The habitat of the wild "Bengal Cat" Prionailurus Bengalensis also called the Asian Leopard Cat reaches from the south of Indonesia up to the Himalaya. They live in forested regions and steppe. They hunt in the night and go to sleep in caves when the daylight comes up. She is one of the cats which love water. The colour of the coat is from light blue to yellow (sand, gold, ...) and rosettes are scattered over the coat. The size is like our domestic felines.
In the year 1963 Jean Mill mated an ALC with a Domestic Shorthair. Because the ALC has 36 chromosomes and the Domestic Shorthair 38 the tomcats were unfertile. The first hybrids or short F1 named were as wild and shy as the ALC.

As a result ALC had to be mated with the most lovely dams. In the forth generation (F4) only 50% of the tomcats were sterile. Therfore it was possible to choose within the characters of the tomcats too. In the year 1986 Jean Mill introduced with Millwood Penny Ante a kindly and cuddly Bengal Cat. Even as we can get them today from responsible breeders. (see our links)
The Bengal Cat is big, slim and muscular. The hind legs are slightliy longer than the front ones. That's the reason why the pelvis is higher and it's also the reason why they can jump much higher than other cats. The head is formed like a wedge with a broad muzzle with prominent whisker pads. The bridge of nose extends above the eyes. The ears are medium small with rounded tips. Large oval wide set eyes catch your attention. The tip of the tail must be black.
The variation of the patterns reach from spotted over rosetted to marble. Also known are snow with wonderful blue eyes and ivory colour.