Alice White
The Bengal cat is a unique example of successful crossbreeding between wild and domestic breeds. They are active, playful, and sociable pets.
#1 Bengal cat is a rather rare and therefore especially valuable specimen
The beauty, strength, and grace of large predators are truly mesmerizing, but, of course, few people would think of keeping a tiger or panther in their apartment for reasons of humanity and elementary safety. But a small domestic "leopard" is a very real alternative. The Bengal breed combines the best features of ancestors: not only attractive appearance but also intelligence, curiosity, activity, friendliness.
#2 As you know, new breeds of domestic cats appear mainly as a result of careful selection designed to obtain animals with the desired characteristics of the parents of different artificially created species or to consolidate the result of natural mutation.
The emergence of the Bengal cat, in fact, was the result of the persistent work of one enthusiast, acting in spite of unfavorable life circumstances and the prejudices of colleagues. The name of this single-minded woman is Jane Mill. While studying at the University of California at Davis, a genetics student was interested in the possibility of creating a new breed by crossing the royal Siamese and Persian individuals. But the scientific supervisor considered this research topic "frivolous", advising him to focus on the selection of something more practical that could interest rural or livestock farms. The idea was abandoned, but not forgotten.
#3 In 1961, during a working trip to Thailand, Jane first saw wild leopard cats and was completely fascinated by these big-eyed creatures.
There, a shocked American woman learned that the existence of the species is threatened by the hunt for their unusual fur. To save at least one spotted handsome man, she bought and brought Malaysia home, where a mongrel black cat already lived. The mistress had no plans to obtain common offspring, and the birth of Keen-Keen was a real surprise. The "hybrid" cat, in turn, gave birth to two kittens, but it was not possible to continue the line: the girl did not inherit the characteristic color of the Far Eastern cats and was distinguished by a bad temper, and the boy died by a tragic accident. Kin-Kin herself, without bringing another offspring, died of pneumonia.
