The Breathtaking Marbled Bengal Cat

Paragon Bengals Tri-Color Marble Male Kitten At 12 Weeks of Age

What’s all this swirly business?  Aren’t Bengal cats supposed to be spotted?  Aren’t they supposed to resemble the (spotted) Asian Leopard Cat?  Isn’t that the ancestry from which this captivating breed derives its origin? The answer is “YES, YES, and YES!!!”  However, the marbled pattern in the Bengal breed is an accepted pattern in the cat fancy.  The first one making its debut in the show rings in 1987 was owned by Jean Mill, who is accredited with not only having the vision for the Bengal breed, but also for getting it established and accepted by the cat fancies.  The judges and crowd were “WOWed” by this spectacular cat that looked as if it had caramel drizzled over it!  Its marbled pattern had a non-traditional horizontal flow to it, rather than the traditional vertical mackerel tabby pattern.  The Bengal breed was developed using domestic tabby cats and crossing them with the wild Asian Leopard cat.  The mackerel tabby pattern (most common) is vertical, resembling tiger stripes. 

TABBY PATTERNS

The classic tabby pattern is circular, resembling a bull’s eye (American Shorthair).  The Asian Leopard cat’s spots are patterned in a horizontal flow. 

ASIAN LEOPARD CAT

By mixing these traits together in the development of the Bengal breed, the Marbled Bengal has emerged.  The Asian Leopard cat’s dominant horizontal flow combined with the dominant tabby stripe has seemingly caused a genetic mutation of the Bengal cat’s spots, from time to time, causing them to stretch out and elongate horizontally across the cat’s body, giving it a marbled pattern much like those found in the wild.  However, all Bengal cats must have spotted tummies.

Bengal cat breeders have begun to selectively breed for the most exotic marbling patterns on their marbled Bengals to perpetuate them into the breed.  While there are several wild cats cloaked in these beautiful marbled coats (the Marbled Cat,

MARBLED CAT

Clouded Leopard,

CLOUDED LEOPARDS

some Ocelots,

OCELOT

Margay,

MARGAY

and King Cheetah),

KING CHEETAH

the patterns of the Clouded Leopard and King Cheetah are the rarest and often times the ones the Bengal breeders strive for in their marbled breeding programs.

Islands in the Sun

Meow is like aloha – it can mean anything.  ~ Hank Ketchum

We  will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary (October 12th) in beautiful and sunny Hawaii this year!  We’re excited; but, at the same time, hate leaving our kids and “furkids” for a week.  The bittersweetness of it all.  Oh, whatever!  I think it’s actually the SWEETNESS of Pina Coladas and the SALTINESS of the ocean breeze stirring  my senses.  Yes, yes, that must be it!  Anyway, it looks like Tinkerbell is cool with it.  She’s sporting her Hawaiin lei and bidding us “aloha.”  What a wonderful Bengal cat she is!  Aloha . . . . that does mean “Goodbye.  Have a great trip!” doesn’t it???

We’ll be back October 16th.  Until then . . . .

ALOHA!

Tink’s Photo by Helmi Flick

Editing by Kim Walker

Egyptian Goddess

In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this. ~Terry Pratchett

 

Historically revered as goddesses by ancient Egyptians, cats still perpetuate our love and devotion today.  Most  do not have to work for their keep.  But, instead, are doted on and loved in a somewhat similar fashion as did the Egyptians who proclaimed them to be deity thousands of years ago.   Cats  enjoyed a life of being constantly attended to and held in high regard.  Even when death came to a cat in Egypt, they were mummified and entombed with precious jewels and mummified rats to enjoy in their next life.  The families who hosted the cats would even shave off their eyebrows as an outward sign of their mourning of the deceased cat.  Because of their status of deity, Egyptian cats enjoyed many of the same luxuries as the powerful and wealthy of that time.

Has the lifestyle of today’s house-cat changed much, over time?  No, not much.  We still hold these eloquent felines in high regard.   We love stroking their silky-soft fur and listening to their gentle and relaxing purr.  They can engage us into play with but one mischevious, daring look.  They calm our souls and soothe our senses.  Is it any wonder why they continue to possess the status they have enjoyed over time?

Photo by Helmi Flick

Happy Friday!

May your heart be merry. 

 

May you enjoy the simple things in life. 

 

And, for the weekend, may you be hit with a double-dose of the Bengal Crazies!!!