The first documented case of a domestic to non-domestic hybrid can be dated
to the early 1930s. Most of the original crosses went only to the first
generation and were developed no further.
Bengal Cats represents the first
non-domestic domestic cross registered in the cat fancy and developed into a
domestic cat.
1983 - Jean Mill registered the first Bengal cat with The International Cat
Association (TICA.) . This began the process of formal acceptance into the cat
fancy. Though others crossed non-domestic Asian leopard cats with domestic cats
prior to 1983, Jean Mill focused on creating a domestic cat. TICA welcomed the Bengal cat and judges worked with the foundation
cats in the New Breed and Color Section until 1991. In 1991 the fourth
generation, SBT (studbook) generation, moved into Championship. The Bengal cat
seen today in the show halls replicates the look of “a small forest dwelling
cat” with pattern, coat, and conformation while exhibiting the domestic
personality. Selective breeders have been able to accomplish this through
careful evaluation and breeding.
Some of the original foundation cats came from cancer research in the early
1970's. An apparent genetic immunity to feline leukemia in the Asian leopard cat
(Prionailurus bengalensis bengalensis,) began the crossing of domestic to non-domestic.
The hope was to transfer this immunity to the domestic. This research was
abandoned with the discovery of the feline leukemia vaccine. Today the possible
implication of genetic immunity has new interest in the research of human
cancers. This research is currently being done at the National Cancer Institute.
The first 3 generation cats are “foundation cats”. These cats are not
domestic pets in the normal sense of the word, and are different from the
domestic Bengal cat found in the show ring and in homes. Foundation cats are not
Bengal cats, they are foundation cats for the Bengal cat. This may seem like a
small point, but it is in actuality a fairly major one. Foundation cats have
tendencies that may make them inappropriate in active households. They require
special consideration before purchase. This is stated so that anyone acquiring
an early generation cat will do so with the proper attitude by providing a
loving, secure environment for the cat.
Later generation Bengal cats (SBT), bred for temperament and appropriately
socialized, have stable personalities that make beautiful and loving companions.
Some Bengal cats are nine, ten and more generations of Bengal cat to Bengal cat
breeding. The SBT Bengal cat is accepted as a domestic cat in several
registries.
To be a breed of cat. That breed must be able to sustain itself, by itself. The
foundation generation cannot. They cannot quite simply because the males are
sterile. There are exceptions to this, but they are the exception. An F1 cannot
be bred to an F1. This is the only generation that technically can be called a
filial generation, F1... from that generation on, because we do not breed F1
females to F1 males... the next generation is not really an F2, but is
appropriately called a second generation from the Asian leopard cat. The
Foundation generation simply cannot reproduce itself. The very definition of a
breed is based on its ability to reproduce itself... so, just from a rudimentary
point of view, the foundation cats fail this test. So they are not felis catus,
the domestic cat. They are not both sex reproductive to felis catus which is the
most rudimentary test of species.
Foundation cats cannot be shown. In the beginning of the breed, foundation cats
were taken to show halls and transported to the rings in the carriers because
they could not otherwise be handled. As a rule, they would find the chaotic
smells and noise of the show halls overwhelming.
The Bengal cat is qualified as an established breed in The International Cat
Association, TICA. This means that there must be three generations from any
outcross before the cat can be in championship. This is not an arbitrary number;
it is based on the basic idea of selection for genetic material when
incorporating new genes into a program.
Today, you can
register Bengal Cats in several organizations. In The International Cat
Association the Bengal cat is the fourth generation of like breeding, or
studbook (SBT). The cats that are not studbook (SBT) are referred to as
foundation cats for the Bengal cat. They are not actually Bengal cats but are
the foundation of the Bengal cat.