Talk:Bengal (cat)
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[edit] Markings
I noticed that someone posted a head-on picture of the Bengal Domestic Cat, but I was hoping a couple more pictures could be posted, preferably of the cat's side, where the leopard-like spots ought to be more noticeable. [Added representative photo; no longer an issue. Seduisant 16:00, 4 April 2007 (UTC)]
We have some cats whose grandparents were ordinary domestic 'tigerish' tabby cats (with vertical or slanted stripes), but for some reason two generations down the line, the stripes are segmented, looking a lot like the spots of a leopard.
Is the Bengal "leopard-spotted" domestic cat really a mix with a wild cousin? Can't the leopard spots occur naturally, as a result of natural variation? From the appearances of our own cats (triplets, all male), the spots that are so highly valued, appear to be the result of the stripes breaking down and becoming intermittent.
Do Bengal domesticated cats uniformly have a dark stripe emanating from the outer corner of each eye, sweeping back along the side of the head, and disassociating itself into irregular patterns of spots?
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Some domestic tabbys, when correctly bred (intentionally or otherwise) do devolve into a more spotted appearance. But to those that know the Bengal it's real easy to tell them apart.
BTW, the Occicat is a completely domestic cat with spots, much like a Bengal.
Bengals are indeed a cross between the Asian Leopard and domestic cats. That can be verified genetically since the Asian Leopard has two fewer genes than the domestic cat. Bengals must be four generations removed from the wild (or bred down to 8% to 12% "wild" blood) before they are considered "domestic."
To be conforming a Bengal does have to have the stripes you mention about the eyes. It's called "mascara." One stripe must start at the exact upper corner of the eye, and the another generally extends below. Just around the eye, between the stripes (on the "body side") should be a dark patch. They should almost join on the side of the face, and continue to just beyond the ears. Ideally, the Bengal will also have two dark upward-going "slashes" above each eye.
Other Bengal marking tips (to tell them from the tabby's). They should have (at least) four distinct stripes across and down the back of their head, between the ears. Their tail tip is always black, or dark, and they should have at least seven distinct striped bands on their tail.
Hope this helps!
[edit] May be confusing to some readers...
The average reader may not be able to follow with the terms such as F2, SBT, and ALC. Perhaps someone should clear it up a bit more? Abby724 21:25, 29 December 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Who keeps adding Bengals as pets?
I deleted that section because its not nesscesary for it, bengal cats don't live in the wild & the bengal cat was breeded to be a pet!! and the section went against what it said in the first 2 sections by saying that the bengal cat can't really interact with humans because of their agressivness.
