All About the Bengal Breed

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The Bengal Hybrids
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This gallery describes what hybrids are and the use for them in the development of the Bengal breed.  If you want to learn some more about the Bengal Cat, please click on the other links to the right.

 

ALC
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   The idea of hybridizing had been studied in German zoos since the 1950's.  Beginning in the 1970's and to present day, scientists in the USA studied hybrids in laboratories for cancer research. However, these programs were never taken beyond the first generation hybrid. 
   The Bengal Cat is a man made breed created by hybridizing a small Asian Leopard Cat, scientific name is Prionailurus Bengalensis, bred to a domestic cat, scientific name, felis catus.  The origin of our breeding Bengals of to day came from the hybrids obtained by Jean Mill, starting in 1981.  As you can see from the photo on the right, the ALC is comparable in size to the domestic, left-top SBT Bengal (Murphin) and right-bottom ALC (Ritzi).  But most importantly, the chromosomes are a match in both species. 

In the early 90's, I introduced my Bengal named Murfin, to my ALC named Ritzi, both seen in the picture to the right.
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Hybridizing
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The Hybrids--also known as the F-Generations

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 The following picture chart below, helps clarify the terms f1, f2, f3 & f4. 
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      You will note that in the early 1980's (when the initial hybridizations occurred) breeders used many different domestic outcrosses, i.e. Siamese, Burmese, Mau, Ocicat, Abyssinian, & even the common tabby domestic shorthair (DSH), when creating the first three f-generation Bengal hybrids.  Today, most breeders are using only SBT Bengals to breed back to the f-generations.  That way the genes are more predictable. 
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MALE

FEMALE

OFFSPRING
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     The f-generations from f1's to f3's are also known as Bengal hybrids, and the f4's to the fnth's are known as SBT Bengals.
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Hybridizing Concerns
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    Hybrids, in general if placed as pets, need a special home in order to avoid future foreseeable behavioral problems.  They are animals of habit and routine.  Hybrids do make wonderful, amazing pets in the right home, with the right owners who accepts and understands their inheritable behavior and temperament.  Hybrids are incredibly intelligent, very athletic, actively playful and very loyal creatures.  It can be a privilege to live under the same roof with one of these magnificent animals.
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    To have a successful breeding program with Asian Leopards, they are raised with domestic cats as young kittens.  The first deliberate crossing for the present day Bengal breeding programs occurred in 1981.  The first three generations of progeny are known as  hybrids, designated by the letter "f", i.e. f1,f2 & f3.  These hybrids are recognized as hybrids only, not Bengal cats.  The hybrids are the origin of the Bengal breed.
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Things to Know About the F-generation
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        The first generation f1's are ½ wild cat and ½ domestic.  In appearance these animals look extremely wild.  It is very difficult for breeders to know what genes are inherited from each parent.  It is only when the hybrids are sexually mature at 8-14 months, will their true character and traits be revealed.
        If f1 hybrids inherit the wild behavioral genes, then they live off wild survival instincts.  Consequently, these hybrids react before they think because of their immediate adrenalin that is sent to the brain as hormones of "fright and flight".  This behavior may be initiated with very little provocation, and if these animals are approached and they feel cornered and/or threatened, they may snap or bite as a protective reaction.
        This condition makes this particular type of f1 hybrids very unpredictable.  Another instinctual behavior of the Asian Leopard cat parent is to live near a brook or stream for survival purposes.  The Asian Leopard cat urinates and defecates in the water to allow any scent to be carried down stream away from its home.  This same behavior is past on to these f1 hybrids.  It is common for them to urinate and/or defecate in the bath tub or sink, or beside any free standing glass of water or water bowl.  These f1 hybrids are also very leery of strangers and if company comes to the house, they stay out of sight.  As well as being estranged to visitors, they are also very sensitive to change of environment.  Your home is their environment. Therefore, if you decide to do any home renovations or move furniture and these hybrids dislike the changes, then they express their disapproval by urinating or defecating outside of their litter box.  They may also stop eating or show destructive behavior.

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       On the other hand, if f1 hybrids inherit the domestic cat's behavioral genes, then none of the above behavioral traits would exist.  These hybrid f1's are very predictable, and would behave just like a regular domestic cat. 
        Lastly, f1 hybrids that inherit behavioral genes from each parent show some wild traits and some domestic traits. These hybrid f1's may still be unpredictable for that reason.
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    For breeding practicality, ALL f1 male hybrids, out-crossed from the Asian Leopard cat, are INFERTILE.  This phenomenon occurs in f1, f2, and f3 generation male hybrids.  Hybridization is defined as:  to produce offspring of 2 animals of different species, Because of the "genetic remoteness" between the Asian Leopard cat and the domestic cat, sterility occurs in 98% of the male hybrid offsprings.  What we do know for sure is that the y-chromosome is longer in the domestic cat then it is in the Asian Leopard cat. Some experts theorize that this might be the cause.  *Note:  Even though a hybrid male is infertile, it will still behave like a stud.  It will scent its territory and mount females if not neutered.
      

     The second generation f2's, as seen above, are ¼ Asian Leopard cat and ¾ domestic cat.  By lessoning the percentage of Asian Leopard cat, there is a decrease in the chances of f2 hybrids inheriting the wild behavior and temperament.  But again, the type of traits the f2 hybrids inherit will be determined by the type of f1 hybrids used in the breeding program. 

     The third generation f3's, as seen above, are 1/8 Asian Leopard cat and 7/8 domestic cat.  This generation is remarkabley like a domestic cat, except there still may be leeriness of strangers.  In other words, they tend to be very loyal and trusting to one person or family members only.  Like the f2 hybrid's these behaviors must be qualified by what type of hybrid parent is used.
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Page Update:  08/17/05
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