Do you know how to tell if your cat is a Bengal mix, especially if there is no pedigree “paper trail” to follow?
You may have a cat that you think is a Bengal – or part Bengal – and not be too sure of how to determine what type of breed your cat is.
In this guide, we look at how you can tell if your cat is a Bengal tabby mix, or possibly even a pure Bengal.
This breed was largely created by breeding several different domesticated cats to each other and with the Asian Leopard Cat (read our guide here to the history of the Bengal cat).
As such, some of the features of the Bengal Cat may be shared with the cats that make up their pedigree, so if you cat has a bit of Ocicat in them, they might be spotted.
In this article, we are going to look at how you can tell if your cat is a Bengal mix.
Look At Coat Colors and Markings To Determine If Your Cat Is A Bengal Tabby Mix (Or Other Mix)
Bengal cats come in a variety of colors, including silver, brown, black, cinnamon, blue, and torbie. They also tend to have markings that make them look like their wild cousins, including spots or rosettes. They generally also have a marbled pattern to their coat.
Bengal cats tend to have spotted bellies, but many domesticated cats like tabbies also have spotted bellies. One distinguishing characteristic is that Bengal Cats have almost no white on their body, just potentially small markings on their belly, chin, or whisker pad area.
When you pet a Bengal Cat, you’ll notice that its fur is incredibly soft, a trait often referred to as pelted.
In addition, each of the individual hairs is “ticked,” which means that there are multiple bands of colors on each hair.
Many Bengal Cats also have a popular glittering appearance cased by the tip of the hair strand having less pigment, so when light shines through, it sparkles.
Different domesticated cat breeds can show some of these coat qualities, such as Ocicats and Egyptian Maus. It’s no wonder these were some of the breeds used to create the Bengal Cat.
Coat colour and marketing is definitely one of the best ways to tell if your cat is a Bengal cat mix.
Study Body Structure and Size To Determine If Your Cat Is A Bengal Tabby Mix
Wondering how to tell if your cat is a Bengal mix? Another strategy is to look at the body structure and size of your cat.
Another feature of Bengal Cats is that they tend to be lean but very muscular cats. You won’t commonly find them overweight. Their body is structured a bit differently than other cats, with their hind limbs higher than their front limbs, which gives them an impressive stride. Some other cats may have this same feature, but it is one that the Bengal Cat gets from the Asian Leopard Cat.
The Bengal Cat’s body is typically long, with a long tail that they can use for balancing while they climb all over your house. While they have a long body, their head is generally small, and they hold it out as they move, similar to the way a leopard moves. If you are looking at their head, they often have ears that are more rounded than a normal domestic cat’s ears, and their eyes tend to be more of a rounded shape than a normal cat’s generally almond shaped eyes.
One of the reasons Bengal Cats are hard to differentiate from other domesticated cats is that they share features with domesticated cats, such as tabby cat. These kitties both have a rather distinct “M” shape on their foreheads. In addition, they have an area on their ears where the fur is short and shaped sort of like a thumb.
Consider The Personality Of Your Cat
If you’re wondering how to tell if your cat is a Bengal mix, then another tip is to look at your cat’s personality. There can be many clues here!
Bengal Cats are known for being a little bit mischievous. They tend to be vocal and talk a lot, with a wide range of noises than a traditional domesticated shorthair cat. Indeed, their noises range from yowling cries to screams. They may even grunt. Especially when they are little, they can also make chirping sounds.
Asian Leopard Cats tend to be impressive jumpers and climb high up in the trees. You will find that Bengal Cats have some of the same tendencies.
They will often climb as high as they are able to within a room and perch there, in places ranging from the top of a cabinet to the top of a door frame. They tend to be big fans of not just heights, but vertical spaces.
Bengal Cats tend to have high energy levels. They need to burn off energy every day and do not do well confined to small areas. Because of this, they don’t often make good apartment cats. Bengal Cats tend t be clever animals and need to have engaging activities with their humans.
For instance, some do quite well walking on a leash and harness outside. You have to be careful with Bengal Cats because many of them may learn to open doors and even windows when they get bored.
Bengal Cats tend to love water, a trait that they seem to have inherited from the Asian Leopard Cat (read our guide here to the history of the Bengal cat for more information on the origins of the Bengal). Depending on the cat, they enjoy more than just batting at water, they like getting in it and swimming, as well. Some may even use water as their own litter box area, so a Bengal is the perfect cat to train to use the toilet.
Of course, many other cats may meet these same distinctive traits. You will find that many young cats are active and can find themselves getting into trouble. Stereotypically, many cats don’t appreciate water, but you can find some that aren’t Bengal Cats that enjoy a little splash.
In Summary – How To Tell If Your Cat Is A Bengal Mix
It can be hard to determine if your cat is a Bengal tabby mix or not because Bengal Cats share so many features with other cats.
Instead of wondering what they are, embrace your kitty’s distinctive personality and appearance and let their behavior shine on through.
This video also contains some handy insights on determining if your cat is part Bengal:
Three years ago I adopted a Bengal year-old female whose owner had to take a job outside the country and couldn’t take her with him. At the same time I adopted a rescue cat, also female, the same age. These two have gotten to be besties. They romp and play in our 1700 square foot apartment in New York City. Our Bengal is really “my” Bengal. She is bonded to her foster-sister, but also to me. She has trained me: to feed her — she stretches up as I sit at my kitchen table (our huge kitchen is really our living room; I work there) reading or typing at the computer, and pats my back. If I don’t pay her heed, she begins putting her claws into the back of my sweater or my slacks. (I’ve spent a lot of money getting Bengal-inflicted sweater-holes mended). And then I feed her. She gets me to play with her, always around 11 PM, the same way. And we have a play routine. I swish and drag a tape measure around, and she goes after it. She chases it (and me) and then I chase her. At some point my rescue kitty enters the show and my Bengal begins romping with her. Incidentally: my little rescue cat, a tough little street kitty, is the dominant one of the two!!! Go figure.
PS My Bengal, Bella, is almost silent. Sometimes she utters a few little endearing squeaks but that’s it. She is fascinated by the shower, especially when I’m in it, and she’s taken to sitting in it — but only when there’s no water. It is absolute hell to clip her claws. Usually we have a groomer come to the house to clip her claws but I’m writing this in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic and sooner or later my husband and I will have to do it ourselves. Not looking forward to that. Even though I have been able to clip the claws of every cat who has been in my life, and that would make 11 total.
My Aulii looks like he has part- Bengal..
He has rosettes on his tummy.
He also has a brown undercoat, but gray- black topcoat.
Hes super shy but yowls at night.
( yes hes neutered, lol)
Heres a photo of him..
Can you please let me know what you think ?!!🐱
I saw a video on youtube where a lady with her lips covering her teeth, punched the scruff of her bengal and he let her clip away.
I tried it and was surprised as how i barely applied any pressure and he let me clip away. I must say, it might be easier in front of a mirror as some nails i had trouble seeing and you don’t want to clip with quick.
still, fantastic trick. Which i could give credit where it is due, but it is someone i follow on youtube. If i find the video i will come post here.
After reading this article, I am convinced my 9 month old cat sibling rescues are bengal mixes. The German couple we adopted them from didn’t speak much English and we didn’t speak any German so we communicated through smiles, hand gestures and a bit of whatever their young daughter could translate for us, which wasn’t much. Mordecai and Amortentia are mostly brown. He has gold stripes and she has gold swirls but only on her hind legs. They both have spotted stomachs. His hair feels like other cats fur, hers is silky smooth like my Maine Coon. I wish I could say they glitter like Edward Cullen but I havent noticed that. Maybe when their older….Sheeeeee still makes chirping noises when she carries her ‘hunted’ treasures around the house or if she sees a fly or bird. And like my Maine Coon (Monty), they both like the water.
Interesting – you could be on to something there!
Thanks for commenting.
There is a stray cat who’s been hanging around by mine .he keeps coming in the house with my 2 house cats an is very vocal & friendly . At first thought e was just a tabby now am not so sure .he looks like he s wearing eye liner also jumps high for a normal tabby
Could possibly be a Bengal or mix. Have you got any photo or video?
Can you tell me where I might find bengal mix kittens? I live in Charleston SC. Thank you.
Hi Janice, you might want to look on your local classified website (or eBay/Gumtree/whatever is used primarily in your area). It will be hard to find a breeder that will specialise in mixed Bengals!
any reason why you want only a mix?
If you don’t care too much about the rosettes, I’ve seen breeders breed bengals with another “less allergenic breed” like siamese or a blue.
There is of course people who just get a bengal and decide to breed, but the advantage of a breeder is because they charge more, they often spend more on genetic testing and disease testing of pets in their household. If you already have a rescued heard carrying this and that, it might not matter.
A big male stray comes over every other day or so. He comes inside , walks around while my little calico follows him all over. Then he wants back out. I want to adopt him, maybe he is a bengal mix? he is dark gray with black stripes and spots. he is gorgeous. and calm, not wild at all.
Hi Rose, do you have any photos? This would help us to determine if the male stray in question is likely to be a Bengal mix.
I think my 8 month old orange tabby might be a bengal mix. He’s content to just lay around and snuggle for a little bit, but when he wants to play you better engage!! If he doesn’t have anything to do, he will jump on your feet and start biting them. He attacks and chews on my area rug, blinds, clothing, couch, toys….pretty much anything he can get his paws on. He is very demanding when it comes to food and will get super grumpy if you do not take his hints that he’s hungry seriously. He will wander around the house meowing loudly if no one is giving him attention. His coat is also super soft and fine. Which says something considering he was born a stray in my aunt’s pasture. He loves to jump and is at home sitting on your shoulders while you’re trying to eat, watch TV, cook, clean, whatever. He’s a beautiful cat, but man he is a handful sometimes!!
My cat regularly kills squirrels, raccoons, possums and large rats (which he eats completely). My only
concern is the risk of disease transmission since he comes in the house, but is happier (and spends most
of his time) outdoors. In any event, there’s no possible way to keep him inside since he runs out
any time a door is opened.
There’s no question this cat is a Bengal/Tabby hybrid. I’ve had numerous tabby cats who may
kill the occasional bird/mouse/lizard, but not large pests such as these. There’s no mistaking
this breed of cat. They have a relatively small head, very long tail, svelte build- somewhat like a
miniature cheetah but with the odd, distinctive markings.
This is a terrific pest control breed if you have this sort of problem around your property. Dogs,
of course, will destroy large pests around your property, but they have a limited range in terms
of climbing and obviously aren’t free to roam outside the fenced confines of your property.
Thank you! My vet is 100% sure that my Schrodinger is part bengal, she has a good deal of experience with them. He is 9 months old and as big as our 15# maine coon mix! But weighs a slight 7.5#. He has all the attributes you describe, legs, facial features, fur softer than silk! Fussy about that box, and man does he talk! We thought his tail being 13 long was unusual, but it begins to make more sense when if you look at how big bengals can get. He has been slightly cross-eyed since birth and is most likely part -mese of some kind. I have never had a kitten with more energy or personality! He loves water and dogs more than anything else there is. He is prone to curtain climbing and long cuddle sessions. As he grows his patterning becomes more prominent and his fur colour changes more gold-ish. Our other cats are a marbled maine coon mix, and a b w lady. We raised both from kittens and never did we have to work as hard to entertain or feed right that very second with them. Being part Bengal definitely explains so many many things! Thank you for your well laid out easy to understand explanation of the differences.
My neighbor passed away and left his bengal-mix, which his family did not want and left him to mend for himself on the streets. He now hangs around my house and sleeps on my screened patio. He is definately more bengal than tabby. He has long slim back hind legs, small face and a long tail. His coat is spotty with some tabby stripes. But the most amazing part is how huge his fangs are! I have two tabbys at home and their fangs are only 1/2 the bengals-mix fang size. I named him Hunter because he kills small prays and leave them in my driveway. Boy he hates to be confined. Hence reason I have not brought him inside my home. My sister once left him inside my screen room for the night (it was raining) and he destroyed the room during the middle of the night trying to escape. Now I leave a small opening in the door so he can come in and go as he pleases.
I am wondering if my 5-year-old boy who we rescued from a horrible situation is Bengal mix. He is very vocal even whinges at bugs that wont let him kill them lol. Also the vet keeps saying he weighs to much but he eats less than my other two and is just solid you can’t see much flab at all he also loves scratching anything but the scratch post lol. Some things aren’t very Bengal like but there’s enough to make me wonder xx
Entirely possible. It’s hard to tell sometimes – do you have any photos of your potential Bengal mix?
I have a Beautiful tabby that has spots and lines and she glitters gold in the sunshine, I think she is a Bengal mix
My Cat/Kitten (Gizmo) is nearly a year old, we were told by the people we got him from that he is a Bengal mix, mother a Bengal which we seen (she looked like a Bengal but we saw no papers or anything like that) and his father we were told was a grey tabby, he certainly has many of the characteristics written in your article which I found very helpful (Thanks!)
You can see a picture of gizmo here: https://4differentcats.com/gizmo/ if you’d like to assess his credentials
Regardless … we love him to bits!
What a beautiful cat. Thanks for commenting!
Hello! My husband recently bought me a kitten and I absolutely loooove my Luna! She has so much energy. She will bring you her treats or try to open it, obsessed with the shower, drinks from the faucet, tries to climb my curtains, and she plays fetch!!! It’s always play time but she is not a fan of outside. She looks out the window but that’s as far as that goes. Luna is grey with spots and stripes with a spotted belly, white fur in her ears, belly and whisker pads and her tail is extremely long. We are ver curious if she’s bengal or part.
Hi Shaniqua, thanks for commenting.
It sounds entirely possible your cat is a part Bengal at least. Do you have any photos?
Also sorry for you having to submit a second comment. This site uses WordPress that requires comments to be approved first before going live (so you write your comment and then I get to review it before hitting publish).
I’m not sure why my post was taking down and I’m not going to speculate. I just needed help with my cats possible heritage. Be well.
Hi Shaniqua, as per my other comment your comment was delayed in showing up because every message here has to be approved first. Thanks once again for commenting!
My Bengal mix is very quiet as well. She’s very smart & I have trained her to obey a few commands & gets a treat almost every time. As far as clipping claws, I have figured out the if u get them when they are sleeping, they won’t care what u do to their paws. I suggest that. U will be amazed at the indifference a sleeping cat has.
Michelle Foor Clearwater,Florida.
I might as well repeat the comment made by Rose Fontanero because our experience is much the same. She said this” A big male stray comes over every other day or so. He comes inside , walks around… Then he wants back out. I want to adopt him, maybe he is a bengal mix? he is dark gray with black stripes and spots. he is gorgeous. and calm, not wild at all.” I live in South Florida and we have been unable to determine the owner of this cat although he has become a community cat and that he frequents a lot of the neighbors who give him a little love.
There is no doubt he has a lot of bangle in him because my neighbor and I saw him catch a squirrel the other day and drag him off. He never is super hungry when he comes around although we did find a particular food he can’t resist. I believe our cat has a lot of Oriental shorthair cat in him which I read there is a special breed called a Serengeti cat. He resembles this kind of cat very much so with a little longer snout like an oriental cat. He is gray and black with spots on his stomach and all the other features and behavior traits of a Bengal cat.
Interesting comment – and sounds like a very unique cat there Gregory. Thanks for commenting.
I rescued my Mickey and Minnie at 2 weeks old from a barn fire here in Wenatchee wa. My vet confirmed what I thought and that they are bengal/tabby mix. Both larger than normal with all the distinctive bengal markings. I fed them with a bottle the first 3 months of life. They are besties and are very attached to me. Especially Mickey-he follows me everywhere. They jump and climb higher than I’ve ever seen a cat and their playful personalities are explosive and very fun to watch. They have the distinct markings and body structure with their gait and movements prominent of a bengal mix. I’ve been blessed to have found them 2 years ago. JOJO
What a lovely story and they sound like great cats; wishing you and your feline family all the best!
Thanks for wishing my family of Felines the best. I have a couple questions and/or comments about them. I recall reading in your posts that the breed like to catch squirrels. We have a few squirrels in our neighborhood and I have watched my Mickey hunch down and stock a squirrel but hasn’t come close to one. Until today that is.
Today he was on the prowl and just about caught one. It scares me. He is big but is he really a match for a squirrel? Wouldn’t a squirrel maul my Mickey?
Is a squirrel any match for my 14 lb Mickey. Or is there cause for worry.
Thanks JOJO in wenatchee wa.
Cats are incredibly good predators, and tend to do well in fights (to say the least). I think your cat would come off fine against a squirrel. My Bengal has got into fights with possums (which are bigger and stronger than squirrels) and come out on top. I’m not encouraging this by the way, just saying that your Bengal should be fine in the event of a fight.
This is Cheeto My baby! He is a special cat, I have always been a “small breed” dog type a gal lol and now I’m a cat mom lol. Cheeto was rescued by my friend’s teenage daughter, she rescued him 1 day before the “historic freeze” in houston. She blessed myself and Cheeto that day! I think he is possibly a ginger bengal, opinions please https://photos.app.goo.gl/Vugb3quVHhxTXGR48
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xT7SR2c5xMCKkxyYA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/5Urm3M59a1YDtkP86
I’ve been curious about my guy because people have commented that before that have be around bengals, but he’s got some rad patterns on it, he looks like an ink blot… his fur is very very soft it’s sleek and soft very shiny, I’ve recently notice that he has just a little bit of white on the ends of his fur on his back but not everywhere. One other thing is he has a longer landing pad than I’ve ever seen… but idk oh he does communicate very often and about everything. He lets me know when he wants anything and his meow is very distinct and tells you what he wants.
Phew… for 2 years now i thought I’d done something horrible as a child that karma decided it was pay back time! Turns out my Monster & his sister Sweet Demon are just following their instincts. And it explains their fascination with water, their ability to tiene random lights on & open the blinds, the front door, anything they want to get into really. & their ability to chase each other at 100 mph across the window ledges and built ins.
Also tells me where their shimmery coat comes from, their striking markings & their huge size (he’s 20 lbs & she’s 16). & their massive paws and multicolored “soft as cashmere” fur. In fact, everything about these guys says Bengal… good to finally know.
& it relieves my anxiety about karma paying me back- maybe instead an Angel wanted to send me 2 awesomely crazy & unique friends instead…
I wanted to ask if wimpy mews were a trait & being extremely affectionate, too? Thanks for all of the great information!!!
Thanks for your detailed comment Alex – Bengals (and Bengal mixes) can certainly be very affectionate so this wouldn’t surprise me at all.
Hi there! We just adopted a 4 month old tabby kitten from the Humane Society. After couple of weeks, I’m fairly certain he’s a Bengal mix. He beautiful, smart, nosey, mischievous, loves water, plays fetch, and is remarkably snuggle and friendly (when not stalking). I am so in love with him…his name is Mister Noodle.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10226115984872995&id=1439074673&sfnsn=mo
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10223768606059828&id=1134172191&sfnsn=mo
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10226130700840885&id=1439074673&sfnsn=mo
Sounds like a fantastic cat – wishing you all the best of happiness with your new pet!
Hi, my husband and I adopted a kitten from a shelter and he was labeled as domestic shorthair. He’s 7 months old now and he grows a lot faster comparing to our other kitten (they are the same age and he was smaller when we first adopted him). He’s very muscular and has a longer torso, he eats a lot too. He’s very vocal comparing to our other kitten, we’d hear him coming before we actually see him. He is extremely curious, always looking for a way to get inside our cabinets and loves digging my plants out from the pots. Everyone who has seen him mentioned that he has a “wild” look to him. I can’t help but think he’s a bengal mix because he’s just so different comparing to our other kitten and a previous cat I had. He is short hair with tabby patterns, brown and black stripes and spotted belly. Could I have your opinion on this please?
Hi Thaian,
Do you have a photo or two of your cat you could upload so I can take a look? (and other readers can look as well).
I am just in the process of setting up a photo upload functionality on the site so you can list your photo and get feedback. Check back as this will be up soon.
Anyone is welcome to post a photo of their Bengal mix for feedback!
We got our now 12 week old cat from an animal rescue shelter, that said she was turned in as a stray. I am thinking she is a bengal mosaic and was likely a less than perfect specimen. Of course it doesn’t really matter to us, though I can anticipate some future behaviors. She is now longer, leaner and full of personality and daring.
Is there a way to paste in a photo?
Hi Kathy,
Sorry for the late reply here – have been very busy with work so haven’t had much of a chance to check in on the comments on this site of late.
I am actually working on setting up a photo upload option on this page so that visitors can upload a photo of a cat they think is a Bengal and others can provide feedback as to whether they agree or not that the cat is a Bengal mix.
Check back as this should be going up fairly soon.
I adopted a kitten, unknown breed 3 years ago when I was off of work on injury. It didn’t take me long to figure out she is part bengal. Her fur is like silk (bunny soft), she opens doors, dismantles her water fountain, which I had to get because she would only drink from moving water (so she dumped her water bowls multiple times a day and drank off of the floor). She is very talkative and when she wants attention she meows a pathetic meow in a different room to trick you into coming to her. I adopted a male kitten a year ago so she’d have a playmate once I went back to work and I will never not have 2 cats again. The energy these 2 burn running and playing together and with me is amazing!
Sounds like a very energetic and exciting Bengal mix you’ve got there Kelly! I’m glad to hear your cat brings so much joy and happiness.
Hi , everyone i I found this post very helpful I read almost the trade I’m still confused about my two cats out I just got them a week ago a male and female 10 weeks each the person I got it they claim that they’re pure Bangel I’m a little confuse still very possible here if I can post a picture and get or a video that get some help that if they are bangle bangle mix thank you and everyone
Hi Samera,
Have you got any photos of your possible Bengal mix cats that you could share?
Hi, I too have been reading this trail to determine if out little rescue girl is part Bengal – when we first took her to the vet he was fascinated by her coat/ stripes and spots and thought she may be… so I have been researching ever since, she is now about 3 months old. She has long legs, almost flies the way she jumps off a dining chair to our shoulder (while we stand at least a metre away) she definitely ‘chirps’ alot, super active, we say she is almost like a dog, comes racing from anywhere in the house when you call her name, loves food and loves treats (unlike my big ginger boy) … would love to upload a picture if possible for some opinions…
Sounds entirely possible that she is a Bengal mix based off your description of her looks and behavior. I will set up an upload area on the site where you can add an image for us to look at. Thank you for reading and commenting!
It took me a while to figure out my Tabbinese Tigers. As a lover of felines and someone who worked with problem horses i pay a lot of attention to how animals in my care are responding. My DVM was the first to suggest the possible link to some background breeding from a bengal.
From a behavior standpoint if your feline is suspected of being part bengal several companies now offer dna testing that is inclusive of many breeds.
My results were interesting. Adjustments in their environment and care resulted in happier felines.
We adopted a sweet but crazy kitten of about three and a a half months old last October. I can honestly say that in my entire lifetime of owning cats I have never had another like him. He is now just over a year old. He is orange with classic tabby markings but his coat is so soft and shiny, like it almost glows in sunlight. He has a taller hind end than front end with a rather small head. He is currently a bit overweight and on a diet but the vet suggests that 13 pounds will be ideal for his build, he’s a big boy. He won’t get in the water but likes to put things in it and is fascinated with it. He plays fetch tirelessly. He wants to play all the time, which lately we have been busy and has led to him harassing his adopted brother, and is vocal but doesn’t meow proper too often unless he really wants something. He chirps and brrrs and even squeaks and grunts frequently. He loves climbing on things and heights. We are very much wondering if he isn’t part bengal. I have never had such an intelligent or mischievous cat before but we wouldn’t trade him for the world, even on his most aggravating tear through the house days.
I’ve grown up with regular domestic shorthairs all my life but then in my early 20’s we adopted a pure standard F4 Bengal from a family who got her from a breeder that said she had a great great grandparent that was a full blooded wild Asian Leopard Cat, but then they couldn’t keep her due to their family dog not getting along with it. She was the most amazing cat ever. My brother then got another Bengal after our original Bengal passed away, and they seem quite different. My brother’s new Bengal, was a purebred also, but apparently didn’t have a wild ancestor specifically in her recent pedigree like our first one had, i.e., my brother’s later Bengal was just bred from a bunch of pure bred F4 Bengals, which is evidently more the norm now. So I don’t know if Bengals these days being mostly bred from a bunch of Bengals makes a difference, but I feel it does based on how different our original Bengal was. Although my brother’s Bengal does have the obvious Bengal tendencies still, his Bengal could possibly maybe be mixed up sometimes for domestics, but not our original one… OH NO… she was totally different and cannot imagine anybody ever mixing her up with a regular domestic cat. In fact most people thought she was a wild animal like a bobcat or something if we didn’t tell them and just saw her because she liked to stalk new people before letting them see her. And she was much smarter than other cats, and her behavior was more like a dog. She was probably even smarter than some dogs, e.g., she could open doors with door knobs using her paws to turn door knob while pushing body into the door. She also always peed in the toilet instead of litter box (probably due to her wild ancestors) and loved water in general, and always barged in while people took baths or showers. She could jump super high, probably at least 5 feet. She looked thin and svelte but had a hard muscular body like a barracuda and just felt heavy. She weighed probably 50% more than my mom’s domestic short hair cat but our Bengal looked thinner although had a longer body. Although she loved to chase her feather toy, overall she didn’t really seem nearly as much of a hunter as my domestic shorthairs growing up, it was just fun for her to jump and play, and she’d actually bring her toy to you when she wanted you to play with her. And even the one my brother got although likes to play, is also not really a hunter either. It seems like our domestic shorthairs are opposite, as I don’t recall them seeking us out to play, like Bengals do, as it’s almost like they play ‘fetch’ so to speak, but growing up our domestic shorthairs would bring us ‘gifts’ all the time, like moles, birds, snakes, you name it. If we got lucky, maybe our Bengal would kill a bug, but mostly she was more into playing with us or anywhere water was running. So I am not sure that hunting prowess is a typical thing with Bengals actually. They have wild origins but they descend from leopard cats who were fisher cats that got fish from creeks and rivers, so not sure that their hunting prowess of like yard animals is the best indicator. Also, my Bengal was the sweetest cat I’ve ever owned, never bit anyone ever. In general though she just seemed much more like a dog, so I think that’s the best indicator in addition to their appearance of course. If your cat is more like a dog, maybe it’s a Bengal. Lol.
I think my boy is a Bengal mix. I found him in a parking lot when he was 3 months old. He’s now 4. He has a pelt, and he’s very sparkly. He is a creamy white color with almost silvery stripes and rosettes all over his body. He does have a spotted belly. He is super mischievous and talkative, mainly he chirps a lot. He gets into EVERYTHING and we can’t have blinds at all because he tears them up. He loves to be up high on top of anything. He knocks over any cups with liquid in it and is obsessed with plastic bags. He opens doors and cabinets. His ears are rounded tips, and his eyes are ice blue with eyeliner and 2 stripes running the side of his face. He’s not fond of water or strangers. He will growl at anyone who knocks on the door.
I adopted a kitty I believe is part Bengal. He is very intelligent, very active and loves to play fetch. Even jumps to catch his toys in his paws. He has a silver sheen on his coat, ticked coat and thick tail. Very distinct personality and markings on his face. Depending on how he is standing, he either has spots or stripes. Kind of an odd feature on his markings, but he has significant stripes on his legs and defined spots on his belly, rounded ears and eyes. This is by far the most dog like cat (my puppycat if you will) that I have ever had. Too smart for his own good and very calculating.
I just adopted a rescue cat. She is 6 months old. She does have spots on her sides and belly and she does have an extra long tail. Her spots are one solid color though. She actually meets most of these descriptors, especially being obsessed with water. She splashes her water all over the floor instead of drinking it. And she will go for any beverage I am drinking, including soda and beer. I will need to pay attention to see how she carries her head and if her hind legs are longer than her front legs. I thought she might be part bengal because she needs to play for 3 or 4 hours everyday. She will play until she is panting with her mouth fully open, and then she will still want to play more. I do stop her at this point though because I don’t want her out of breath. She doesn’t meow for food, but she meows constantly to play. She is also always looking up at the walls and meowing to get up. I will be installing perches on Tuesday, so that she actually can.
LInked below are pictures of our cat Simon. His mother is Siamese. He has the ticked fur and spots on his belly, back and sides. He has the long muscular body as described above. Simon is very vocal and often ‘grunts’ when he is about to take off in a sprint. He finds the highest spot in the room to sit.
https://ibb.co/hYP6D7q
https://ibb.co/hYP6D7q
Thanks for sending in your pictures! All the best.
I think my adopted kittens are a Bengal mix. We actually suspect they might be mixed with Maine Coon and Bengal.
They have SUPER high energy. They will literally run, jump and play full out for 15 – 30 mins, rest for a bit and repeat. Over and over… especially late at night. The only time they really rest is between about noon to 5/6 pm. Then they start back up again. They leap over me when they are playing, I’m just furniture at that point.
They have very soft voices and trill like Maine Coons and their paws have quite a bit of fur. Their eyes look they’re outlined, their noses are outlined black with pink middles (this just happened after they turned 6 months), and their bellies are spotted, while their top coat is intermittently striped.
They sound like lovely cats, although a lot of work to look after!
I don’t know much about Maine Coons, but I wonder if mixes of that breed typically inherit the extra digits on the paws? That might give you a clue (although I’m not sure if all Maine Coons have that trait anyway).
Sounds like you could definitely be dealing with Bengal mix kittens though.
Hi this is my kitten I’ve been wondering if she’s a tabby or a pure marbel bengal or mix?🤓😊help anyone
Hi Monique, have you got a photo you can share of your potential Bengal mix kitten?
in 2001, few weeks before adopting my Scottish Fold mix, I meet a cat in a museum near my home. A very sociable cat, with a peculiar fur, it was marbled and the motif made me think about wawe in waters, the colour were yellowish and vibrant. The fur was soft. It was so unique I still remember her. it was also a very sociable cat. Thinking about it, I realized it was a Bengal. i don’t know if it was pure breed or only a mix.
Interesting story, thanks for commenting. Sounds like it could be a Bengal mix (although what it would have been mixed with is anybody’s guess!)
Do any bengal mixes keep their rosettes? I get confused by the mix thing since aren’t all bengals mixes?
Just some less mixed?
I was told mine is a bengal mix, but he looks almost identical to begal pictures with rosettes. perhaps i lack the “eye”.
Hi Nicole, thanks for your comment (and sorry for the slow reply – I’ve been snowed in with work and this site is very much a “part time” project for me).
I’m not 100% sure whether Bengal mixes can keep their rosettes, but I don’t see why they couldn’t. But maybe someone else knows better?
Re: all Bengals being mixes, the Bengal comes from a mix of a domestic cat with the Asian Leopard cat. So early bengals were mixes, but now there are established bloodlines and the breed is recognised by most major organisations, you can get a purebred Bengal that has a mixed heritage (going back however many generations) but is not “mixed” in the way a moggy cat is.
Does that make sense?
A few months ago I adopted a very unique kitten from the shelter. I thought he was a cool looking tabby, but his marbling has no uniform pattern. My vet is stunned by how he looks and calls him the little leopard. I don’t know for sure what I found in the shelter that day, but he is gorgeous, soft, shiny an acrobat, loves fetch and super lovable.
Hi there,
I have a lovely female kitten of around 6 months. I don’t know about her parents but am wondering if she is part Bengal after reading your site. I would just be curious out of interest really.
She has incredibly soft fur, gorgeous warm brown tones all over (except one small bit of white under her chin). Her eyes are a different shape to our other cat (more almond and upturning at the outer edge) and have a dark and then light eye-line. She is vocal with toys and insects etc and loves playing.
She also loves high places and goes to places in our apartment that our older kitten has never ventured to, such as the top of the kitchen cabinets and the doorframes.
How could I go about sending a photo of her?
Many thanks in advance.