A Brief History of the (Bengal) Universe |
Whilst the Bengal Cat as we know it today has it's roots in the 1960's, with
it's development picking up pace in the early 1980's, the first reports of
'hybrid' cats being developed date to the 19th Century.
According to an article (published by
Gregory Kent, Ph.D. and Elizabeth Kent, M.S. in 1997) records from
the English Cat Fancy circa 1871, suggest the the Spotted British Short Hair was
a hybrid - the result of a mating between a feral spotted jungle cat and a
1871 - Crystal Palace
The development of the Cat Fancy as we know it today is accredited to Harrison
Weir. The following extract is taken from his book “Our Cats”.
"Many years ago that, when thinking of the large number of cats kept in
London alone, I conceived the idea that it would be well to hold “Cat Shows,” so
that the different breeds, colors, markings, etc., might be more carefully
attended to, and the domestic cat, sitting in front of the fire, would then
possess a beauty and an attractiveness to its owner unobserved and unknown
because uncultivated heretofore. Prepossessed with this view of the subject, I
called on my friend Mr. Wilkinson, the then manager of the Crystal Palace. With
his usual businesslike clear-headedness, he saw it was “a thing to be done.” In
a few days I presented my scheme in full working order: the schedule of prizes,
the price of entry, the number of classes, and the points by which they would be
judged, the number of prizes in each class, their amount, the different
varieties of color, form, size, and sex for which they were to be given; I also
made a drawing of the head of a cat to be printed in black on yellow paper for a
posting bill. Mr. F. Wilson, the Company’s naturalist and show manager, then
took the matter in charge, worked hard, got a goodly number of cats together"
This was in 1870, with his vision becoming a reality of the 13th July 1871 as
the first organized cat show was held at the world famous Crystal Palace in
London. In addition to staging the show, Harrison Weir, also determined the
rule / standards by which the exhibits were judged against.
were exhibited at this show, including: Persian, Angoras, Manx, Abbyssinian and
Royal Cats of Siam. Interestingly, amongst the other classes exhibited
were "Domestic Cats crossed with Wild Cats"
left is an illustration from a copy of The Illustrated London News which
covered the 1871 show. The legend for the illustration of prize-winning exhibits reads:- Top
left-to-right: Persian rare colour Violet; Hybrid Wildcats; Silver Tabby.
Further shows took place in 1873 in London and Birmingham. In 1875, the
Crystal Palace show was staged again, and once again, there was a class for "Wild
or Hybrid between Wild and Domestic Cats".
Cecil Boden-Kloss, (Director of the Raffles Museum of
Biodiversity in Singapore) wrote to "Cat Gossip" regarding hybrids between wild
and domestic cats in Malaya: "I have never heard of hybrids between
bengalensis (the Leopard Cat) and domestic cats. One of the wild tribes of the
Malay Peninsula has domesticated cats, and I have seen the woman suckling
bengalensis kittens, but I do not know whether the latter survive and breed with
A Belgian scientific journal published an article detailing
the first recorded attempt to create a hybrid cross between a domestic cat and
the Asian Leopard Cat
Cat Fancy publication documents the first attempts of
creating and keeping a hybrid domestic cat/Leopard cat as a pet.
Jean Mill taking several graduate genetics classes
at UC Davis. Her mid term paper was on the subject of 'hybridizing
cats' - a proposal to cross Persian and Siamese to make 'Panda Bear'
Jean Mill known as one of three breeders (unknown to one
other) working to develop the Himalayan cat.
1950's - 1960's
were attempts to breed the Oncilla (picured opposite) or Little Spotted
Cat (F tigrina) with the Margay (F wiedii syn. Leopardus wiedii) by Dutch
breeder Mme Falken-Rohrle in the 1950s. These appear to have been unsuccessful.
Until the early 1960’s, there are no records of anyone in the
United States breeding Leopard Cat / domestic hybrids. This changed as Leopard
Cats were imported into the United States in large numbers; primarily as objects
of interest, known for their beautiful spotted coats and dreadful dispositions.
Because of the Leopard Cats non-domestic temperament many Leopard Cat owners
began to experiment with hybridization to secure a more suitable nature. Well
known breeders of the Leopard Cat/domestic hybrids in the 1960’s were Robert Boudy, William Engler (a zoo keeper), Delores Newman and Ethel Hauser. These hybrids were
primarily first generation cats (F1’s). The activities of these early
hybridizers led to increased interest in Bengals as well as other hybrid
crosses. During the 1960’s and 1970’s there was little concerted
effort to actually create a breed of cat from these early Leopard Cat/domestic
hybrids. However, there were a number of cat clubs formed to promote hybrid cat
breeding. These clubs were especially interested in the hybrid cats that had
already become known as "Bengals". The naming of these hybrids as "Bengals" has
been attributed to William Engler (now deceased). William Engler was a member of
the Long Island Ocelot Club and a breeder of first generation Bengals for many
years in the 1960’s. The name, Bengal, was probably derived from the Leopard
Cats scientific name, Prionailurus Bengalensis.
1963 - 1965
Mill - "My earliest experience with using wild cats was in 1963, when I
bought my first leopard cat, which were available in pet shops at that time. I
and my first husband owned a cattle feeding operation in Yuma, Ariz. Because the
animal seemed lonely in my large cage, I put a black tomcat in with my leopard
cat to keep her company. Although experts said it couldn't happen, the animals
mated and produced a curious little hybrid female named 'Kin Kin (pictured
opposite)'. Then the experts at Cornell University guessed that the kitten
would be sterile, but it, in turn, produced a second-generation litter. When my
husband died in 1965, I had to move from the ranch into an apartment in
Claremont, California, and had to give up my fascinating hobby"
1963 - 1965
Zoological Society of London's 'International Zoo Yearbook' (1965) reported that
five hybrid kittens were born at Tallinn Zoological Park, Estonia (formerly USSR) in 1963 to a
male F bengalensis (Asian Leopard Cat) and female domestic Cat.
1968 - 1970
The Zoological Society of London's 'International Zoo
Yearbook' (1970) reported two male
hybrids were born at Kaunas, Lithuania (formerly USSR) in 1968 to an Amur
leopard Cat (F bengalensis euptilura) and a Jungle Cat (F Chaus), - another
species that hybridises freely with domestic cats.
In the early 1970’s, several other Bengal breed lines
appeared. These included lines from Ken Hatfield, Judy Frank,
Eleanor Schroen, Gordon Meredith and Mary Gepford (the latter two were responsible for the breeding in the
The Centerwall experiments - During the early 1960's, there was
an epidemic of feline leukemia. Around this time, it was discovered that many
wild cats had a natural immunity to feline leukemia, as well as other illnesses
such as FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and feline AIDS. The asian leopard
cat was one such cat, and Loyola University started a research
program to see if the trait that allowed immunity to such conditions could be
bred in or replicated. Dr Willard Centerwall, a professor, was researching the
partial immunity ALC's have to feline leukemia, and in his research, done in the
late 1970's, he was using the blood taken from ALC/Domestic crosses. The
breedings in the Centerwall experiments were done by Gordon Meredith, and Mary
Gepford. These F1's (first generation removed from ALC) had no use other than
having their blood drawn for testing so homes were needed for them
None of these breeders produced hybrids beyond the second generation (F2)
hybrid. During the 1960’s and 1970’s there was little concerted effort to
actually create a breed of cat from these early Leopard Cat/domestic hybrids.
However, there were a number of cat clubs formed to promote hybrid cat breeding.
These clubs were especially interested in the hybrid cats that had already
become known as "Bengals". The naming of these hybrids as "Bengals" has been
attributed to William Engler (now deceased). William Engler was a member of the
Long Island Ocelot Club and a breeder of first generation Bengals for many years
in the 1960’s. The name, Bengal, was probably derived from the Leopard Cats
scientific name, Prionailurus Bengalensis.
Three Bengal Clubs of this time period, which also published newsletters with
many articles about Bengals, are no longer in existence. One California Bengal
Club (formed by Margaret Lenox in 1970) published a newsletter edited by John
and Juleen Jackson entitled: Alliance to Conserve Exotic Cats.
1975 / 1980
Jean Sugden remarried, becoming Jean Mill, and again thought
about creating a spotted breed. Jean wanted to provide an acceptable spotted
feline for cat lovers, one who would make a good pet but retain the beauty of
the leopard cat. She thought this might dissuade people from wearing fur coats
that resembled beloved pets:
"..I deliberately crossed leopard cats with domestic cats for several
important reasons. At that time, wild cats were being exploited for the fur
market. Nursing female leopard cats defending their nests were shot for their
pelts, and the cubs were shipped off to pet stores worldwide. Unsuspecting cat
lovers bought them, unaware of the danger, their unpleasant elimination habits
and the unsuitability of keeping wild cats as pets.
Most of the wild kittens from this era ended up in zoos or escaped onto city
streets. I hoped that by putting a leopard coat on a domestic cat, the pet trade
could be safely satisfied. If fashionable women could be dissuaded from wearing
furs that look like friends' pets, the diminished demand would result in less
poaching of wild species."
in 1980**, Jean Sudgen, now Mrs. Jean Mill,
acquired 4** female hybrids
from Dr. Willard Centerwall who had been involved in a
breeding program where Asian Leopard Cats were crossed with domestic cats as
part of a study of feline Leukaemia.
** Discrepancy. Numerous
websites refer to Jean Mill obtaining 8 ALC hybrids from Dr Centerwall in
On Jean Mill's website she states "In 1980..,Bob Mill agreed to
restarting my project in our tree-filled back yard,... In trying to obtain
another ALC, I contacted Capt. Zobel of the Calif. Fish and Game, who referred
me to Dr. Willard Centerwall in Riverside. Bill was enthusiastic about sharing
some F1 kittens he had produced using domestic tabbys at Loma Linda University
for his studies into Feline Leukemia. Once the F1s had donated blood samples for
his research, he needed homes for them. He gave me
Amber (3/4 ALC), (2)Favie
(for Favorite), (3)Shy
Sister, and (4)Doughnuts,
all his family's pets.
Jean goes onto explain how she
obtained another five hybrids from the Centerwall project:
"Gordon Meridith had obtained some of Bill's stock earlier for his little
zoo in the Mojave desert, but in 1980, was in the hospital, struck down with
cancer. He asked Bill to place his cats for him. Bill and I 'rescued' five
original hybrids (now adult), which I named
(8)Raisin Sunday (she was partially leopard spotted but with
large white-spotting blazes on face, legs, and lower half), and
(who ate her only litter). Gordon had bred them to an Abysinnian tom.."
Jean Mill began again to further the new breed. As
only female hybrids are fertile for the first few generations, so the males
could not be used to start her breeding program.) She then set out to find
appropriate male companionship for her hybrids.
After a long search, Mill selected two males: a sweet-tempered brown spotted
tabby shorthair who she acquired at a local shelter, and a shorthair with dark
brown rosettes and an orange ground color who came all the way from India:
(see 1980/82 below)
The Long Island Ocelot Club, which was a group of exotic cat
enthusiasts that included some 80 members of the C.F.A. board, also had a
hybridizers group called: Walk on the Wild Side. They published articles and
papers (1977 – 1980) concerning both Bengals and Safari cats. Another Bengal
Club, with members in all areas of the United States, was the "Bengal-seen
Luchsals Fanciers" which was organized by Sylvia Miroir in 1977. These later
Bengal fanciers actually bred some second and third generation Bengals which
were registered with the American Cat Fanciers Association (A.C.F.A.) in 1977 as
experimental and exhibited at several A.C.F.A. cat shows in the late 1970’s.
1980 / 82
Jean Mill-"..while in India, my husband and I found a
domestic street cat whose colouring and pattern came close to the leopard look.
Much red tape later, we succeeded in importing the kitten into United States,
where I used him with the female hybrids. Millwood Tory of Delhi is found in
virtually all Bengal pedigrees." From there, the breed was established.
Exact year unknown - In an interview between Jean Mill and
Claire Robson, Jean is quoted referring to the trip in 1980. On Jeans'
website, the trip is dated to 1982
In the early 1980’s the Cat Fanciers Association (C.F.A.)
allowed Bengals to be registered as domestic cats (probably due to pressure from
the C.F.A board members who were also members of the Long Island Ocelot
Club's hybridizers sub-group called: Walk on the Wild Side.
early 1980’s another line of Bengals emerged as Greg and Elizabeth Kent began
developing their own line of Bengals using Asian Leopard Cats and C.F.A.
registered Egyptian Mau’s as the outcross. Many of the present Bengals now shown
were derived from foundation Bengals coming from their breeding program.
Jean Mill registers the first Bengal Cat with TICA as a
The C.F.A ban
all cats with any feral blood in their ancestory, from the C.F.A registry.
This is put down to either or both of the following reasons:
1) An unfortunate incident at a C.F.A. show, involving an F1 hybrid.
2) Jean Mill "I imported several more domestics from India to make beautiful
Indian Mau babies while simultaneously nursing my hybrids. Rumors spread that I
was putting wild blood into the Maus (as if I would call the precious few
hybrids common Maus!!) and in 1985, antagonists convinced CFA not to accept the
Bengals and to retract my domestic Indian line Mau registrations"
Bengal first shown in the TICA as a new/experimental breed
class. Jean Mill brought Bengals to the public attention once again
by showing spotted cats with a small percentage of feral blood which were
attractive and manageable. As the new found popularity of the Bengal breed
increased so did the number of breeders and owners, which led to the formation
of the T.I.C.A. Bengal Breed Section.
The Bengal breed section adopted the first written breed
standard in 1986,
Jean Mill creates the first 'Marble: "1987, another
surprise! Cinders and Torchbearer had an astonishing new kind of kitten. She was
a spectacular little female with an odd soft, cream-colored coat and weird
pattern that looked like drizzled caramel. At the Incats show in Madison Square
Garden, and all over the country, she was a sensation!!
The judges were overcome
by her beauty and my cages were inundated by people wanting a glimpse. Most
liked her better than her spotted cousin, Jungle Echo. I hadn't intended to
include anything except spots in my first standard, but 'by popular demand' the
marbles were added, thanks to jewel-like Painted Desert and Emberglow"
The first Bengal Bulletin was published in Nov/Dec 1988.
last fertile Bristols (Reputably bred in the 1980's as Domestic x Margay (pictured
opposite) ) ;were absorbed into the early Bengal breed to augment the
Bengal's limited gene pool (due to inbreeding). In 1991,Solveig Pflueger, TICA's
geneticist, heard of some cats housed at a private residence in Texas. These
were registered with TICA as "Bristol Cats" - a breed believed to be extinct
through infertility. The colony numbered about 10 cats and its sire was Cajun
(then quite old); it was not very fertile, averaging 2 litters per year. Cajun's
rosettes resembled those of an ocelot or margay and he was believed to be an
ocelot, margay or oncilla (tiger cat) hybrid.
Breed books and articles of the
1980s reported the Bristol as a margay hybrid. Cajun had a very white ground
colour on his chest and belly, very small and rounded ears, and a voice like
that of an ocelot. Though less striking, the other cats were also clearly
hybrids. Some had the black smoky charcoal colour that sometimes appears in F1
and F2 Bengals. Investigation unearthed photos of an ocelot-type cat mating with
a domestic shorthair. The two Bristol females young enough to be used in
breeding were placed in Bengal breeding programmes (one with Gogees, one [Sugarfoot]
with Belltown). Belltown Sugarfoot produced several Bengal/Bristol litters and
one of the kittens was incorporated into the Gogees line. The cats bearing
Bristol blood inherited a more robust type, small ears and good rosetting. The
problem of infertility was bred out and the Bengal gene pool was enhanced.
Several Bengal breeders have lines that go back to Bristol/Bengal crosses,
The fourth generation, SBT (studbook) generation moved into
Championship status with TICA and are a Category I (Established Breed).
In May of 1994 the lynx, mink and sepia spotted tabbies along
with the marbles joined the brown spotted tabbies in championship classes. Only
Bengals with a three-generation pedigree of Bengal-to-Bengal breeding (SBT) are
eligible to compete for championship titles
Silver color accepted for Championship status with TICA.