Bengal cat: Learn about characteristics and 5 how to raise them
One of the most beautiful and expensive cat breeds in the world today is the Bengal cat. So what breed of cat is the Bengal cat? Let’s learn with Petlandlover about the origin, characteristics and how to raise this special Bengal cat breed!
1. What breed of cat is the Bengal cat?
Bengal cats, also known as tiger-striped cats, originate from the Americas, appearing in the 19th century, as a result of cross-breeding between Asian wild cats and American domestic cats. The name Bengal is taken from the scientific name of the purebred Asian cat – Felis Bengalensis.
2. Physical characteristics of Bengal cats
Bengal cats have a muscular, strong body, long body, small legs but big and thick feet like their ancestors. In contrast to the plump body, the Bengal cat’s head is slim and small. The eyes are large, round and often sparkling jade. The ears are large and erect. The tail is long and slender.
The special feature that makes the Bengal cat valuable is its striped fur like a leopard. The fur is short and very soft. There are 3 common fur colors: black striped fur, marble fur and brown fur. However, through the process of cross-breeding with other cat breeds to create mutant genes,
Bengal cats can also be white or silver, but they are rare and the value of a purebred breed will not be high.
When mature, Bengal cats can reach a length of 45 to 60cm (excluding the tail) and weigh from 4 to about 7kg, specifically:
- Male cats weigh about 4.5 kg – 6.8 kg.
- Female cats weigh about 3.6 – 5.5 kg.
3. Personality characteristics of Bengal cats
Although originating from wild cats, the Bengal cat’s personality has been very domesticated and is very affectionate. Like other cat breeds, Bengal cats also love to be petted and played with by their owners. Bengal cats are also friendly with other animals and are gentle when playing with children.
Inherited from wild wildcat ancestors, Bengal cats are very agile, intelligent and tend to be destructive at night.
Despite its fierce and unapproachable appearance, Bengal cats have a very intelligent, alert and extremely affectionate personality.
4. Classification of Bengal cats
On the market, Bengal cats come in many colors, but only three colors are recognized by the International Cat Association (TICA): brown, white and silver.
5. How to care for Bengal cats
What do Bengal cats eat?
Just like other cat breeds, you can feed Bengal cats liquid food combined with dry cat food and adjust the diet to suit each stage of development to avoid overweight cats.
In the Bengal cat’s daily diet, meat accounts for about 80%. In addition to meat, it is necessary to add sea fish such as salmon, cod, eggs, vegetables, fruits and fermented dairy products such as cheese, yogurt…
However, you need to be careful to avoid feeding Bengal cats the following foods: sugary foods, fish bones, chicken bones, onions, garlic, pork, canned foods,… because they can affect their health. your health, affecting their digestive tract. At the same time, you should also regularly clean eating utensils to ensure your cat’s intestines stay healthy.
How do Bengal cats behave?
Bengal cats love to climb, so you need to create space for them to climb freely, otherwise they will find places you don’t want them to climb. The climbing pole is designed for Bengal cats and can be placed near windows so they can climb up and see the world around them for fun.
In particular, Bengal cats love to play in water, so water storage areas in the house need to be carefully covered to prevent cats from getting sick from soaking in water.
How to care for Bengal cat fur
Because this cat breed’s coat is very soft and silky, you don’t need to groom it too much. Every day you just need to brush the fur to untangle and remove loose hair with a specialized tool.
Vaccinate Bengal cats
To ensure your cat’s health, you should vaccinate them at an early age, take them for regular health checks, and pay attention to regular deworming.
Health of Bengal cats
Bengal cats originate from healthy wild cats, so their health is quite good and stable, with few minor illnesses. Average lifespan of
Bengal cats have a lifespan of about 14 -16 years if they live in the right environment and are properly cared for.
Bengal cats are still at risk of health problems like other cat breeds such as: Genetic diseases: Cardiac hypertrophy and retinal atrophy, anesthetic allergies, dangerous infectious diseases in cats: Care disease, FIP in cats or panleukopenia…
Therefore, Bengal cats should have regular health checks every 6 months or 1 year.
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