Bengal

What is a Bengal?

A domestic cat developed by crossing the Asian leopard cat with domestic breeds, then breeding the hybrids on for several generations. Modern pet Bengals are F5 or later - at least five generations from the wild ancestor - and are fully domestic in law and in behaviour, while keeping the spotted or marbled coat.

They are the third most-advertised pedigree cat in the UK, and the one most often rehomed by owners who did not understand the energy level.

History and origins

Jean Mill in California began the modern breeding programme in the 1960s and 1970s, using Asian leopard cats crossed with domestic shorthairs, Egyptian Maus and Abyssinians. The GCCF recognised the breed in 1997.

Generations matter legally as well as behaviourally. F1 to F4 Bengals are, in the UK, potentially subject to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 and may require a licence. F5 and beyond are ordinary domestic cats. A seller who cannot tell you the generation, or who is offering an F2, is a seller to avoid.

Appearance and size

33-40cm, long and muscular with a slightly longer hind leg that gives the characteristic prowling gait. The coat is short, unusually soft and often "glittered". Patterns are spotted/rosetted or marbled, in brown, snow (seal lynx, mink, sepia), silver, charcoal and blue.

Temperament and personality

Confident, curious and relentless. They investigate everything, open things, climb everything and comment on all of it. They bond strongly and are affectionate on their own terms. They are not a cat that sleeps sixteen hours a day in a quiet flat.

Intelligence and trainability

Very high. Bengals learn fetch, lead-walking, tricks and puzzle toys readily. This is essential rather than optional - a Bengal without mental work will train you, usually by knocking things off surfaces at four in the morning.

Children and other pets

Good with older children who play properly with them. Fine with dogs, especially active ones. They can be assertive with other cats and should not be kept with birds, rodents or fish they can reach

• the prey drive is genuine.

Health problems

• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-b) - DNA test, both parents.
• Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PK Def) - DNA test, both parents.
• HCM - echocardiogram screening of breeding cats; no breed-specific DNA test.
• Flat-chested kitten syndrome occurs in the breed.
• Also: a slightly elevated rate of chronic intestinal problems and of FIP susceptibility in stressed young cats from crowded catteries.

Daily care routine

Two or three real play sessions, a tall cat tree, wall shelves, puzzle feeders and rotating toys. Consider a secure catio - Bengals roam widely and are frequently stolen. Harness training is worthwhile and they take to it well.

Grooming and coat care

Almost none. A weekly stroke with a grooming glove. They shed little.

Exercise needs

High, and it must be interactive. A Bengal left with toys and no partner is an under-exercised Bengal. Many owners keep two, which genuinely helps.

Feeding and diet

High-protein, wet-led, £30-£50 a month. They are lean and active and rarely become obese. Use feeding as enrichment - scatter feeding and puzzle bowls.

Price

£800-£2,000 for an F5+ pet-quality kitten from a registered breeder with PRA-b and PK Def clears. Silver and charcoal often command more. Setup £250-£450; ongoing £45-£85 a month.

Buying advice

Ask the generation and get it in writing - F5 or later for a pet. Ask for PRA-b and PK Def DNA certificates and the date of the parents' last echo. Visit: a Bengal kitten raised underfoot in a home is a very different animal from one raised in a pen. Be honest with yourself about whether your household can absorb this much cat.