More Bengals at Battersea

[Gail Bengal Slave]

Generally male F1's are  sterile.

I have to admit even though F1's are gorgeous - they are a tad too wild looking for me  - I like the softer look. And I love my boys.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

BC, my auntie once crashed her car because she turned the corner of a country lane near Whitstable and came nose to shin with a very lost giraffe - escaped from Gerry Cottles winter quarters. Filling in the insurance claim form was a real hoot! 

 

I think most bengal breeders agree that there is no need to use ALC's and early generation bengals in breeding programmes any more, as the gene pool is wide enough not to.  With the exception of a few breeders and owners who know exactly what they're doing (eg Linda and her Kai! and Gayzette Bengals), there's no real need for anyone to own an early generation bengal.  Most Bengals are known as SBTs (acronym for stud book something!) and are too many generations away from the original ALC cross to count, and are considered a domestic cat.

It's the same story with a lot of the popular pedigree breeds.  People are attracted to their looks and don't think about whether the temperament is something they can cope with (or in the case of Persians, the grooming needs).  Of course, a good breeder will make sure anyone buying one will be aware of things like that, but when a breed becomes popular and you get a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon and seeing a money making opportunity, a lot of people end up buying from dodgy breeders.

[blackcat]

yes, I can see that would be a little disconcerting ...

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

BC, my auntie once crashed her car because she turned the corner of a country lane near Whitstable and came nose to shin with a very lost giraffe - escaped from Gerry Cottles winter quarters. Filling in the insurance claim form was a real hoot! 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Gail, it is the wild blood that certain cat fancies seem to object to, and I dont think Bengals are the only breed that can't be shown due to it. i can't remember the percentages for each generation of Bengals off hand though, and I did think it stopped at F4.

[blackcat]

and rumour would have it that Kent is the home to several large cats (of the tiger or leopard variety), on the loose ...

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I purposefully avoid learning much about pedigrees, because I am bound to find one I absolutely have to have.  So Bengals are descended from some kind of wild cat, are they?  Personally, I've always fancied the looks of Oscillots. 

I think we've already discussed the lunacy of some countries importation rules elsewhere. Elephants can have a pretty dramatic effect on the flora and fauna if left to turn feral, for instance. And I hear in parts of Yorkshire there are as many wallabes and mink roaming the moors as there are deer. 

[Gail Bengal Slave]

Well I'm not going to NZ then - I wouldnt leave my boys.

But they are over F5. so they would be ok.

Just because they are an F1 it doesn't mean they are wild. Yes one parent is an ALC, but the parent is living in a home enviroment, so has human contact. They are wild but not living wild. They are feline so I love them.

Peace is here now - the boys are sleeping Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  zubin is curled up in his doughnut and Zeb, well he's on the bed (his fav place)

[blackcat]

In countries that have problems with feral cats attacking wildlife they tend to refuse entry for Bengals - you can not take them into Australia or New Zealand unless they are f5 or higher(?), as they are vigourous hunters and the local native species are predominantly ground-dwelling animals that have not adapted as there were no native predator animals (apart from the odd eagle or two)

[Desley (booktigger)]

Carol, that is due to the perception of wild blood, there is one of the US cat organisations that wont allow them to be shown due to it.
I love the look of Bengals, but know i would struggle with their energy levels (a neighbour has 2), so I wont have one, but sadly a lot of people get them regardless and then struggle - you also have the issue that people try and make money off tabbies due to calling them Bengals, I have seen people on forums be told what they have just bought isn't really a Bengal at all, and I suspect a lot of newspaper ads are tabbies.

[madkittyrescue]

As the breeds popularity has soared theres more undesirable people breeding and selling to people who have no idea what the breed entails.
If they had come from a reputable breeder they would be back with them rather then be sat in a rescue 

Yeah, that.  Bengals are now the 2nd most popular breed in the country (in terms of GCCF registrations) which means that it's a breed backyard breeders and kitten mills will focus on.  So there are a lot of them about, one way or another.  And of course there are lots of people who get them without doing their research and find they can't cope with their energy level.

Tell me about it... it really angers me.   Don't know about other areas but I've seen quite a few ads on freecycle about people getting 'rid' of Bengals as their attempts at breeding them have failed!   grrrr

[CarolM (Wendolene)]

Until I came on this forum I'd never heard of Bengals -in fact I'm pretty ignorant about most pure breeds having only ever had moggies- but I think they are gorgeous to look at (never met one so can't comment beyond that). One thing does surprise me  though is that when I was getting a passport for Korky last year I noticed that Bengals were singled out for special treatment.  I can't remember the actual wording but it seemed to imply that they were a dangerous breed and wouldn't automatically qualify for a passport.

[sheryl]

High energy is one way of putting it  I wouldnt change my 2 for the world, they are both asleep at the moment - the calm before the storm and then it will be "stop whatever you're doing Mum and play with us"

If people do have to rehome them they would probably be better going to Bengal Welfare, I hope these 2 get the forever home they deserve.

[Gail Bengal Slave]

They are high energy and very demanding, and I love my boys.

These sort of cats do not do well in a rescue -they need space to run and climb and do Bengally things.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

As the breeds popularity has soared theres more undesirable people breeding and selling to people who have no idea what the breed entails.
If they had come from a reputable breeder they would be back with them rather then be sat in a rescue 

Yeah, that.  Bengals are now the 2nd most popular breed in the country (in terms of GCCF registrations) which means that it's a breed backyard breeders and kitten mills will focus on.  So there are a lot of them about, one way or another.  And of course there are lots of people who get them without doing their research and find they can't cope with their energy level.

[Millys Mum]

As the breeds popularity has soared theres more undesirable people breeding and selling to people who have no idea what the breed entails.
If they had come from a reputable breeder they would be back with them rather then be sat in a rescue 

[Gail Bengal Slave]

Saffy has that typical inocent (Not  ) Bengal face.  Neo is so much like my Zubin.

Bengal's  cant get enough of them.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I still find it bizzare how such beautiful animals end up in rescue. 


http://www.dogshome.org/rehome/our_cats/saffy.html