<p>For the cat lovers on CC, are they really ALL as domesticated as a regular house cat? Okay, I admit it, I am not a cat lover to begin with. I know someone who is getting one of these Bengal cats. Right now I cannot picture myself going to their home to visit them. I think that I will be absolutely scared to death to visit someone with an animal that looks like a wild cat (leapord) in their home!</p>
<p>First, I don’t have a Bengal or even know anyone who has a Bengal, so take my comments with that in mind. I had researched Bengals this week because my petsitter thought one of my cats could be part Bengal due to some of his personality traits (after research, I think she is mistaken and that his personality is due to his Abyssinian, not Bengal, heritage). In any case I don’t think you would need to be too concerned about the average pet Bengal. </p>
<p>There is apparently a type of Bengal known as the Foundation Bengal, which is many fewer generations removed from its wild ancestor (the Asian Leopard Cat) and thus retains many more of its wild traits. From what I can tell this isn’t the type of Bengal cat most average pet owners would attempt to take on; most Bengals marketed as pets are more generations removed from the wild ancestor. Unless your friend has a Foundation Bengal, they will probably most likely just have a very active, very intelligent, very social housecat. Some areas still consider them exotics and require licensing.</p>
<p>[The</a> International Bengal Cat Society Homepage](<a href=“http://www.bengalcat.com/whatis.aspx]The”>http://www.bengalcat.com/whatis.aspx)</p>
<p>Thanks. I have been reading about them too. I did not realize that some areas still consider them to be exotics and require different licensing. I did learn that if they are closer in generations to the Asian Leopard they will have more wild traits. I have no idea how many generations this animal will be from the Asian Leopard.</p>
<p>I love Bengals! Granted they’re not like regular cats…they can jump HIGH, and their balance is much better than any cat I’ve owned. </p>
<p>I really don’t think they’re wild…pretty much all of them should be domesticated. At least the few that I’ve known and seen seem very well behaved and loving.</p>
<p>If you want a wild cat…look into Savannah’s…you might even find an F1 or F2 (just 1 or 2 generations removed from wild African descendants). Now those, are some cool cats.</p>
<p>I have a friend who has a Bengal cat. They are AMAZING! Really sleek, intelligent, and super playful. The one she has seems just as docile as the average housecat, yet it is more alert and moves in a streamlined and exotic manner. They aren’t THAT different than a typical kitty - just enough. If it weren’t for allergies in our home, I would run out and get two of them today.</p>
<p>How about a Serngeti cat? They are a cross between Bengal and Oriental cats.</p>
<p>[Serengeti</a> cat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serengeti_cat]Serengeti”>Serengeti cat - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Totally cool looking felines. My big-eared, long-tailed calico/tabby kitten for a while looked like the cat in the Wikipedia picture (^^), and one of my friends was convinced thet she was a purebred - LOL!</p>
<p>We have an F-5 female Bengal (F-1 = 50% ALC, F-2= 25%…). She has a very assertive personality and makes her presence known. She’s as vocal as a Siamese but her meow is more pleasant to hear. She will not just rub against your leg, but also butt her head against a person if she wants attention and doesn’t think she is getting any. Bengals are known to like water but mine doesn’t. She doesn’t jump any more than my mongrel cats did. If she is in the mood, she will follow you around like a dog.</p>
<p>My nephew’s bengal sleeps with him every night. He is a ball of energy but very affectionate.</p>