The public blame influencer for losing her indoor/outdoor Bengal cat to thieves

Olivia and Haukie who was stolen as he was let outside unsupervised. Image: Olivia's Instagram account.

This Aussie, female influencer, now realises that owning a Bengal cat presents a difficult problem of caregiving: should I keep my athletic, energetic and intelligent cat inside the home all the time or let him out through a cat flap?

I have hinted at the problem. The wild cat hybrids like the Bengal, even down to the F5s, are sharp mentally and demanding physically. They need exercise and entertaining.

Can you as an owner create an indoor environment which mentally stimulates a Bengal cat? The answer is that you have to. No choice as you can't let Bengal cats outside free to roam as they please because they are too pretty. 

They are liable to be stolen which is what happened this Aussie influencer whose name is Olivia Mathers.

She let her male Bengal, Haukie go outside unsupervised and he was stolen. She thinks she knows who stole Haukie and she thinks the cat has been sold to a new owner and taken to Brisbane from her home on the Gold Coast, QLD.

As she is an Instagram influencer she used the platform to try and recover Haukie. She told her 760,000 followers what happened. Some were sympathetic while others brutally criticised her for letting Haukie out unsupervised.

This is the problem; she was probably concerned about ensuring Haukie was happy and mentally stimulated so decided to let him out but you can't do it with a Bengal cat particularly with a Bengal cat living in Australia where a substantial percentage of citizens genuinely believe that cats must be confined to the home to protect wild life because they've be told this over and over again by the authorities who are having kittens over losing native mammals and marsupials to the skilled predation of Aussie's overgrown feral cats which have begun to look like another cat species endemic to Australia, the country were there were and are no native cat species.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Is the Bengal cat from Bangladesh!?

To those in the cat fancy the question in the title seems odd. Even stupid but there is a little bit of truth in it. I'll explain.

Some cat fancy afficionados might say that, of course the Bengal cat is not from Bangladesh. The Bengal cat is a wild cat hybrid created by an American Jean Mill in America in the 1960s to 1980s by crossing domestic cats with the Asiatic leopard cat (aka leopard cat). She was living in Yuma, Arizona at the time. The Bengal cat is therefore from America. 

It was actually quite a complicated and extensive process with a number of foundation cats as shown in the picture below.

Foundation cats for Bengal cat breed. Image: MikeB

It was created during a time when there was a keen interest in creating through selective breeding novel cat breeds including wild cat hybrids which are domestic cats with some wild cat DNA within them.

RELATED: Bengal cat - comprehensive page.

The leopard cat is a small wild cat species about the size of a domestic cat and fiercely independent. Not actually that good a choice from which to create a wild cat hybrid to live with people as a pet. 

But the point is this, the leopard cat has a wide distribution in Asia including Bangladesh. 

We can say therefore that although the Bengal cat comes from America, within each individual Bengal cat is the DNA of the leopard cat to varying amounts depending on its filial (generation from the leopard cat).

And therefore, there is a connection to Bangladesh and the other Asian countries where this species is found.

RELATED: Bengal cats refused entry into Hawaii.

Beautiful Bengal cats kept in ugly and cruel conditions

NEWS AND OPINION: This picture in the news today caught my eye for the simple reason that we have a couple of beautiful Bengal cats struggling to extricate themselves from ugly conditions under which they were kept by a man who has been prosecuted under animal welfare legislation in Scotland. 

It always astonishes me how people can be so cruel to domestic cats and dogs. And this behaviour is highlighted (but no worse for this reason) when the animal concerned is a beautiful Bengal cat. It is the juxtaposition of beauty and ugliness which makes the point.

Beautiful Bengal cats kept in ugly and cruel conditions. Image: Crown Office.

The cats that you see were kept captive at a farm in Perthshire, Scotland. The man involved is Daanyaal Chowdhury, 30. He ran a chaotic and hazardous kennels for dogs and cats. The police attended his kennels in October 2020. They found a diseased German Shepherd dog called Sophie and the general conditions were wet and filthy. The animals were dirty with urine and faeces covering them. A veterinarian examine 32 dogs, 17 kittens and 16 cats at this shabby property. One of the kittens had to be euthanised. 

They found many animals with dermatological, respiratory, ophthalmic and ear-related diseases. Mr Chowdhury was sentenced after being found guilty last Thursday. He admitted causing the animals unnecessary suffering. He's been banned from keeping animals and placed under a supervision order for a year and ordered to undertake 90 hours of unpaid work.

Just another example of a negligent and abusive breeder who sold animals for profit and exploited and abused them. He probably presented himself to the world as a successful businessman. But behind-the-scenes was this neglectful and harmful set of kennels containing distressed animals. He sold working dogs for security purposes. No doubt he also sold purebred cats.

Note: the story does not tell me that these cats are Bengal cats but I am convinced that they are. And the man was a breeder of purebred animals for profit. It all stacks up. This is an opinion piece based upon the news. I wish to stress that point.

Couple of Bengal-mix cats bring in 2 pigeons, 2 voles and a rabbit in one day

This lady and her husband have lived with cats for a long time, she says on the mumsnet.com website. They know cats but they were unprepared for the hunting prowess of a couple of Bengal-mix cats that they adopted. She says that they have brought into the home 'at least 3 dead creatures daily including frogs/toads, rodents, birds and rabbits'. And as mentioned in the title, in one day the pair caught and delivered to their owner 5 animals.

Bengal cat. This is NOT one of the cats in the story. The photo is here to illustrate the page. Photo: Twitter.

Distressing comes to mind; and messy. Think of the feathers all over the kitchen! And it is not good to see wildlife so mercilessly killed.

BUT - and it is a but in capitals for a reason - there is almost nothing you can do about it IF you decide that your cats must be indoor/outdoor cats because they've insisted on it by howling and meowing at you until you give in.

Sometimes when you try and keep cats inside full-time it proves to be impossible because they make such a fuss about it. And if you are sensitive to your cat's wellbeing you can't ignore the plaintiff meows of your cat begging you to allow them to go outside. Or the mope-around the home looking morose.

Bengals are particularly good predators

This is the great dilemma. Cats are topline predators in general. There are none better. If you live in the countryside as appears to be the case with this woman and her family there is plenty of wildlife to be had by a Bengal mix.

On the basis that these cats are genuine Bengal mix it does not surprise me that they are voracious hunters and killers as the Bengal is a wildcat hybrid. They have some diluted wild cat genes in them. This colours their character.

Wild cats are sharper and more hunting driven than their relatively docile true domestic cat. As she is finding out, if you adopt a wild cat hybrid and let them go outside there will be death and mayhem especially in a countryside environment.

Solution?

RELATED: Noticeable, brightly coloured, cat collar protects birds from cat predation (47 – 54% reduction).

She has not mentioned one possibility: placing a brightly coloured collar around her cats' necks. These are manufactured commercially and have been proved to be quite successful as they warn birds of an impending attack. There is a product on the market called Birdsbesafe®.

Image: MikeB

But they don't protect land-based prey animals such as rodents. Bells on collars don't work that well because the cat wearing them compensates by keeping their bodies still to prevent the bell ringing as they approach the prey.

The only other way is a big and expensive compromise which might not work either: a customised garden enclosure which allows the cats to enjoy the outdoors but which protects a lot more wildlife.

That said Bengal cats are very athletic and they may be able to get out.

Like I said there is not a lot one can do about this. It's natural behaviour. If the lady wants her cats to behave naturally and express their natural desires (raw cat mojo as Jackson Galaxy calls it) she'll have to accept this. The collar mentioned (if she and the cats can put up with it) should reduce the kill count.

Can you predict an adult cat's personality from their behaviour as a kitten?

This is a question that is sometimes asked. I think you have to apply a bit of common sense. There would seem to be two distinct personality types (a) confident and outgoing and (b) timid, shy and retiring.

2 main character types for cats. Image: MikeB

Cat adopts person

Sometimes people tell us their stories when adopting a cat from a shelter. They say that the cat adopted them. The same applies to dogs.

When a rescue cat at a shelter comes to the potential adopter in any one of many ways, it indicates that they are a little bit more confident than another cat who stays at the back of their cage. The one that holds back is the more reticent retiring one.

You can tell the difference between two different types of cat in terms of confidence levels. This character trait will be with them all their lives. And that's quite important because the degree of confidence compared to the degree of timidity is quite an important factor in how the other aspects of the cat's character develop.

Developing character

For instance, a confident cat is more likely to come forward, interact and to explore and to have new experiences and therefore become more rounded and more able to deal with strange and novel things.

In contrast, the timid cat will enjoy less experiences and even might hide when anything new happens. Both cat types have their advantages in my opinion. 

But the point here is that you can tell how a kitten will develop on these broad-brush aspects of character namely confidence and timidity.

Confident cats are more popular

Most people like confident cats because they interact more. But the advantages of a timid cat are often not discussed. One benefit is that because they are more retiring and content to be less active, they are more likely to enjoy the benefits of being full-time inside the home.

They are less likely to want to go out and explore. They are, therefore, less likely to come to harm. And if they are indoor/outdoor cats they are less likely to wander away far and wide if they lack confidence. Getting lost is less of an issue.

Timid is better

I think a domestic cat which is slightly timid is perhaps a better domestic cat companion than a confident one.

The trend nowadays is to keep cats indoors full-time particularly if you live in an urban environment. You don't want to live with a very boisterous active cat under those circumstances.

Bengal cat

Example, the Bengal cat is known to be pretty active, confident and lively. Some people keep them in apartments full-time. I don't think that can work.

In fact, when I lived in an apartment block a friend of mine in a nearby block was the caregiver of an F3 Bengal cat, Daniel. This cat was climbing up the walls to get out.

And when the owner took Daniel out into the gardens for a walk it was impossible to contain him. If he was off the lead he was gone. The point is that apartment living for the confident boisterous outgoing cat might be too challenging.

But apartment living for a timid retiring cat who likes to hide is a good place to be. There is the advantage.

That argument goes against the general consensus that confident cats are better cats.

Young cats killed on roads

And let's remind ourselves that the cats most likely to be killed on the roads are young, immature and confident male cats. They are the ones who like exploring and taking risks.

What I'd choose

I'd argue that the better cat to live with is a slightly retiring, slightly timid, female. That's what I would choose if I was going to adopt a cat right now. Or even better than that you might adopt a disabled cat like a blind cat because you can then keep them indoors full-time without feeling guilty as you've got to keep them indoors.

Character nuances

As to the finer nuances in character, to go back to the original argument, I think you have to wait to when they become adult to find out what they are. Which, by the way, is one reason for adopting an adult cat over a kitten despite the fact that kittens are the most popular type of cat to adopt from a shelter.

If you adopt an adult cat, you know what you're getting, particularly older ones. When you adopt a kitten, you are adopting a cat companion which you don't know that well.

Hector

There is an interesting story on social media about a woman who adopted a male cat called Hector. When he was a kitten, he was sweet and funny but when he grew up "he became a cat that no one could touch, except me. He was easily overstimulated and would attack one's hand while he was being petted."

So, her male cat went from sweet and funny to too difficult to handle. You don't quite know what you're going to get when you adopt a kitten because you will not be able to really predict their adult character except for the broad-brush aspects as mentioned

What kind of Bengal cat wins cat show competitions?

If you want to know the kind of Bengal cat which wins cat show competitions, you need to look at the breed standard (CFA or TICA) and while reading that have a look at a couple of photographs of two Bengal cats who have won competitions. This is exactly what I've done for this page. I welcome the views of cat breeders and judges etc. Please comment as much as possible.

Importance of the coat

Below you will see two winners. When I look at these photographs the most outstanding aspect of the anatomy which catches my eye is the coat and the nature of the markings. This is a high contrast coat and the rosettes and doughnuts ('donuts' in American English), as they are called, are very pronounced and sharp. The patterns are interesting and exotic. I think a lot rests on the quality of the markings.

Overall appearance

A cat that wins Bengal cat shows is going to be medium-to-large in size with a sleek, muscular build. The hindquarters are slightly higher than the shoulders and the "boning is substantial". This cat has a thick tail with a rounded tip. The head is expressive with a "nocturnal look". The markings are stunning with a wild appearance. The cat should be alert and active with an air of inquisitiveness but at the same time have a dependable disposition. Males are usually larger than females.

CFA cat show winner. Image: CFA

Glittering

The quality of the Bengal cat coat is unique to the breed. It is close lying, soft, silky and luxurious. Ideally it should be glittered. I've discussed that on another page (see below). The coat genuinely looks as though it is glittering as if it's been sprinkled with stardust.

RELATED: Bengal cat glittering.

Bengal cat glittering. Image: PoC.

Coat types

The CFA standard mentions two types of Bengal cat patterns and colours: rosetted/spotted tabby pattern and marble tabby pattern. The former is a coat covered in rosettes and spots with a horizontal flow to their alignment. 

The contrast between the pattern and the ground colour or background should be 'extreme' in the words of the CFA. The rosettes can be of many different shapes such as a round doughnut, open doughnut, pancake, paw print, arrowhead or clustered. These are preferred to single spotting. 

Other markings

The markings around the eyes and on the face should be strong and bold. The backs of the ears have a thumbprint. The colour of the chest and belly should be lighter than the other parts of the coat. The CFA likes horizontal shoulder streaks, spotted legs or a rosetted tail. The belly must have spots on it.

Bengal cat that has won at CFA cat shows. Image: CFA.

The marble pattern is sometimes called a blotched tabby pattern and is full of swirls. There should be high contrast between the markings and the background as for the rosetted coat. There should be sharp edges between the markings and the background. The markings are two toned. 

They say that there should be no resemblance to the classic tabby pattern and circular pattern or bull's-eye is undesirable. They are emphasising the fact that the tabby pattern of the Bengal cat is superior or different to the standard tabby pattern on a standard tabby cat. They prefer a random pattern and the more random it is the better. They like a stained-glass effect.

I've given you a flavour of how the survey relates to the coat pattern of the Bengal cat. It is complicated. There are lot of features to the coat that they are checking on. It is perhaps the most important aspect of the Bengal cat in terms of appearance.

There are many types of Bengal cat in terms of the coat type from blue mink smoke to black melanistic. I would recommend that you have a look at the CFA breed standard.

Negatives

On the negative side, the CFA disqualifies Bengal cats if the belly is not patterned when the cat is a rosetted/spotted tabby, marble tabby, charcoal tabby and snow tabby. They also disqualify when there is a distinct locket on the neck, chest, abdomen or anywhere else. If the tail is kinked or deformed the cat is disqualified. A cat with crossed eyes and 'cow hocking' with also qualify for qualification.

Just short of disqualification, Bengal cats will be penalised if the rosettes or spots run together vertically forming a mackerel tabby pattern. They'll be penalised if he or she has a circular bull's-eye pattern for the marble tabby. And if a snow tabby patterned Bengal cat has a "substantially darker point, as compared to colour of body markings" that cat will also be penalised.

Mum has cried herself to sleep for 8 weeks over her lost, possibly stolen, snow Bengal cat

NEWS AND COMMENT: The story is a reminder that people who live with glamorous purebred cats really have to keep them indoors all the time. And because of that they should also seriously consider building a catio or a garden enclosure for their full-time indoor cat. The story concerns an 18 months old snow Bengal cat called Meeka. She has been lost since August 21, 2021. This post is dated October 19, 2021.

Snow Bengal cat lost for weeks and owner cries every night. Photo: Asia Sattar.

It seems that the owner, Asia Sattar, 51, and her family including her 20-year-old daughter Mariyya allowed Meeka to go outside unsupervised. That is quite unusual for a snow Bengal cat because they really are striking in appearance. They are bound to catch the eye of anybody who notices them. You're going to get somebody who perhaps isn't a thief but who is predisposed to being a thief being provoked into stealing this cat. That may be what has happened.

Meeka and Mariyya. Photo: the family.

It is unusual to have professional cat thieves roaming around your area but you will have ordinary citizens and neighbours who suddenly want to possess this wonderful looking cat and they can't resist it. And then when they keep the cat inside all the time you are never going to know where she's gone to.

Sattar believes that Meeka has been stolen. The presumed theft was reported to the police on August 28 but they did nothing as far as I can tell and they have closed the file. That's another problem in the UK at the moment. The police are sitting on their hands. They do not get off their bottoms for this sort of crime.

They don't do anything for a whole range of crimes including thefts up to thousands of pounds. They simply wash their hands of them. The criminals know this and they know that they will not be caught. This promotes criminality. The police are in acute dereliction of their duty at this present time. It is shameful behaviour and citizens like myself and this lady who has lost a cat are on our own. We have to deal with things without the support of law enforcement in the UK.

Asia's father was very close to Meeka and he still searches for her. He still puts up posters and they have offered a £1,500 reward. Judging by the length of time that the cat has been missing I think we can be very confident that they will not get their cat back unless something big changes.

They might seek the assistance of the cat detective. There is one in the UK who is pretty successful. I am surprised that they haven't contacted him. Sometimes cats do come back after a very long time. Perhaps she hasn't been stolen and is just wondering, having become a stray cat living in the wild. Sometimes domestic cats do that. But I doubt it.

And this, I think, is one of the downsides of owning a purebred cat especially the glamorous ones. You have to keep them in. A lot of people would say you have to keep all cats inside but in the UK it is not the default position. She got to build a catio if she has not done so already, and you've got to leash train your purebred cat if you want to take them outside unsupervised. There are extra things to do and extra responsibilities when you own a snow Bengal cat.

Pictures of 154 purebred cats smuggled by the sea route from mainland China to Taiwan

I have written about this before but I did not have these pictures available to me at that time. The two pictures are worth a thousand words because they give a very clear idea what it was like to smuggle these purebred cats across the sea from mainland China to Taiwan. 

Pictures of 154 purebred cats smuggled by the sea route from mainland China to Taiwan.  Picture: Coastguard admin.

Pictures of 154 purebred cats smuggled by the sea route from mainland China to Taiwan. Picture: Coastguard admin.

This was a valuable cargo which was entirely destroyed by the authorities. What you see is part of it but in all 154 purebred cats including Ragdolls and Bengal cats was seized by the authorities and killed because of bio-security risks. They say that the cats may have had diseases which might present a problem to the human population in Taiwan into the future. They couldn't risk these diseases being spread to people. They didn't consider quarantine which I think would have been a more humane method. In other words, they could have quarantined them for long enough for any disease to be cleared and ticked off.

CLICK FOR THE EARLIER ARTICLE

There was outrage as predicted when the news leaked out to the population. In response, Tsai Ing-wen, the president of Taiwan, responded as a cat lover. She lives with two cats herself. She hoped that in the future a more humane method would be chosen to deal with smuggled cats but in the meantime, she supported the coastguard and the authorities for killing the cats. Reading between the lines I would say that she was deeply disturbed by the killing but she felt that she had to support the authorities for obvious reasons.

Click this for another story about euthanasia: Educated person distributes letter threatening euthanasia of feral cats in neighbourhood

There were calls to amend the existing laws so that this sort of killing wouldn't happen again and the president of the country called for amendments to the existing laws so that these situations could be handled "with the spirit of humanity" to use her words.

The cargo, in all, has been valued at around US$357,000 or 10 million Taiwanese dollars. On monetary value alone, it would have been wise to have found an alternative method to killing them. These were sentient beings and they could have found homes for them. The money raised could have been ploughed back into animal rescue in Taiwan to save lives. It is very easy to destroy something, even sentient, beings but much harder to find the more difficult route and stick to it, even if it is frustrating, troublesome but far more humane.

Bengal cat trapped in neighbour's bathroom and found after two weeks

NEWS AND VIEWS: This is a novel way for a cat to become lost so it is worth mentioning. Also, the cat is a purebred Bengal. His name is Batty. It's unusual for such a glamorous cat to be allowed to wander outside. I'm not sure that I would be able to accept that if I lived with a Bengal cat. Too much worry about the cat being stolen.

Bengal cat Batty. He was trapped in a neighbour's bathroom for two weeks! He is recovering nicely. Photo: Colin McNeil, the owner with his family

Batty lives in Midlothian, Scotland. He was missing for about two weeks because he was trapped in a bathroom in a neighbour's property that was being renovated. The owner left the property unaware that the Bengal cat had entered her bathroom. The report does not tell us this but the door to the bathroom must've been closed on her departure. How else would the cat have been trapped?

The Bengal cat's owner is Colin McNeil and his family. They spent 12 days searching for him, putting up the usual posters et cetera. Colin feared that Batty may have been stolen which is the point I'm making.

Colin was being interviewed by Edinburgh Live when he learned that his cat had been found. As expected, he was hungry and dehydrated. It seems that he had nothing to eat or drink for two weeks. He is being nursed back to full health. They say that he is underweight.

Building contractors were working in the house where he was trapped. It seems odd that they did not spot him. I would have thought that the cat would have made some sounds to notify people of his predicament. Colin McNeil went along to the house and made enquiries but they said that they hadn't seen him. Strangely, McNeil said that the bathroom was wrecked while his cat was in it! I don't understand that part of the story.

I'm not sure that we're getting the full picture here except for the fact that the cat was trapped in a bathroom. It is the first time that I have read about a cat being lost in this way.

Jacqueline Fernandez meditates on the balcony of her apartment in Mumbai with Bengal cat in background

Jacqueline Fernandez and her white Persian showing tear staining due to tear duct overflow. Photo: Instagram.

Jacqueline Fernandez is a Bollywood star born in Sri Lanka and a former model. She likes animals. Thank God for that because the more celebrity animal lovers we have on the planet the greater likelihood that humankind can gradually start to live in harmony with animals. We are very far from that at present. Jacqueline Fernandez lives with four cats we are told. I know that one of them is almost certainly a Bengal cat (see below) - the one you see in the photograph on her Instagram page - another is a pointed Persian A.K.A. a Himalayan cat and a third is an all-white Persian. Both flat-faced with associated health issues such as tear duct overflow.

Fernandez mediating on her flat balcony with her Bengal cat. Photo: Instagram.

The Persian is a contemporary bred cat with a flat-face. They are called "punch-faced Persians" in India because it is as if they have been punched. Not a great description I would hasten to add. Perhaps the description might, just might, encourage cat abuse. But a strong counter to that is Jacqueline Fernandez and her love of animals and cats.

Yoda, I believe, a pointed Persian with a flat-face (Himalayan). Photo: Instagram.

Of the four cats that she lives with, one is also a Ragdoll in my opinion. The cat appears to be a seal-pointed Ragdoll. I don't know the breed of the fourth cat. But please read more about that if you want to by clicking on this link which takes you to the main website.

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Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria buy a Bengal cat for daughter Carmen

NEWS AND VIEWS: So what is the big deal about the title to this post? Carmen, the Baldwin's daughter expressed a wish to adopt a cat companion from the age of 2. The trouble with satisfying that perfectly good request is that Alec Baldwin is allergic to cats we are told by his wife Hilaria. So they had a dilemma. Another dilemma that they had is that Hilaria and Alec Baldwin speak up for animal rights and support PETA.

Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria by Bengal cat for daughter Carmen. Photo: Twitter.

They probably discussed, quite extensively, adopting a rescue cat from a rescue organisation as this would support PETA and support the idea that if people want a new cat they should always go to a rescue centre first. 

But the cat allergy problem scuppered that objective, they thought. So they decided to buy a Bengal cat from a breeder. Hilaria, we are told, did a lot of research and discovered that the Bengal cat is hypoallergenic meaning that the cat does not produce the allergen, or produces less of the allergen Fel D 1, which is a protein in a domestic cat's saliva which causes the allergic reaction in 10% of the population.

I suspect that the research included a discussion with a cat breeder of Bengal cats and the breeder wanted to promote her cattery so she convinced them that Bengal cats do not contain this allergen. I'm afraid they were misled if that is a true assessment. Bengal cats are not hypoallergenic. No domestic cat is in fact. 

They gave a false reason for buying a Bengal cat rather than adopting a rescue cat, which is that Alec Baldwin is allergic to cats and therefore they were forced to go down the route that they did. Note: they knew that all rescue cats will not be hypoallergenic but they did not realise that all purebred cats are the same notwithstanding what the breeders say.

PETA are annoyed but polite because they emphasised that the Baldwins have always supported them and do good in terms of animal welfare. But they say that they have inadvertently encouraged people to purchase a purebred cat rather than adopt a rescue and possibly save that cat's life from euthanasia at a rescue centre.

Perhaps the point of the story is that the Baldwins could have found a better route to compromise. The research should have thrown up the information that Purina have made a dry cat food which masks or suppresses the feline allergen that I mention above. It is called LiveClear and it is on the shelves at the moment. The reviews are pretty good and it seems to me that it works at least well enough to help control the problem.

And there are other ways to manage having a cat companion if you are allergic to them. Quite a lot of people who love cats are allergic to them but they find a way around the problem. An alternative to what I mentioned might have been to adopt a rescue Bengal cat. There are some unwanted Bengal cats out there at rescue centres and with certain organisations such as Purebred Cat Rescue. Her research should have led her to these sorts of organisations and to the Purina food.

I suspect, therefore, that Carmen expressed a strong desire to adopt a Bengal cat and therefore they could not get around that problem. And perhaps she wanted a kitten as well. Most of the rescue animals at shelters are adults.

Therefore, I have to reluctantly conclude that the Baldwins used a false reason for purchasing a Bengal cat but we don't know the full story behind it. I am speculating. There is one final point in that the higher filial wildcat hybrids are a little bit difficult to live with in my opinion and a lot of people don't prepare themselves for it. Although, I suspect that the kitten in the photograph on this page is probably an F5 Bengal cat. I hope so because if he is he will be very much like a typical domestic cat because the wild cat component is a very small percentage of the cat's DNA.

Is this Bengal cat really pink or is this photo-editing?

I want you to tell me in a comment. I have not had a proper comment on this website for a decade!! Or that is what it feels like. I believe that this Bengal cat, bred in Penza, Russia, has a pink background colour to their coat but it is not as pink as we see despite the fact that I have photo-edited the image myself to reduce the pink tint. But if I do it more the hand and wall colour starts to look wrong.

 

Pink Bengal cat with glorious spots. Photo: Sergey Kurenkov.

Bengal cats just don't have pink coats. It's just not right. It's never been seen it before. And I'm not sure what the genetics are to produce this colour. It is entirely unnatural for a cat to have a pink coat! That's obvious because a coat is meant to provide camouflage and pink is not camouflage. In fact, it is the opposite to camouflage because browns and greens are the colours of the landscape.

Russian cat breeders tend to do some extraordinary things. They love their cats and there are quite a few cat breeders in Russia. In the West we don't get much of a chance to discuss Russian cat breeder and their cat fancy. I think we are missing out.

Another nice thing about this cat is the brown doughnut spots are a kind of rusty-brown which integrates well into the pink background. However, I wonder whether this rusty-brown appearance is because the image is photo-edited slightly pink.

If there is any genuineness about the pinkness of this Bengal cat then I would have to say that this is a unique cat, in which case there should be a lot of people talking about it but there are not. The picture comes from a Facebook page concerning the breeding of cats, the members of which are breeders and a lot of them are from Russia or Russian satellite states as I understand it.

CLICK FOR SOME PAGES ON THE BENGAL CAT COAT

Rainbow of colors and patterns of Bengal cats

 This is a nice photograph from F1 Savannahs in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is described by them as "all the colours of Bengals". It actually isn't but it is a damned good photograph nonetheless. These cats are amazing in their variety of colours and patterns. You have super-high contrast solid spots and donuts (doughnuts - spots with holes in the middle) with a three silver cats and three golden brown cats of different shades. Awesome breeding. 

Rainbow of colors and patterns of Bengal cats. Photo: F1Savannahs

At least some of them look like second filial Bengal cats which means they have a lot of wild cat Asian leopard cat DNA in them, if I'm correct. They may all be F2s but I am not sure.

I have a full page on the Bengal cat and many other pages on this popular cat breed so I won't go over the same ground here. If you'd like to explore more please click here (a range of pages on the Bengal cat coat) and here (a single comprehensive page) and here for a range of pages on the breed. Thanks.

I am not affiliated to this breeder. I just like the photograph. I am not keen on cat breeding of any sort to be honest as in this world were there are too many unwanted cats in rescue shelters it seems wrong to me and many others. But it is democracy and capitalism and we have to respect it. 

Difference between Savannah and Bengal cats?

There is one major difference between Savannah and Bengal cats which dictates all the other differences: the wild cat genes of the Savannah cat are those of a serval while the wild genes of the Bengal are those of an Asiatic leopard cat.

 Difference between Savannah and Bengal cats? Photos
(left: Jim Child - right: Kathryn Stucki)

They are both wild cat hybrids. Therefore they both have some wildcat in them. The amount depends on whether the cat concerned is a kitten from a mating between a serval and a domestic cat (first filial or first generation) or if the cat concerned is several generations from that offspring (fifth filial for instance). But they all have some serval in them.

The same basic rule applies to the Bengal cat only the wild cat element is a much smaller wild cat: the Asiatic leopard cat aka leopard cat. The serval is quite a large wild cat and much larger than the leopard cat.

And the serval has a different character to the leopard cat. So taking the first filial (F1) Savannah and Bengal cats the former is larger than the latter and the legs are longer. The character of the former may be a little more amenable to human company than the latter because the leopard cat is vehemently independent while the serval is more pliable I'd say. But that is a fine point.

DIFFERENCE IN SAVANNAH CAT AND BENGAL CAT BEHAVIOR

The big difference is the appearance. Also the coat of the Savannah cat reflects that of the serval: plain dark spots on a yellowish background. The Bengal has rosettes and a more intricate pattern usually. Some of the differences are due to years of selective breeding which has separated their respective appearances more such as spotted Bengals and blotched tabby Bengals. There are arrowhead spots and donuts and so on.

IF YOU WANT AN F1 BENGAL READ THIS

The F1 Savannah cat is better known than the F1 Bengal. Quite a lot of people live with the exotic F1 Savannah because they are so glamorous and large. Also some say that they are slightly hypoallergenic (unproven). Very few people live with F1 Bengals. They are rarer. They are hard to live with. So are F1 Savannahs but probably a bit easier than living with an F1 Bengal.

The most common version of each breed is the fifth filial. These behave like classic domestic cats but they may be a bit more challenging on occasions.

Picture of Bengal Cat Opening Door Using Handle

We have all seen it but never any better than this. This Bengal cat has been caught red handed so to speak.

Photo: Pinterest.

We also know that cats learn by observation. It makes sense that they watch humans open the door and the enterprising individuals with sufficient nous decide to give it a try and voila, you have a Bengal cat looking a bit sheepish caught in the act of doing what his owner does.

Bengals are wild cat hybrids as you know. This boy is possibly an high filial cat judging by his size and if so he has more wild genes in him which in turn should make him more intelligent. I don't think high filial Bengals should be full-time indoor cats. They need more than the normal stimulation but also security. You can't let then roam around the neighbourhood. He'd get stolen.

The obvious way to be a responsible owner of a Bengal cat is to build a nice garden enclosure. So when opens the door and 'escapes' he escapes into a cat containment area.

North London Residents Psyched up About Roaming Bengal Cat

Some residents living in north London think they have wild cat lookalike roaming around their back gardens and many find it a bit disturbing.  They really haven't seen anything like it before but they think it might be the same cat that terrorised the community in 2011, which they called the "Beast of Shepherds Hill". The area concerned in Highgate; quite a fancy area.

Very domestic looking and far from a "beast"!

This wouldn't happen in America, absolutely not because this "miniature leopard" is in fact a Bengal cat and what's amusing is that the newspaper which reported on the story describes the cat incorrectly in my opinion as a Savannah cat.  They are quite different.  The cat as far as I'm concerned is most definitely a spotted Bengal cat and the spots are what are called donuts (doughnuts). At least no one shot it! That is something that would not happen in the UK.

The Bengal cat is a wild cat hybrid but at fifth filial level it is all but domestic. They have been around the cat show circuit since the 1970s - well established and popular. There are many breeders in the UK too so I am surprised they got this wrong, or did they. It seems like one of those, we-have-no-news-today stories; let's find a cat that is terrorising the neighbourhood.

The Crow and the Bengal Cat

This happened about two hours ago, in London, in my communal garden and in a neighbour's garden. It is a slice of cruel natural life.

Daniel

A young crow was attacked by an F3 Bengal cat called Daniel when he was out in the garden under the supervision of his caretaker.

The crow escaped from Daniel and managed to get into a neigbouring garden. A while later there was an enormous commotion. Crows and magpies were circling around and squawking feverishly. This went and on until I went out to investigate.

I looked over the wall into my neighbour's garden. I saw the young crow that had escaped from Daniel on the ground, wings outstretched and on his back.

On top of him was another crow who was stabbing his beak into the other crow's neck and head. The crow was deliberately killing the other bird.

As I looked over the wall the attacking crow jumped off and flew away. The attacked crow flapped both wings gently and died.

The squawking and screaming stopped. All was quiet.

Was this a deliberate killing of a competitor or potential competitor? And were the other birds looking on and enjoying the whole process like a gladiatorial fight?

Date: 31st May 2012 - Time: 12:05

Choosing a Pet Cat

Matching a pet with the owner's personality can be quite important in minimizing the risk of abandonment.  Incidentally, I don't like the terms, "pet" and "owner". I prefer "animal companion" and "cat caretaker" or "cat guardian" (if the animal is a cat).

There are too many cats and dogs being abandoned.  Doris Day once said that there were 12 million cats and dogs put to sleep each year in the USA. Whatever the number is, it is high, very high and a shock. I am sure there are similar percentages of domestic animals euthanized in Europe. It is just not spoken about so much.

People need to reflect more on their reasons for adopting a companion animal before proceeding. The reasons should be legitimate meaning not frivolous. You don't get a pet to match the decor of the house or as a Christmas present for the children.

People should also swot up on companion animal care and the costs. There should almost be an obligatory cooling off period between saying, "let's get a pet!" and actually getting it. That simple act would save millions of cats and dogs I suspect.

Choosing a pet cat begs the question whether you would like a purebred cat or a moggie. Purebreds are relatively rare. Moggies are relatively abundant. If you want to help get a moggie. And get a black one as they live longer.

Some individual cats are more passive and more able to cope with being alone. Some are more able to deal with full-time indoor living and living in small spaces. You will find that some breeders say that the Persian must be a full-time indoor cat. The fur is too long to go out in the mud! The Russian Blue is a delicate, reserved cat that likes the security of a home. The Sphynx is without clothes so needs to be in the warm and out of the sun to avoid the risk of skin problems. This is also a smart cat so will interact well if you like that.

The Ragdoll is laid back. More active cats are the wild cat hybrids, Bengal and Savannah. You'll need to be around for these cats and provide input. Actually all cats require input. It is a fallacy to think that cats are independent. They are self-contained but dependent on us for just about everything.

If you don't like noisy cats don't acquire a Siamese or associated cat breed e.g. Oriental SH. They are known for their vocal skills. The British Shorthair has an almost silent voice.

I think, though that you will find some individual cats of any breed or no-breed more cautious and reserved than others. If you want a cat that is fairly static and happy to curl up,  a more cautious cat will oblige. The more confident male cat is more likely to be unhappy with a lack of space and input from us. He is more likely to want to go out and get into trouble.

Associated page: Choosing a cat breed.

What is the average size of a Bengal cat?

F3 Bengal - Daniel - Photo: Michael

The Bengal cat is a wildcat hybrid. The leopard cat, the wild cat parent is about the size of a domestic cat so the Bengal cat does not vary in size across the types of Bengal cat (i.e. F1 to F6 - first filial to 6th filial).

The Bengal cat is considered a large boned cat (Legacy of the Cat - Gloria Stephens). Gloria says that males weigh from ten to eighteen pounds while females are a bit smaller.

Dr. Fogle (Encyclopedia of the Cat) says that the Bengal cat weighs between 5.5 to 10 kg or 12-22 lbs.

On my page that compares the weights of domestic cat breeds I say that this cat weighs from about 9 to about 13.5 pounds.

Weights will vary considerably between individual cats. The average size of a Bengal cat will be very similar to the size of a slightly large domestic cat.

Which cats like water?

Some cat breeds like water and some individual cats like water. Cats in general don't hate water as some people seem to think.

The cat breeds that are known to like water are (a) Turkish Van - this cat originates from the area around lake Van in Turkey. Is there a connection? (b) Bengal cat - the liking of water comes from the wild cat ancestor of this cat which is a wild cat hybrid. The wild cat ancestor is the leopard cat (c) the Savannah cat - once again this is a wildcat hybrid and wildcat hybrids generally like water more than moggies or other purebred cats.

Of the random bred cats (so called mixed breed cats) any one individual might like water. It is a personal thing. You won't know until you have lived with the cat for a while.

Moggies generally tend not to like to get in the shower or bath with you! Wild cat hybrids do do this however.

Of the wildcats there are several that like water. The most famous wild cat, the tiger, is a great swimmer and likes to spend time in the water to cool off. The well known fishing cat hunts in the water. But there are a number of wildcats that hunt in or near water. The leopard cat is one (as mentioned above).

I have a page on what I call the "water cats"! You can read about these water loving wildcats on this page.