The bengal cat is a domestic breed with wild ancestors. The first bengals were produced by breeding an Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) with a domestic cat - usually Abyssinians and Egyptian Maus, but Siamese and Burmese were used to create snow lines and American Shorthairs were used to create silver lines. Even the name "bengal" is a derivative from the ALC's latin name Felis Bengalensis.

The bengal breed is still relatively new and a constant work in progress. For a bengal to be considered a domestic cat and eligable for show it must be at least 4 generations away from the ALC. The first 3 generations are called "filials" and can display some characteristics of a wild cat. Most male filials (F1, F2 and F3) are sterile so only the females can be used in breeding.

Bengals are a very active breed, always smart and very curious. They love to run, jump, climb, and play fetch. Some bengals do not display any fear of water. Bengals are a wonderful family pet and enjoy being in the middle of whatever is going on. They can be trained to walk on a leash. Contrary to rumors, a well socialized bengal will display a stable temperment and do very well around other pets and young kids.

Bengals come in an assortment of colors and patterns. Their coats will either be spotted or marbled in pattern. Rosettes, pelt and glitter are desireable traits. Accepted show colors are traditional browns, silver and snows (seal lynx, seal mink and seal sepia). Some recessive colors that will occasionally appear are melanistic (all black with spots visible), smoke (pattern is somewhat obscured by a darker color background) and blues. These 3 colors are not eligable for show, but make wonderful pets.

Bengal care is the same as regular domestic breeds and they require the same veterinary care and vaccinations. Bengals do seem to thrive on a high protein diet, so premium human grade foods are recommended. Bengals do not require much grooming because of their short coats and infrequent shedding.

Links to TICA and ACFA Bengal Breed standard:
http://www.acfacats.com/bengal_standard.htm
http://tica.org/public/breeds/bg/bg.pdf