 | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Exotic Look, Domestic Temperament
What is a Bengal?
The Bengal breed was first developed in the 1960s by
California breeder Jean Mill, who crossed an Asian
leopard cat she had as a pet with a domestic cat. But it
wasn't until the mid-1980s, when she acquired
another Asian leopard cat, that Mill started an
aggressive Bengal breeding program.
Bengals eventually caught on, and a popularity surge
that began about five years ago is intensifying. More
than 60,000 Bengals now are registered with the
International Cat Association, the nation's
second-largest registry, surpassing its registration
numbers for even the popular Ragdoll and Maine
Coon breeds. And cat experts believe thousands more
Bengal pets are not registered.
Bengals can have either spotted or marbled coat
patterns. Spots with at least two colors present
(rosettes) are particularly desirable.
Bengals (sometimes known as lap leopards) Are not
only beautiful they are also highly intelligent and make
wonderful companions.
Bengals can be litter trained and raised just like regular domestic cats and
can even be taught to do tricks!
What is a Bengal?
The Bengal breed was first developed in the 1960s by
California breeder Jean Mill, who crossed an Asian
leopard cat she had as a pet with a domestic cat. But it
wasn't until the mid-1980s, when she acquired
another Asian leopard cat, that Mill started an
aggressive Bengal breeding program.
Bengals eventually caught on, and a popularity surge
that began about five years ago is intensifying. More
than 60,000 Bengals now are registered with the
International Cat Association, the nation's
second-largest registry, surpassing its registration
numbers for even the popular Ragdoll and Maine
Coon breeds. And cat experts believe thousands more
Bengal pets are not registered.
Bengals can have either spotted or marbled coat
patterns. Spots with at least two colors present
(rosettes) are particularly desirable.
Bengals (sometimes known as lap leopards) Are not
only beautiful they are also highly intelligent and make
wonderful companions.
Bengals can be litter trained and raised just like regular domestic cats and
can even be taught to do tricks!