Asian Leopard Cat
by Judy Sugden and Lisa Arvay

     The Bengal cat was originally created by breeding wild Asian Leopard Cats with domestic cats.  An F1 Bengal is one half Asian Leopard Cat.  An F2 is two generations away from the Asian Leopard.  F1 and F2 Bengals may actually be more than 50% or 25% Leopard Cat because the orginal Asian Leopard and F1 parent were most likely bred to domestic Bengals which are also part Leopard.

     Even the fully domestic Bengal, which is usually many generations away from its original leopard ancestory, may not be a suitable cat for everyone.

Although they are very loving, they tend to be timid and shy around strangers.  They are also very vocal.  A bengal may also not be the best breed choice for homes with small children.  They are not agressive.  On the contrary, they flee from perceived conflict and danger.  It is during their attempt to flee that injuries could occur.  If you have small children, or would prefer a cat with a more quiet, mellow, and outgoing personality, the domestic Desert Lynx would be a much better choice.  

     The F2 Bengal is considered an exotic hybrid, and it still has a substantial amount of wild blood.  Although many people keep full blooded Asian Leopard Cats and early generation Bengals as house pets, generations f1 through f3 are more commonly used for breeding.  An F2 Bengal should not be expected to behave like an ordinary domestic cat.  By no means should they be allowed to roam free outside at any time.  Some states have special laws concerning early generation Bengal ownership.

Early generation F1 - F3 Bengals will usually bond with just one animal or person.  When owning an early generation Bengal as a pet, it is best if there are no other pets, or at least cats, in the household.  If there is another cat in the home, it is likely that an early generation Bengal will bond with the other cat rather than you.  If this occurs, it may not even want to be touched by you.  They are fiercely loving, loyal and demanding with whomever they bond with.  For proper bonding to occur, you should purchase a young kitten from a breeder that has invested the time to bottle feed it from the age of 3 weeks.

     Although most Bengal cats can tolerate dry cat food, some cannot.  It is believed that they develop an allergy to wheat gluten, and the result is chronic diarrhea.  I believe that Bengals should be fed meat.  If an allergy to wheat gluten should occur, there are some brands of canned cat food that do not contain wheat gluten.  I think that it is perfectly fine to keep dry food out for them (additionally) if they do not have any problems with it.  We cook our own special turkey and beef recipe for our breeding cats.

     An early generation Bengal will most likely love to play in water.  It may be the only cat breed that would like to take a shower or bath with you!  Male Bengals are usually sterile until the fifth generation, but some F3 and F4 males have been found to be fertile.

     The F2 Bengal or F2 (Bengal) Spotted Mojave is for the true cat lover that has an appreciation and understanding of feline behavior. 

     They will want to be with you and at your side whenever possible.