Bengals

I recently adopted two kittens. One was the cat I really wanted, and the second, a solid black, was given to me as a companion. (They're both excellent cats and I love them both regardless). The one I wanted, Alcott, I was told is a purebred Bengal. I'm in GA, where Bengals are illegal, but the story I got was that he was bred by someone out of state, the 1st owner moved and had too many expenses, he was sold to the woman I got him from who happens to run a cat adoption agency. The woman I got him from then went through a nasty divorce and a series of other unfortunate events, and so they put him up through adoption at the agency, which is where I found him.
I love Alcott regardless of his breed, but as he ages I question if he's really a purebred bengal. When he was born he had light but still defined spots, and as he ages he is losing them. I know bengals go through a period of losing/fading spots, but at almost 18 weeks I thought it'd be over. I've also heard that his particular type- seal lynxpoint-- often take about a year to fully develop their coat.
Pictures:

At about 9-12 weeks:


Present:
The stripes on his legs have darkened slightly since I've gotten him, and there are faint spots on his stomach that I'm not certain were there when I first got him. Also, the camera I use is VERY poor quality. His back is not solid white, but more of a cream color that is somewhat inconsistent across his back. The stripes on his legs are also slightly darker- more coffee colored.



What do you think? Is he purebred after all? I know the foster mom I got him from paid 450 dollars to get him from the first owner (they knew each other somehow) so I don't think any of the owners got lied to (I can't imagine an adoption agency lying about his breed, especially judging on the people I met there), so I wonder if the breeder swindled them, or if he *is* purebred, just not an excellent example of the breed.

I find it hard to tell by just looking whether he is purebred- you would need his pedigree to be certain. He sure is cute though!!!He looks like a kitty someone on the Board recently rescued and she thought the ct was a snowshoe Siamese but the kitty was in actuality a Bengal. $450 is a lot tho - maybe not for a Bangal depending on the market there. Can I ask why Bengals are illegal in Ga?

Some ricidulous reason-- exotics are illegal and since they have a wild ancestor. I don't remember the details.
He's adorable, and actually the little black one I got for free is very pretty to and has really shiny fur...they're the best of both worlds. Alcott is very intelligent and playful, and London (the black one) is very cuddly and loves to be held, even if he's not so bright sometimes.
450 seems to be the going rate for purebreds in the southeast, usually a bit more actually. I only paid 200 for him, but it took weeks to talk them down to that.

$450 might be a good price for a Bengal actually - esp one with a pedigree if you have the registration. Not without it tho - that may be why they agreed to the $200 I admittedly paid more than $450 for my Siamese below but she is show quality. Pet quality is of course less expensive.

I gather then that Ga must have classified Bengals as exotic pets - that IS ridiculous since they may have some wild ancestors but so does the domestic short hair. I guess that means Ga's Cat Fanciers cannot show Bengals? What s shame!

He's a very pretty boy!! To me he looks like either a 'low quality' (no offense meant!!) snow bengal, or maybe a bengal/siamese cross??
It's weird that his spots went away... What colour are his paw pads??
As for the price... here in Canada a pet quality Bengal from a good breeder would be around $1000.

His paw pads are a dark brown, and like I said, there is some very faint spotting, but its very strange. I talked to another breeder who said she's seen spots at birth eventually fade, but not fade then return, though she admittedly wasn't experience with snow bengals.
The pictures don't do him justice-- all his stripes are very well defined and his eyes are a beautiful color. Regardless I love him, but I would love it if those spots returned...

huh my new kitten looks a lot like your bengals. except she's not striped all over, she's more light greyish...letm e see if i can find a pic...


i always thought she looked kinda siamese cuz her ears are dark but she looks morel ike your kitten, especially those blue eyes.

I think he looks like he is a Snow Bengal. I have a regular Bengal. You can see him in my Signature. Anyway, Bengals do go through a stage calle "the fuzzies", where they kind of look drab. If the kittie is pedigree'd you would have your proof, and the kittie could well be pedigreed, and they might have lost the papers, but I think it looks like a Snow Bengal, but I would have to say it is NOT show quality, but who cares about that. The tail looks a little dark, but then I don't know that much about Snow Bengals.

Remind me not to move to Georgia. The Wild Ancestry is too far back for a Bengal to be anything but a domestic cat.

By the way, I would say the average Bengal costs about $500 at the least. I paid $1000 for my Simba, and he's not the highest quality Bengal by any means. Bengals are very expensive cats.

I can't imagine anyone ever actually getting their pet taken away...I mean, cops aren't prowling the streets for bengal owners...But I imagine you couldn't get away with activley breeding them here.

Likely a snow bengal or possiblely a lynx pt siamese ... Is is body getting more cream as he ages>??? .. I have a "redhead " bengal cross so I have learned about odd looking ones .. Whatever he is he is gorgeous

Originally Posted by RinaDaventry

I can't imagine anyone ever actually getting their pet taken away...I mean, cops aren't prowling the streets for bengal owners...But I imagine you couldn't get away with activley breeding them here.

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Tell them it's a siamese if anybody asks. They could never prove any different, LOL.
As for being a purebred, seal lynx points often don't show their markings until 6 month old. Maybe he is just a slow developer and the spots will come back?
http://www.hdw-inc.com/bengalcolorspatterns.htm

Thanks for the link-- I suppose we'll see! He does seem to be getting more cream as he ages, but then his markings are also getting darker and I'm almost certain the faint spots on his stomach weren't there in the beginning. If he lays the right way there seems to be a little spotting near the top of his back legs (you can sort of see it in one of the pictures). We'll see I suppose!

All bengals should have spotted bellies regardless of pattern on the body. That being said the cat in the pictures looks like an entirely different cat from kitten to adult! From what I know of snow bengals the pattern darkens as they age and then may fade out after they turn 2. However, when I look at the face of your cat im am sure he is a bengal and i'll tell you why. He has a very exotic face! Gorgous!!!! His ears are very wild looking because they are rounded and shaped much like an ALC (but a little bigger, could be the pics though they tend to make ears look bigger). He has a very nice wide muzzle too. I would love for you to send me a pic of his profile. I bet he has a very strong chin! And if he has a straight profile it would be even better! His pattern is fading but bred to another bengal with a dark pattern he'd probably make gorgous kittens (although I know you can't breed him). If I owned him I would definately keep him as a breeder simply because of his gorgous head.

Another thing, that I've noticed, having a Bengal. Their fur feels different from other cats. Simba's fur feels like a mink coat. Bengal's have the most lush fur or pelt that I've ever felt on a cat. I'm thinking it probably comes from the Asian Leopard Cat.

Hm...I thought I replied but the response seems to have been eaten by the internet....

I suppose I could breed him if I didn't live in GA-- he hasn't been neutered yet, but I didn't really get him for that reason. He does have a very pretty profile and you're right, a strong chin. I'll try to take some pictures of him and post them. He does have very different fur from London, the DSH...I can't quite explain how its different, but he *does* shed, at least, he had as of late, which I didn't think bengals were supposed to (though its not guarenteed?) He's also going to be a very big cat, I think. Either way, for a cat with such a wonderful personality, he was worth every bit of 200!

Originally Posted by RinaDaventry

Hm...I thought I replied but the response seems to have been eaten by the internet....

I suppose I could breed him if I didn't live in GA-- he hasn't been neutered yet, but I didn't really get him for that reason. He does have a very pretty profile and you're right, a strong chin. I'll try to take some pictures of him and post them. He does have very different fur from London, the DSH...I can't quite explain how its different, but he *does* shed, at least, he had as of late, which I didn't think bengals were supposed to (though its not guarenteed?) He's also going to be a very big cat, I think. Either way, for a cat with such a wonderful personality, he was worth every bit of 200!

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No, I wasn't suggesting that you breed him especially if you don't have his papers and you do not have breeding rights! What I was saying that if he was one of my cats I would have kept him for a breeder (if I could get breeding rights of course).
Bengals do shed. It seems to depend on the type of food you feed them. Now that im feeding raw they shed way less then on a commercial diet.
Yes i's say he is worth 200 and then some!

Originally Posted by HopeHacker

Another thing, that I've noticed, having a Bengal. Their fur feels different from other cats. Simba's fur feels like a mink coat. Bengal's have the most lush fur or pelt that I've ever felt on a cat. I'm thinking it probably comes from the Asian Leopard Cat.

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Yes your right the soft fur does come from the ALC. The ALC has a pelt and some bengals have pelts too.

I have two Bengal kitties that have their papers. They are both snow's - and it I can figure out how to post pictures I'll send it to you so you can see. Mine look almost identical in markings like yours. The best thing to do, if it's eating at you - is e-mail a breeder you can find on the internet that looks like they're passionate enough to help you figure this out. Just tell them the cat was a rescue cat and you wanted to ask someone who knew these things. Obviously it's hard to tell by pictures, but as far as I can see- yours are no different than mine. =)

Congrats on the adoption, btw. The poor kittie has gone through a lot- so make sure to give him some extra love! =)

I just tried copying and pasting and it didn't work. I am stuck in that vB or IMG code- I have to see what I can do to fix that. I think that's my problem. We'll see. That or I can send you an e-mail w/ the pics of them. If you want that, just e-mail me at [email protected] and I'll send them.

Have a good night!

Well I am a bengal breeder and is in my opinion that that is definately a bengal because of the head/face being so non-domestic looking, especially the ears.

Btw-in order to post pictures you have to first upload them to a image host like photobucket.com then you can copy the code they provide for each picture and just paste it into your thread.
Hope this helps.

Yes the pelt thing ... ohhh so soft I loves stroking Zoey...