The Bengal breed originates as a hybrid resulting from crossing an Asian Leopard Cat (Felis Bengalenis) with a domestic cat.  The ALC is a small cat weighing from 6 -12 lbs.  It is a non-aggressive cat who would rather flee than fight.  The first three generations of a domestic Bengal x Leopard cat are called foundations.  The fourth and beyond generations are called Bengals or "SBT" Stud Book Traditional. 

The Bengal cats are a one family cat and are very loving.  Bengal cats are affectionate and will purr zealously.  They eat the same as domestic cats. however they love raw meat and cooked chicken.  They use a litterbox, and they love to climb to high places.

Bengal cats have beautiful fur like pelts on their long bodies with different patterns such as rosettes, spots and marbles.  They also come in different colors.  Some have glittered coats as if gold dust were sprinkled over them.  Their large eyes are alert and they are very curious.  The Bengal kitten/cat makes a great family pet.  They get along great with their family as well with the family dog.

What does the Bengal cat look like in the fuzzy stage?

This top set of three photos is of the same Bengal kitten at different ages to show how the fuzzies progress as a Bengal ages. Simply follow the numbers from 1 to 3 to see how the fuzzies affects the appearance of the rosetted pattern.

Below are two sets of photos of the same Bengal cat. The top set of 4 photos is the Bengal Cat as an adult after coming out of the fuzzies. The bottom set of 4 photos is the same cat as a younger kitten while in the fuzzies.

What does the Glittered Bengal cat look like?

Sometime ago, someone wrote an explanation of what causes glitter on Bengal Cats. I don’t recall who it was and I don’t recall all the details, but I came away with the following: glitter is caused by the end of the fur shaft being clear, that is absence of color. It makes sense and it can be verified by looking at the shaft under a microscope.

This makes the coat shine in the light where you can see gold like flakes at the end of the hair shaft and makes the coat feel sleek and rich.

Top photo pictured of my Bengal cat that is glittered. Bottom photo of my Bengal cat that is not glittered.