Bengal (cat).

Bengal (cat). Bengal (cat), breed of shorthaired cat developed in the late 1970s. The Bengal was developed by breeding several different types of domestic cats, including the American shorthair, the Egyptian Mau, and the Abyssinian, with the wild Asian leopard cat. This breeding program produced a cat with the disposition of a domestic cat and the look of a wild leopard. The Bengal is a large cat with a long, muscular body. Males typically weigh 4.5 to 6 kg (10 to 13 lb) and females weigh 3 to 4 kg (7 to 9 lb). The head is longer than it is wide, with a large nose and prominent whisker pads. The large, oval-shaped eyes may be any color. The medium- to small-sized ears have rounded tips and are wide at the base. The thick, glossy coat is soft and has dark, randomly placed spots against a lighter background. Even the cat's stomach is spotted. The spots are black, brown, tan, or different shades of brown, contrasting sharply with the rest of the fur, which is yellow, tan, gold, or orange. The Bengal is a placid cat with a wonderfully social disposition, making it a good family pet. The International Cat Association recognized the Bengal as an official breed in 1991, but the breed is not accepted by all cat associations. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.