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"God created the cat that man may have the
pleasure of caressing the lion." - Fernand Mery
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| Why Bengals? |
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There is something about the majestic grace and awesome power of the world's big wild cats that just grabs your attention. Who hasn't seen these cats at zoos or on television and longed to "caress the lion"? Trying to keep a zoo cat as a housepet never works out - but the domestic Bengal brings the beauty of the jungle into our home. All cats are wonderful creatures, but there IS something special about a Bengal! |
| Bengal Temperament |
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Active and playful, Bengals are also curious and kitten-like, even as adults. A well-bred and well-raised Bengal is usually very social. They can entertain themselves, but prefer playing with us, the dogs, and each other. While most Bengals will adapt to being the only pet in the house, two will keep each other amused, and less likely to get into trouble. After playtime, your Shombayheart Bengal will want to snuggle. |
| Unique Entertainer |
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Of course each kitten and cat is a unique individual, but Bengals are definately not your average cat! They like to play in water, learn to open cabinets and doors, can be trained to walk on a harness and leash, and have a real talent for 'getting into things'. Bengals are not for everyone. If you like a cat that sleeps most of the time, don't get a Bengal. Some Bengals are very 'talkative', while others express themselves with 'body language' and tail gestures, but they all interact with us. |
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Our Bengals keep us entertained - there is never a dull moment at Shombayheart! |
| History of the Breed |
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The Bengal breed gets its name from the scientific name for the Asian Leopard Cat, "felis bengalensis". A small species of cat from Asia ranging in size from from 4 to 12 lbs, or about the size of a housecat, it was first seen by people from Europe swiming in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of India.
In the 1970s, Asian Leopard Cats (ALC) were crossed with regular domestic cats in a scientific study on Feline Luekemia, since ALCs are immune. It was hoped that the information learned could help people with luekemia. When the study was over, reasercher Dr. Centerwall and cat breeder Jean Mill believed that these beautiful but standoffish cats could become the basis of a unique new breed. Others joined Jean Mill in the effort, bringing us the friendly domestic Bengal cat.
To be eligible for shows or be considered a 'purebred' Bengal, a Bengal must be an "SBT" (stud book tradition) with at least four generations of Bengal to Bengal breeding behind it. Earlier generations from the ALC are known as "foundation" Bengals, or "F cats". Egyptian Mau, Occict, Abysinians and non-pedigreed cats were used in the early stages of breed development. More recently, crosses to American Shorthairs as well as Maus, were made to bring the silver gene into the breed. The same rule of four generations of breeding back to Bengals to get to SBT status applies. |
| Coat Patterns |
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The original Standard for the Bengal breed called for a 'leopard in miniature' and recognized only the spotted pattern. A spotted Bengal can have solid spots like a cheetah, or spots with two colors on a third background color, creating "rosettes" like a leopard or jaguar. Rosetted spots are described as 'arrowhead', 'pawprint', or 'doughnut' depending on their shape. |
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Later the unique beauty of the marble pattern was officially recognized. This pattern is named after a small species of cat native to Asian jungle habitats called the "marble cat". A true marble should NOT look like a classic or 'blotched' tabby, which has a circular flow to the pattern and solid markings. Instead, the markings on a marble Bengal should have three distinct colors flowing in a horizontal, diagonal, or random, chaotic pattern. |
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Whether spotted or marble, no two Bengals are marked exactly alike! |
| Colors of the Bengal |
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The original color of the Bengal breed is the 'brown spotted tabby', or BST, now designated as a brown/black tabby for the darkest pigment on the cat. In the cat fancy, "tabby" means a cat with a patterned coat. The browns vary from a pale grey background, through shades of tawny like a lion, to more golden or orange tones, with the markings in darker shades of black, reddish, or orange - but all will have black paw pads and a black tailtip. |
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Their are three different kinds of "snow" Bengals, with markings in shades of brown on a white, off-white, or tan background. The seal lynx point (slp) has blue eyes like a Siamese. Though born white or nearly pure white, by the time slp kittens are ready for their new homes, their markings should be distinct, and will get darker with maturity. The seal mink variety of snow is the color of a Tonkanese, but with spots or marble markings. The sepia is the color of a Burmese, and often has more of a tan background color as an adult. Most of the snow Bengals born at Shombayheart are of the seal lynx point variety. |
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The color knowns as 'silver' is actually the result of a genetic modifier that inhibits the formation of the warmer colors in the coat. The silver gene can modify any base coat color, but the silvers that breeders refer to are genetically brown/black tabbies, with the addition of the silver inhibitor gene. |
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In addition to the colors and patterns approved for the show ring, recessive genes occasionally pop up. These include the lack of a pattern, resulting in a solid black cat (a faint pattern is visible under the right lighting conditons on ALL black cats), or a non-patterned snow that will resemble a Siamese. Blue is a dilute form of the brown/black tabby, with slate blue-grey markings.
Strong contrast with markings that really stand out are desireable in all the colors and patterns of the Bengal and are inherited seperately.
Whatever the color and pattern, your Shombayheart Bengal will bring beauty and enjoyment to your home. |
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