The Bengal cat breed was created relatively recently by crossing domestic and wild cats. Thanks to this combination, it resembles a cat from prehistoric times, which is mostly due to its spotted fur.
This breed was created in the 50s in the US by crossing wild Bengal tiger cats with several types of domesticated cats (domestic cats, Siamese cats, Abyssinian and Burmese cats). This crossing did not start in order to create a new breed, but because of scientific research on the feline leukemia virus FeLV. Breeders only began to use the wild Bengal tiger cat later to create a breed with spotted fur.
Bengal cats have a long muscular body and a small, wedge-shaped head. Their small ears point slightly forward, giving them an arrogant appearance. By crossbreeding them with domesticated cats, the content of wild cat genes decreased to 10%. This eliminated the undesirable characteristics of wild cats while maintaining their appearance. Today, Bengal cats have a stable nature, while still exhibiting some signs of their wild origin. They can be quite stubborn and will not just conform to a comfortable and slow pace of life. They are also wonderful hunters, and they need their space to be happy. They can also be happy in an apartment if they have the chance to do their own thing. They are curious, very active cats, and generally have great social feeling. This enables them to get along well with other cats. But it is necessary to take into account that if you already have a cat that is accustomed to its peace or is a lazier breed, it won't be too thrilled about the Bengal cat.
The Bengal cat, on the other hand, will be happy to have a partner. It enjoys company, even human company. It will sometimes even spend the evening on your lap. A dog may also be a good companion for this cat, but it is frustrated when alone and doesn't thrive. Because they still have wild blood, it is necessary that kittens get used to people from a very young age. This is true for all cats, of course, but especially for Bengal cats. The peculiarity of this breed is that, unlike most cats, almost all Bengal cats like water.
Caring for its fur won't take much time. On the contrary, brushing it too much could damage it. Its coat is short and strikingly thick, and extremely soft to the touch, with a unique pattern. Its fur may be spotted, with spots clearly contrasting with the rest of its color, or marbled, which is also contrasting; unlike other marbled cats, its pattern is elongated.
I assure you that if you get a Bengal cat, you won't enjoy much peace, but you will certainly have lots of fun, because this cat won't let you rest :).
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