Bengal

Average Height

30 - 38 cm

Average Weight

4 - 7kg

Expected Lifespan

10 - 15 years

Domesticated Hybrid

The bengal may look as though he is viscous and wild, but they are incredibly gentle and not to mention, domestic.

Bengals are a breeding marvel. This breed was actually discovered by mating an Asian Leopard with a normal tabby cat. The main goal with this breed was to actually breed a docile cat with a wild cat, to see whether or not the kittens would have a domestic character, well it worked.

These beautiful felines are muscular and yet graceful too. Bengals are very hyper active animals and love nothing more than to investigate all points in your home so that they can find the highest point to perch from. If you are looking to add a bengal to your home, just be sure that they have plenty to do to keep them occupied. When a bengal becomes bored, they become quite destructive and will start knocking things off counters and scratching your lovely couches.

Even though this breed is high in energy, they are very affectionate towards their owners and love nothing more than being close to you, when it suits them of course. They are confident cats and will often become very vocal with their families. Bengals are fine around children, they actually aren’t too bothered by young ones at all. However, if you have smaller pets in the house like a bird or a bunny, then adding a bengal to your home will sadly end in there being one less pet in the house.

The Bengal Anatomy

Head

Skull is broad and slightly longer than wide. Ears are medium to small in size, with a rounded tip. Muzzle is broad with high cheekbones. Bridge of nose extends above the eyes. Eyes are slightly oval and large.

Body

Neck is thick and muscular. Body is muscular and long. Front legs are of medium length and back legs are slightly longer than the front. Paws are round and large, with prominent knuckles. Tail is thick with rounded tip, size is in proportion to the body. Coat is short, dense, silky and soft.

The Bengal Coat and Colours

All tabbies have the same distinctive features, M-shaped marking on their forehead and line leading from the outer corner of each eye. May be one of four patterns; mackerel, spotted, ticked or classic. Mackerel is identified by thin stripes that run parallel down the body. Spotted is identified by spots on the body, can appear to be broken mackerel stripes. Ticked is identified by multiple colour bands on each hair of the body. Classic is identified by bold, swirling patterns across the sides.

  • Brown tabby
  • Blue tabby
  • Black silver tabby
  • Blue silver tabby
  • Brown charcoal tabby
  • Black silver charcoal tabby
  • Blue charcoal tabby
  • Blue silver charcoal tabby
  • Chocolate tabby
  • Lilac tabby
  • Fawn tabby
  • Seal mink tabby
  • Blue mink tabby
  • Seal silver mink tabby
  • Blue silver mink tabby
  • Seal sepia tabby
  • Blue sepia tabby
  • Seal silver sepia tabby
  • Blue silver sepia tabby

This is when the cats colours are shown on its extremities; face, ears, feet and tail.

  • Seal lynx point
  • Blue lynx point
  • Seal silver lynx point
  • Blue silver lynx point
  • Seal smoke point
  • Blue smoke point

This is more of a solid colour that shows ghost tabby markings. In kittens the pattern is more visible, in adults it appears more solid.

  • Black melanistic
  • Blue melanistic
  • Seal melanistic
  • Seal mink melanistic
  • Seal sepia melanistic
  • Blue point melanistic
  • Blue mink melanistic
  • Blue sepia melanistic

This coat has ghost tabby markings which run horizontally. All colours have a whitish underbelly.

  • Seal mink smoke
  • Blue mink smoke
  • Seal sepia smoke
  • Blue sepia Smoke
  • Black smoke
  • Blue smoke

Some Bengal Traits

Friendliness
Intelligence
Playfulness
Sensitivity
Grooming Frequency
Shedding

Common Medical Conditions in Bengals

The heart has four chambers: two chambers at the top, the right and left atria; and two chambers on the…

This is when there is a degeneration of the retina, or photoreceptors within the eye that aid in the ability…

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