Marble Bengal cat is very adorable breeds and looking so petty cool. With their sleek grace and astonishing spotted beauty, they could have stalked straight out of a steamy jungle. But Bengals, the mixed offspring of the domestic cat. The wild leopard cat, are perfectly at home prowling amongst garden roses and petunias.
The true history of the Bengal cat is as mysterious as they are rumours of various wild cat hybrids have been circulating for thousands of years. But it is hard to determine which are myths and which have substance.
For example, legend has it that the ancient Egyptians hybridized from their native African wild cat. The offspring were the forefathers of the pedigree Egyptian Mau.
And according to another legend, it was the King of Siam who first hybridized from the leopard cat. Then used the offspring to guard his temples and palaces and apparently. Their descendants are the Siamese cats of today.
But even ignoring the myths, it is certain that for centuries. These wild creatures came into contact with, and would sometimes mate domestic cats.
History of the Bengal Cat
In America in 1946, Jean Mill (Sugden at the time) wrote a paper on breeding Siamese cats with Persian cats for her genetics class at UC Davis, and even though she did not take her crossbreeding interests further. the possibilities still intrigued her.
Then, in 1963 whilst living in Yuma, Arizona, she bought a female leopard cat called Malaysia. Then, kept her with a black male domestic cat and soon after. she bred her first F1 hybrid, a female called Kin Kin.
This cat bred one litter of F2s (2 kittens; a male and female). However, neither they nor their mother survived long enough to produce further generations. So no descendants of Kin Kin exist today.
In 1965, Jean Mill’s husband died, forcing her to move into a smaller property, which stopped her breeding programme.
Various Generations of the Bengal Cat
The first three crosses from the leopard cat are referred to as F1, F2 and F3 Bengals. The “F” standing for filial which comes from the Latin word filius, meaning son, and in a genetic sense, refers to a sequence of generations following the parental generation.
The numbers that follow denote the cat’s generation from the wild – these are important, as there are differences between them.
All the generations including and after F4, are known as Stud Book Tradition (SBT) Bengals because once past this stage. There is very little difference between them.
The use of leopard cats (non-threatened subspecies only) is important to the breed as their undiluted wild blood strengthens and enlarges. the Bengal’s relatively small gene pool.
F1s are the rarest of the rare as they are complex to breed because the leopard cat is a wary, highly strung creature that’s notoriously difficult to handle.
Any breeder wanting to hybridise must hand-rear them around domestic cats (and never near other wild cats). even then, only about 1 in 15 leopard cats will mate with a domestic. As their inherent inclination is to do otherwise. Rearing and getting a leopard cat to hybridise is the hardest part of the process and very few individuals in the world have overcome. The many hurdles and accomplished the great feat of breeding F1 Bengals.
Marble Bengal Cat Pattern:
Markings, while derived from the classic tabby gene. Moreover, the horizontal pull of the non-domestic giving a uniquely different pattern with as little “bulls-eye” similarity as possible.
Pattern will, instead, be random giving the impression of marble or the impression of chaining with a horizontal flow when the cat is stretched. Vertical striped mackerel influence is also undesirable.
There should be little verticality to the pattern. Preference should be given to cats with three or more shades; i.e., ground color, markings, and dark outlining of those markings. Contrast must be extreme, with distinct shapes and sharp edges.
Strong, bold chin strap and mascara markings desirable. Necklaces can be broken or unbroken. Belly must be patterned. Virtually white underside and belly highly desired. Special Merit given to unique patterning that strikes the eye as being non-domestic.
Snow Marble Bengal cat:
They are a white variety of brown marbles and should have pearlescent backgrounds. That including their chests and bellies) covered with dark rosettes and swirling patterns.
For a long time, they were the rarest and most sought after breeding cat as they are the only variety that carries all the main colors of the Bengal cat.
As with the snow spotted, they develop their markings with age, and the variety comes in the same three colors listed under snow spotted. Other Bengal colors include blue, silver, melanistic.
Physical Characteristics of the Bengal Cat Marbled Pattern
Bengals tend to be smaller and leaner compared to their late generation counterparts, due to their closeness to the tiny leopard cat.
Conversely, F2s can sometimes be far larger than the other generations, and this is due to the complex genetics 6 Sarez Snow King (F2 Male) – Circa Dec. 2002 Sarez Jubatus (F2 Male) – Circa Feb. 1998 Leopardette Rajah (F3 Male) – Circa Feb. 1998 Sarez Snow Bear (SBT Stud) – Circa April 1996 Michelle (F3) & Sarez Prince (SBT Kitten) – Circa August 1995 of hybridization.
SBTs are also large animals and have one of the largest of the pedigree feline body types. All Bengal cats generations should have short tails. muscular chests, be sturdy boned and long in the torso.
This body frame makes them flexible and provides a lot of leverage when running, rather like a leopard. Bengals are designed for speed, acceleration and power!
And when standing or walking, all the Bengal generations angle their bodies in a different way to other domestic cats. making them appear far more regal.
Even their gait differs, in that it’s more like a trot or gallop. This is because they have slightly shorter front legs and a raised hump, giving them the leopard’s stealthy, stalking poise.
Personality Characteristics of the Marble Bengal cat
Forever refusing to conform to normal domestic cat rules. Bengals adore water and readily swim in ponds, pools or even in baths, just as the leopard cat does in rivers.
Some of ours can even turn taps on! Bengals play in a different way to other domestic cats. They hunt their toys (or even their siblings) rather than merely playing with them. They can be very protective over what they catch!
Even their highly expressive voices are different to the meow of a domestic. it’s more the cry of a wild cat, but this is a trait that’s more noticeable in the earlier generations.
All Marble Bengal cat generations have also inherited astounding intelligence from the leopard cat. because their wild ancestors need to rely on their brains to survive in their hostile natural habitat.
This enables Bengals to interact with humans on a higher level compared to other domestics. Then, it makes them more social, more loving, quicker witted and easier to train than other breeds.
I feel like immediately picking her up & hug tightly to my breast.
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