Original  Centerwall Asian Leopards.

 Jaguarslair Simbas Pride is from the Phantom Asian Leopard cat  line.

* We thank Pat Killmaier of Aluren Cattery for providing Phantom's photo.

Bengal cats are the result of carefully planned cross breeding between the Asian Leopard Cat (Felis Bengalensis) and a domestic cat (Felis catus), usually the short haired tabby or Egyptian Mau because of their complimentary coat patterns and favorable personalities.

Asian Leopard Cats (ALC) are native to regions throughout much of southern and eastern Asia, including Siberia, Pakistan, Tibet, India, Burma, Thailand, and part mainland China  continuing south to Sumatra, Java, Borneo and the Philippines. .  The Asian Leopard Cat is very versatile as to which habitats it lives in. They are found in high and low elevations and flourish in habitats from desert-like to lush rain forests. ALC's base coat colors differ depending on the climate they are from, ranging from a bright reddish-orange to a gray, golden, or tawny brown. They have long bodies and their hind legs are considerably longer than the front legs. Two narrow black cheek stripes run from the comers of the eye, enclosing a white area on the cheek giving the appearance of spectacles. The underside of their bodies is typically white with black spots and the tail is long with rings toward the end. 

The Bengal Cat is known to be an extraordinary domestic cat that possesses the exotic look of jungle leopards with the reliability and companionship of affectionate lap cats. They are very active and because they have retained some of their wild instinct, many have a natural love of water It's not uncommon for them to fetch and agreeably walk on leashes. Bengals eat regular cat food and with the advantage of litter boxes in busy lifestyles, it's no wonder that cat's are the world's most popular pet and there is almost one cat for every person on the planet. (Ok, so a few of us choose to have a few extras!)

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 A golden, black-spotted coat like that of the Asian Leopard Cat, the Bengal Cat's wild ancestor. In 1963, Jean Mill, a Californian breeder, purchased a wild cat, the Asian Leopard, Felis prionailurus bengalensis, a miniature leopard with a spotted coat that is a strong swimmer and excellent fisher. She crossed the cat with an American Shorthair queen, creating a breed of domestic cats presenting the physical features of wild cats. The females resulting from this cross were fertile. When crossed with the sire, they gave birth to kittens with spotted coats. Thus was the Bengal breed created. In 1973, Dr. Centerwall of the University of California continued this crossbreeding program to determine the Asian Leopard Cat's resistance to feline leukemia. He gave eight of these hybrids to Jean Mill, who continued her selective breeding program. Siamese, Egyptian Mau, and Burmese cats were used by breeders to create new lines. The first specimen, "Millwood Finally Found" was registered with T.I.C.A. in 1983. The F.I.Fe only recently recognized the Bengal; the C.F.A. does not recognize the breed. The Bengal cat was introduced in France in 1991. Taken from: http://www.furrycritter.com/resources/cats/Bengal.htm

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          Brown Spotted Tabby Bengals                            This domestic Bengal is definitely Daddy's Girl

http://www.bengal-cats.org/index.htm

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Types of Rosettes from Taken from: THE BENGAL BULLETIN