In Search of the Perfect Bengal
Just for fun, here’s a very short survey designed for Bengal cat and kitten owners to help us determine what we believe the “perfect Bengal” is. There are 5 multiple choice questions and one essay (text box used for question’s answer). Click on the link to begin the survey. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KWLXM7Q
The Results Are In!
When we polled our survey respondents, we found out there are MANY reasons the Bengal cat is so popular today! Here’s what we found out about the breed AND the breeders.
100% of the people who responded to the survey said the Bengal cat’s “stylish, good looks” was one of the things that attracted them to the breed. 80% said the Bengal’s intelligence was important to them; while 60% said the Bengal’s “dog-like attributes” and its “wild” ancestory were focal points. The Bengal’s love of water, talkativeness, athletic ability, and its hypo-allergenic attribute all came in at 40%. Lastly, only 20% of respondents wanted a Bengal cat because “not everyone has one.”
When asked how they discovered the cattery they ultimately purchased their Bengal from, 40% of respondents said it was through an Internet search engine such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. Another 40% indicated it was from meeting the breeder at a cat show. Lastly, 20% combined both strategies before making their decision.
Moreover, we wanted to uncover the reason(s) people bought their Bengal(s) from the cattery they did. We found that 60% bought from a cattery due to its good reputation, sound purchase contract and health guarantee. A nice, clean environment with happy, healthy cats and kittens weighed in at 2nd in importance to those surveyed (40%). Other tools people used in their decision-making process were nice magazine advertisements &/or websites; follow-up phone conversations from breeder; and the breeder being personable and demonstrating he or she did indeed care for the cats and kittens.
We wondered why people made their selection over all the other kittens they looked at. Here’s what we found. 60% of those surveyed indicated that the sex of the kitten was the most important factor in their decision! 40% said their Bengal had the coolest personality and most closely matched the breed’s standard. 20% specified that beauty and lots of spots were deciding factors. 20% also said their kitten “picked them!”
Since looks seemed to be so important, we asked the respondents to tell us their favorite Bengal coat pattern. Remarkably, the results were nearly split down the middle! 40% listed the pancake rosetted pattern as the pattern they see their “perfect Bengal” possessing. Another 40% listed the marbled pattern as their ideal. 20% said they preferred the traditional rosetted pattern.
When asked why the Bengal cat or kitten owned by the respondents was perfect for them, they listed the following traits.
- constant source of entertainment
- unconditional love
- curious
- source of joy
- beauty
- best personality, and
- their desire to always interact with you and everything you do.
One Comment
In November 2010
I purchased a Rossetted Male Bengal Kitten from Paragon Bengals in Oklahoma.
I first spent one and a half years researching The Bengal Cat Breed. I also looked at other Bengal Catteries and their cats, from all over the U.S. on-line.
I could not have received a higher quality kitten that I was blessed to have bought from Paragon Bengals.
He has the richest coloring an glitter all over his body that is still breathtaking to look at still, at 6 months. I am so enchanted with his big black and dark copper open rossettes.
I can’t wait untile he is 1 year old, this color of Bengal is an explosion of color, i can’t stop looking at him.
Thank you Kimberly for this spectacular big boy!!!
I love him so much. Rebecca