Cross Breeds

Is a silver bengal cat a diluted bloodline and less bengal?

Someone mentioned to me that the silver bengal cats and snow bengal cats are not proper bengal cats like the brown spotted bengal cats. Their reasoning being their bengal bloodline has been diluted to get their lighter whiter colouring and that they are less playful and bengal in nature because of this. Can anyone confirm this to be correct and a fair comment?

Public Comments

1. Check with the Cat Fanciers' Association at www.cfainc.org. and see what they say about the breed. You could also check with The International Cat Association and the American Cat Fanciers' Association. Do an Internet search on Bengal and see what you get. (You have to realize that the "Bengal" domestic cat is not a proper "Bengal" because the real "Bengal" is a wild animal. Most purebred cats were started with different outcrosses to get the body type, head shape or color they wanted. It is also done to broaden the genetic pool when there are few of that breed available.)
2. no, it is just a color as a result of having domesticated cat mixed in. although i am against breeding wild cat mixes as much, if not more, as i am against breeding wolf hybrids.
3. Err, not 100% sure but they have proper classes at cat shows so I don't quite see why they shouldn't be "proper" Bengals. Not much help I'm afraid
4. No that is NOT a true statement! Here is some information on Bengal bloodlines and they are the same for ANY color bengal: "Filial", "F1", "F2", "F3" and "SBT" : The term "filial" comes from the Latin word filius or "son". The genetic meaning of the word filial is "of or relating to a generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation". Bengal breeders refer to F-1 as the first generation cross between the ALC and the domestic Bengal. The F-2 is the second generation cross (the offspring of the F-1 and the domestic Bengal). The F-3 is the third generation (the offspring of the F-2 and a Bengal). The International Cat Association (TICA) considers the fourth generation (F-4) to be a "SBT" (studbook tradition) Bengal, eligible for competition in the show ring and a fully accepted domestic cat. The following table clarifies the early generation terminology used by the Bengal world today (not including domestic outcrosses): F-1 ALC parent X domestic Bengal parent. F-2 F1 parent X domestic Bengal parent (has an alc grandparent). F-3 F2 parent X domestic Bengal parent (has an alc great-grandparent). F-4 F3 parent X domestic Bengal parent (has an alc great-great-grandparent). Silver Bengal kittens and cats are now approved for championship status with The International Cat Association (TICA.) Silver has been documented in Bengals for sometime, but only became a recognized color in 2004. Silver Bengals are strikingly beautiful and have been compared to the wild Snow Leopard in color and contrast. A nice silver Bengal will have icy gray eyes, black rosettes on a glittered silvery white background, with no tarnishing. Tarnish is the brown shading seen on the faces and forepaws of some silver Bengals. And for more information on bengal's go to: www.tibcs.com (the International Bengal Cat Society) Or www.tibba.com (the International Bengal Breeders Association) I have a purebreed SILVER bengal cat and she is very bengal! Very playful, loves high places etc... The color of a bengal cat has nothing to do with how they act. Brenda
5. i cant say much about that sorry but brenda seems to have the right answers for you