Many people think of tigers when they hear the word "bengal", but in this case the name stems from the latin for the Asian Leopard Cat, Prionailurus Bengalensis, a small forest dwelling cat found throughout Asia. There are many subspecies of ALC's with different looks, so the Bengal standard for TICA (The International Cat Association) states "It's basic appearance should resemble a small, forest dwelling wild cat.", rather than pinpointing which exact subspecies breeders should aim for. In fact there are other small wild cats with similar looks, such as the Margay and Ocelot.

Intelligent, fun and quirky, the Bengal cat had it's origins in California through the foresight and diligent work of Jean Mill of Millwood Cattery. She was the first one to breed an Asian Leopard Cat to a domestic cat with the hopes of eventually getting a sweet tempered pet that would have wild cat looks and appeal.

Jean went through the growing pains of producing a new breed and getting the right combinations of domestics and ALC's to produce the first beautifully spotted Bengals. A milestone in her program was the discovery of a little tailless, but well spotted, softly furred and glittered kitten in the rhino pen of the New Delhi Zoo in India. He is known to Bengal breeders as Millwood Tory of Delhi, but is registered as Toby, an Egyptian Mau, and was used extensively to bring new blood and his excellent spots into that breed as well as being a major contributor to the developing Bengal breed. The fact that the Bengal is still a work in progress, makes it very exciting to be involved in breeding them.

Breeders are always striving to attain that wild look, with ears that are small, rounded and set low on a head which is a 'broad modified wedge with rounded contours' according to the TICA standard. Puffy whisker pads, large nocturnal eyes and a very fit, long, muscular body are also desirable characteristics. Hind legs should be somewhat longer than the front legs, which adds to that wildcat look. Bengals are medium to large in size with females usually around 8 to 12 pounds and males a bit larger from 12 to 16 pounds, although some have been known to get up to 20 pounds. They tend to weigh more than they look like they should because they are very muscular cats.

Bengals come in many colours, including brown, silver, seal snow (lynx point, sepia and mink varieties), as well as non-standard blue, smoke and melanistic (black). Some are called charcoals, although this name really refers to a very cool (not reddish) brown.

Each of these colors can be expressed on a coat that has either a spotted or marble pattern. They can also have rosettes which are very striking markings with more than one tone in them. The more contrast, the better, with black outlined rosettes and marble patterns making for a breathtaking beauty!

We, at Althatglitrs, prefer the beautiful rosetted and glittered pelts that many Bengals have, and are striving to produce kittens that have excellent type as well. To that end, we have included in our breeding program, only cats with excellent pedigrees. We are concentrating on brown spotted, but also have some silver in our line. We are planning to add a marble to our family before too long, since they are amazingly beautiful cats as well. The marble pattern is a random swirl of color, rather than distinct spots and is very striking.

Is a Bengal Right For Me?

If you are looking for an intelligent cat who simply has to be a part of the everyday activities around your house and will be a diligent supervisor of all chores, then a Bengal may be the cat for you.

If you are happy to put away all and any breakable valuables in order to free up the surfaces of your home including the top of cupboards, china cabinets and any shelves within leaping distance (they probably all are), then maybe a Bengal would be great for you.

If the daily "Bengal Indy" (you have to see how fast these guys are, to believe it!) makes you laugh and look on in fond amazement, as your cat tears around the race course, then a Bengal will in all likelyhood be a thrill for you. Remember, any solid surface is fair game for becoming part of the course!

If, during quiet times, you have a nice cozy lap for curling up in, then a Bengal might be right for you. After all, cats do sleep an average of 16 hours a day, Bengals included. And they are very loving cats who enjoy being with their folks. But remember that lap times are for refueling, and the next Bengal Indy is just around the corner!

Bengals are intelligent, inquisitive and very, very lively. Many Bengals love water and will join their people in the shower or the bath. Brushing teeth is so much fun, as is doing laundry! Dusting is another favorite activity, right up there with sewing and chasing cursers on the computer. But a personal favourite of our cats is catching flies in the summer, which I have never been able to catch on camera, other than a furry blur!

They often learn how to open cupboards that contain treats or toys and have been known to open fridge doors as well (that is where child locks come in handy). Being a very active cat, they do best in pairs so that they have someone who can keep up with them to play with. Their playmate does not need to be another Bengal, though, as long as the other cat is of an energetic type so as to make a lively buddy. A Bengal's day is a busy one! They amaze and delight us on a daily basis and we just can't image how we ever got along without them!