Bengal

The Bengal results from the cross between a domestic cat and the cat-leopard (Prionailurus bengalensis), a small wild feline found in Asia and particularly in the province of Bengal. It was in 1963 that for the first time, a domestic cat and a wild feline were crossed. It was an American, Jean S. Mill, a geneticist, who performed the cross and chose a black cat of the American Shorthair breed. From this cross were born the hybrids called 'F1' (1st generation) then 'F2' (2nd generation), semi-wild cats. The cats of Bengal breed said 'domestic' belong to at least the 4th and 5th generations. They can then participate in competitions or exhibitions and be sold to individuals. Since 1963, selection work has taken place to keep the wild appearance of the Leopard Cat of Bengal but having the character of a domestic cat. Jean S. Mill was assisted by the University of Davis in California which provided her with eight females from the same cross and which were intended for feline leukemia research. There were also crosses with the Egyptian Mau, the Burmese and the Siamese with the aim of fixing certain physical characteristics and avoiding too much inbreeding. It was not until 1985 that Jean S. Mill was able to present one of her cats at an exhibition. Success is immediate and TICA quickly recognizes the breed as a 'new breed' in 1986. She authorizes it to access the championship in 1991. Meanwhile, in 1989, the first Bengal arrived in France, directly imported from Jean S. Mill's breeding. It is a female, which is quickly joined by three males. The first French litter was born in 1993, French Bengal breeding began. LOOF recognized the breed a few years later, in 1997. England welcomed its first Bengals in 1991. In 2009, the CFA does not yet recognize the breed while FIFé did so recently. Today, crosses with Leopard Cats of Bengal are no longer authorized.

It is a lively and agile cat with an athlete's body, intelligent, curious but also very affectionate, especially with other animals and human beings. It can learn easily and adapts quickly; some of them understand basic mechanisms such as the operation of door handles or light switches. This cat would have inherited from its ancestor, the Leopard Cat of Bengal, an attraction to water. It is reputed to be sporty and talkative, some of its sounds approaching those emitted by large felines. However, these character traits remain perfectly individual and differ depending on the history of each cat.