The origin of the breed Bengal (Mini Leopard)

The Bengal cat is a breed of the domestic cat, in the outward appearance of a wild cat in connected with the loving and affectionate nature of the domestic cat.This variety, which is also known Leopardette known in German-speaking areas, emerged from the intersection of Bengal (Asian Leopard Cat) with a short-haired domestic cat.

Origin

The geneticist Jean Mill bred 1963 (back then it was known as Jean Sudgen) a female Bengal cat with a black house cat, to join the spotted coat pattern and the lithe physique of the wild cat with the characteristics of the domestic cat.The second generation (F2) consisted of the backcross of a female of the first generation cross (F1) with the sire.This breeding project interrupted by the death of her husband.The breeding resulted Sugden continue until 1972, when she took over from Dr.Willard Center Wall, a geneticist at the University of California, eight female hybrids.While researching the disease leukemia, he also crossed with Bengal cat´s with domestic shorthair cats.