. If you're adolescent cat is getting plump or even a bit on the heavy side, switch her to cat (Instead of Kitten) formula foods. Kitten foods in general are higher in fat content for a kitten's growth and cat foods are less fatty for an adult cats needs. We supplement with Platinum Performance a Feline Wellness Formula clinically developed to be a foundation formula for daily nutritional support. Platinum Performance Feline is a synergistic formula which addresses multiple nutritional deficiencies and imbalances that are common in most modern feline diets. These deficiencies are often the risk factors that lead to disease and premature aging. We also use L-Lysine an amino acid supplement delivered in a gel format. These can be given in wet food or hidden in meat or chicken and is wonderful offering all teh important vitamins, minerals along with other important supplements necessary in a strong healthy immune system and healthy shiny coat. Your vet can order L-Lysine for you in different distribution methods ask your vet about each. ProPerformance can be ordered at www.properformance.com/animal/feline