All about the Breed

Wild Ancestors

The Bengal breed is descended from Asian Leopard Cats (Felis Bengalensis). The ALC, among other small cat species, were crossed with domestic breeds to create a hybrid that possessed the exotic wild look of a leopard but with the temperament and safety of the domestic cat.
After years of dedicated development the Bengal has become a wonderful companion pet with the exotic wild looks of their ancestors and the companionable traits of a house cat.  From time to time you will see some of their ancestral traits resurface like, larger roaming ranges, water habits and varying vocal traits.

What does F and G generations mean?

Because Bengals are originally a hybrid result of a wild cat bred to a domestic it is important to trace their generations and development.  In the first four generations the scientific terminology for those generations is "F".  F1 (wild parent x domestic cat) then F2 (F1 x domestic cat) then F3 (F2 x domestic cat) then the last generation before they are considered fully a domestic cat is the F4 (F3 x domestic cat) once they are the next generation "G5" we switch from using the F term and enter into the G term.  This change is notated because once you breed an F4 x Domestic they are considered a fully domestic cat and the "G" is "generation" for breeders to track of how many generations away the line is from the wild cat ancestry.  Most breeders once a cat is G9 (nine generations away from their wild cat ancestor) stop tracking the generations.  If you live in Australia it is illegal to own or import a F-generation cat. It is only the G5 and onward that we are legally allowed to bring in, breed and own.  So for this reason as a pet buyer in Australia the earliest generation (or closest to the wild cat) you can ever get from a breeder is a G6 (G5 domestic x domestic).   You will see a lot of our cats are still in the G notation of their grading, a few have moved further along and the lack of "G" notation means that we are no longer publicly tracking how far away their wild cat ancestry is.

What does N/N or N/K PK-Def; PKD1; PRAb; M4 mean?

Firstly N/N and N/K are codes used by UC Davis genetics lab in California for genetic traits and if a cat doesn't have a copy of a gene it's an 'N', and each cat gets two copies of each gene (one from mum and one from dad so the slash / just divides the results of what mum vs dad gave the kitten).  So N/N means neither mum nor dad gave the gene to the kitten.  A 'K' means that they do carry the gene so an N/K means they have one copy and the other parent didn't give them a copy. If you have K/K it means that both parents gave the kitten a copy. In some cases we never want to see a K/K result, like when testing for diseases... but in other cases like the M4 which is one of the longhair genes having a K/K result means the kitten is a longhair bengal (cashmere) which is great. 

So the N/N; N/K, K/K is just telling us if the cat carries Zero, One or Two copies of a tested gene. The list of codes, PK-Def; PRAb; PKD1, these are disease codes that require 2 copies to be present to actively have the disease, so having Zero or One is the only acceptable result for these genes as they are a double recessive required disease. By making sure we DNA test our lines and breed accordingly we can ensure that we never risk producing a K/K of the diseases i.e. and affected kitten.  So when you see the codes N/N or N/K or K/K it is information about the following codes posted after them, depending on if they are genetics we don't want to perpetuate or we do want to perpetuate.

What does SBT mean?

TICA (The International Cat Association) is the largest cat registry in the world and the originating "parent" association for the Bengal breed. When you see the code used SBT this is a TICA registration generation code that tells breeders the cats ancestry and generations away from out-crosses. This is why Australia requires codes for bengal entry into the country to ensure that any out-crosses to a wild cat are a minimum of 5 generations away. So an SBT means a Purebred Cat with traditional parentage within their breed for at least back to the great-great grandparent.

If they have a species out cross i.e. a bengal bred to an Asian Leopard Cat you will find the 'S' used to notate a species out-cross.  Some breeds (not Bengals) have what's known as a permissible out-cross this means that there may be two breeds which are essentially the same cat or type of cat but are listed as a different pedigree breed but you're allowed to breed them together which is known as a permissible out-cross to maintain a wider genetic diversity to access. Once the Longhair Bengal is accepted in Australia ACF for showing, you will see that they are noted as a 'V' for a variant within the breed which will be an allowable out-cross.

Dedicated professional breeders with a longterm view for the breed are taking steps to  protect the future of the bengal breed, so you will find codes like AON AO1/2/3; BON BO1/2/3; CON CO1/2/3 this is used when a non-permissible out-cross is used. i.e. another breed/domestic cat.  While the coding says "non-permissible" it doesn't mean you can't do it, it just means that you loose your SBT code and have to then build back the line to SBT over the course of 3 generations.

The reason for doing this is usually done with great care and thought process to the addition of healthy new genetics and or traits needed in the Bengal breed. As breeders follow pedigrees we learn about the hereditary diversity of our blood lines.  In some breeds because they never out-crossed they became genetically deadlocked with health, vitality being lost and having behavioral, disease compounded and destroying the breed etc... because the only other purebred cats of that breed to mate with, were related, and the more you do this the more related and smaller the genetic diversity of a breed becomes.  This is a risk with MANY breeds currently and also risk that will be arising in the bengal breed, if reputable caretakers of the breed, don't ensure stable healthy out-cross programs for genetic diversity. Usually you will find that offspring of an out-cross pairing will have high instances of better vitality, immune robustness, growth and health, this is called hybrid vigor. Obviously an out-cross program is generations of work to move forward not only with the cats themselves but with the codes to return to SBT which is the long-term goal of any out-cross program.

Companions

Bengals are wonderful companions for the whole family, including children and other household pets. They are a very active cat that enjoys being in the thick of the household activity. My Bengals will often follow me from room to room just to "see what's up". They love to help fold laundry and get involved making beds! When the kids come home and the noise and activity level rises the Bengals are right into the fray. Bengals enjoying and participate in creating the happy chaos and activity. At times they will leave you in both tears of laughter and sometimes frustration at their antics.  If you are wanting a pretty kitty to just sit on a window seal it is NOT a bengal that you want!

Active

Bengals are not couch potato cats. They are playful, active, inquisitive, nosy, noisy, comical and affectionate. Many are vocal "talkers" who will greet you with meows and coos expressing their moods and the joy of being with you. Because Bengals love to play and be involved getting into things, you will find hours of enjoyment watching them stalk, pounce, chase, fetch, climb, bound and generally revel in the exuberance of life.  This activity level is not for everyone so make sure your lifestyle and expectations suit this breed.

Other Pets

Bengals are a very companionable breed and therefore require interaction and playtime with their families, including their people, other felines and other pets in general. Bengals get on wonderfully with dogs.  If you have a cat friendly canine at home who needs a buddy, a Bengal might be the perfect playmate and companion.  Be aware that bengals can be a more dominant breed and therefore some bengals are better off as an only cat, while they very much will enjoy a canine companion.

Intelligence

Bengals are a highly intelligent breed and therefore are easy to train, not only in basic "kitty etiquette" but also in tricks like come, sit, beg, speak and games of fetch. Bengals can be taught to walk in harness on a lead. This will be to the enjoyment of many a passerby who is amazed and in awe to see a beautiful "mini leopard" happily walking on a lead.

Water Fun

Many Bengals also find great entertainment playing with and in water. YES a cat who loves water. I often find a Bengal who's decided that the first few inches in the bathwater were really meant as a playground rather than the start of a relaxing bath for me. Most bengals have an affinity to water which can also lead towards their easy training to use the toilet rather than a litter tray.  I highly recommend looking into the training options of teaching your cat how to use your toilet.

Pelts and allergy friendliness

Bengals have some amazing characteristics concerning their pelts. A Bengals pelt is very different from those of most domestic cats. They inherited the short, thick pelt of their wild ancestors. This amazingly soft coat (reminiscent of the texture of mink) means that your Bengal will require no grooming other than nail clipping. Because Bengals are an indoor cat they require little if any bathing.
Another benefit of their amazing pelts is that they have very little hair loss and shedding. In fact many people who are allergic to most cats find that they do not have the same allergic reactions to Bengals. Bengal cats actually have a different ph level, Fel d 1, is lower in their saliva, hair and skin due to the wild cat genetics and so they often can be managed around those with allergies. While Bengals cannot be claimed to be hypoallergenic cats, they do have a high percentage of success. I can assure you of this due to the success of my husband who has cat allergies but lives in a home full of Bengals without reaction. Please note that different people may have different levels of reactions and should always try visiting and experiencing the Bengal breed first before purchasing if they have known allergies to cats in general.

The joy of ownership

The joy of Bengal ownership is something special we would like to share with you. As a Bengal owner you will enjoy that exotic wild look lounging and stalking around your home. The Bengals have an amazing ability to share in a deep companionable relationship that will give you years of enjoyment.

We hope that you have found this information helpful in determining if the Bengal is the right breed for you. If you have any further questions that we have not covered please feel free to contact us with your questions.