History of the Bengal cat

As a recent owner of two Bengal cross kittens, I have taken an interest in learning more about the breed. The ancestry of today's Bengal cat is apparently the most diverse of any breed in the world. It derives from a spotted domestic cat found in India, tabbies from various parts of California and other species of feline called the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC).

ALC, otherwise known as Felis Bengalensis are found from Southern India, eastward through Thailand, Malaysia and in to China. It is this cat which has made possible the unique appearance of its "manufactured" descendants... The Bengal cat we know today.

It was their beautiful fur that inspired experimenters to attempt to cross breed them with ordinary tabby cats. The intent was to produce a friendly and dependable house pet with as many of the ALC's appearance and characteristics as possible.

The first documented cross breed experiment between Felis Bengalensis  and Felis Catus was by Jean Sugden in 1963. She used a black domestic tom cat and a hybrid female called Kiki. Several other ALC owners produced hybrids, including Pat Warren, William Engle and Dr. Willard Centerwall working with Loyola University.

It's thought that most Bengals today can be traced back to those original Centerwall cross breeds. i have to admit I never thought to ask the breeder about their bloodline. This research has definitely inspired me to ask her.