Meet The Bengal Cat Or Bengal Cat

A miniature leopard, but docile, sociable and playful: that’s the Bengal cat . These magnificent animals enchant us for their wild beauty, their great intelligence and their strong personality.

Slim, elegant and athletic, they are pussies that ask for and give affection equally.

They get along well with other animals  and, although they adapt to all types of environments, the ideal is that they have an outdoor space where they can exercise.

how did the race come about

The Bengal originated in Elos, United States, in the 1960s, as a result of the crossing between domestic cats and Asian leopard cats ( Felis Bengalensis ), taking advantage of compatible genetics with these wild animals.

The result was the appearance of a pussy that looked like wild Asian felines, but shaped like a domestic cat.

For the first crosses, breeds such as Ocicat , Abyssinian , Bombay ,  English Shorthair and, mainly, the Egyptian Mau were used , due to its smaller amount of recessive genes.

In recent years, it could be a great aesthetic quality in standards, design and stains  the Bengal cat . For this reason, it was no longer necessary to cross with Felis Bengalensis .

Bengal Cat Physical Characteristics

We’ll tell you the main physical traits of these pussies:

• Size : Medium to large. Females weigh between 3kg and 5kg. Males can reach up to 9kg.
• Head : Longer than wide, round in appearance and slightly small in size in relation to the body. With a black spot that forms a letter M.
• Jaws : Strong and wide.
• Ears : Small to medium in size, short and wide, with rounded tips.
• Eyes : Large and oval, sometimes almond-shaped. Well separated from each other. Greenish-yellow in color and, less frequently, blue.

• Nose : Broad and long, brick in color and surrounded by a black line.
• Neck : Thick and muscular. It’s big compared to the head and long compared to the body.
• Shoulders : Muscular and elastic, which gives the cat a predatory appearance when walking.
• Body : Long, massive, strong. Very muscular.
• Feet : Strong boned and strong, very muscular and of medium length. The hindquarters are longer than the fronts and have a special strength that allows them to jump as if they were Gazelles.
• Feet : Large, round and with black pads.
• Tail : Thick, of medium length; it progressively decreases towards the tip, which is rounded and always black.
• Coat:  Short, dense, abundant and particularly smooth in texture. The base color can be yellow, beige, grey, golden or orange. The spots are black or brown or with various shades of chocolate or cinnamon. The belly is pale in color, with dark spots, just like your chest and crotch.

How to Care for a Bengal Cat

Like other short- haired cats, the Bengal cat does not need special care and personal grooming will be enough for its coat to remain in good condition.

Still, it’s important to brush it from time to time, especially to prevent it from accumulating by the dead.

Of course, you should clean your ears often, as they produce more wax than other cats. It is also normal for you to have dark fat secretions on your chin.

They are animals that do not present major health inconveniences. Anyway, don’t forget to take them to the vet for periodic checks, deworming and to keep the vaccination book up to date.

Very rarely, they can show emotional instability or aggression because of their wilder primary genes.

Other Characteristics of the Bengal Cat

Curious and active, they are not afraid of getting wet, and some even bathe if the opportunity presents itself. Others are content to soak themselves in drinking fountains. This peculiar custom comes from the Felis Bengalensis – one of the races that gave rise to them –, who are great swimmers and fishermen and live on the banks of rivers.

Also, these beautiful animals can sometimes remind us of dogs :

• They learn tricks;
• They get used to walking on a leash;
• They look for you all over the house asking for your attention;
• They wait for you behind the door when you are about to arrive;
• They bring you the objects you play.

If you’re up to the challenge, choose a Bengal cat as a pet. Certainly you will not regret it.