If a cat that appears as though it has walked straight out of the wilderness and into civilization is what you want, then the Bengal cat fills that order. The Bengal cat is a hybrid breed produced by crossing the domestic cat with an Asian Leopard Cat. The goal of such cross breeding is to produce a cat that looks wild in nature and possess the temperament of a domestic cat.
Physical Body:
One of the distinct features of the Bengal cat is its extremely soft, thick, and uniquely patterned coat. There are two distinct patterns recognized within the Bengal cat breed. Those are spotted and marbleized. The spotted coat is closest to its leopard ancestor, featuring leopard spots in varying shades of brown, rust, orange, sand, black, and gray.
The marbleized coat is produced from the mixing of the Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic tabby to produce splotches that look more like marble. In either case, the Bengal cat has a look that is both strikingly beautiful and wild.
Temperament:
The Bengal cat loves to be a part of the family. They love to interact and play. This is not to say that they will not seek out a soft chair or lap in which to lie for a nap, but for the majority of the day they are very active. Being a high energy cat, they are not for someone, who is looking for a docile animal to lounge around the house and look pretty.
Medical Problems:
For the Bengal, the most common health problems seen by veterinarians are as follows:
Cardiomyopathy- This covers both thickening of the heart muscles and thinning of the heart muscles, both causing very poor circulation. Cats stricken with this condition can appear healthy for a very long time and then suddenly appear very ill.
Food Poisoning– Bengals have especially sensitive stomachs. For this reason, their diets should be carefully monitored and table scraps should never be on the menu.
One medical problem you will never have to worry about with the Bengal cat and possibly their most fascinating feature is they possess an apparent immunity to feline leukemia. This is an inherited trait that the Bengal cat received from its ancestor, the Asian Leopard Cat
