Feline
BENGAL
CAT
I
f you love a cat with an exotic look but without the size and danger of a wild
cat, the Bengal was developed with you in mind. Created by crossing small
Asian Leopard Cats with domestic cats, this large-boned, shorthaired cat
stands out for his spotted or marbled coat of many colours.
Breed Characteristics
Adaptability Energy Level Shedding Level
Aff ection Level Grooming Social Needs
Child Friendly Health Issues Stranger Friendly
Dog Friendly Intelligence
Don’t get a Bengal if what you’re looking
for is a sweet, gentle lap cat or a living
sculpture that requires little interaction.
Th e intelligent, curious Bengal is highly
active. Constantly on the move, he loves
climbing to high places, enjoys playing
fetch and going for walks on leash, and
thrives best when he has access to a large
outdoor enclosure where he can indulge in
the favourite feline hobby of bird-watching.
Some Bengals are fond of playing in water,
and you may fi nd yours fi shing out of the
26
aquarium if you’re not careful. Th is is a
happy, entertaining cat who wants lots of
attention. He does best with a person who
spends a lot of time at home and will enjoy
playing and interacting with him.
Th e short coat is easy to groom with weekly
brushing. Trim the nails as needed.
Other Quick Facts
• Th e Bengal's beautiful coat comes in
many background colours, ranging from
golden, rust, brown and orange to sand,
Creature Companion | February - March 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 2 • Noida
buff and ivory. Bengal spots also vary in
colour, from rust or cocoa and chocolate
brown to charcoal or black.
• Some Bengal coats have striking rosettes
or spots made up of more than one
colour, usually a secondary colour
forming a dark outlining to the spot.
Bengal coats also come in a marbled
pattern: one or more colours swirled
into the background colour. While most
commonly seen in the brown spotted
tabby pattern, they may also be found in
the marbled pattern (classic tabby).
• A Bengal’s coat can have hair with an
iridescent sheen, making it look as if it
has been sprinkled with glitter.
History of the Bengal
People have always been attracted by the
beauty and independence of wild cats and
have even tried to keep wild cats such as
ocelots, cheetahs and lions, usually with
little success and a lot of heartbreak. Th e