The Bengal cat is a fairly new breed of cat. The first Bengal cats were bred by  Mrs. Jean Mills in 1983 in the USA. She developed the basis for a breed which has a gentle, friendly temperament while also exhibiting the coat patterns of the Wild Asiatic Leopard cat. Modern breeders have continued to develop a cat with desirable temperaments & with an even closer appearance to the original Wildcat! (The Asian Leopard cat has considerable variations in its markings - most commonly, arrows, spots and rosettes).

Bengal Cats are a medium sized cat; a male can weigh as much as 9kg & a female around 4-6kg. Bengal cats were originally from hybrid matings, developed over many generations, through a program of extensive cross breeding. The modern Bengal gene pool contains gene sources from a variety of breeds, mainly Egyptian Maus, American Shorthairs, Abyssinians, Ocicats & Domestic Shorthairs. All Bengal cats are descendents of the Wild Asiatic Leopard Cat.

Although most Bengal Cats are simply classed as "brown" there is quite  a variation within the standard. "Browns" can be any shade of brown, eg. Sandy, Grey, Golden, Deep Red & so on. Another unique characteristic of the Bengal is that some individuals have a glitter affect over their fur- as if having been sprinkled with Gold (or silver) dust.This particular trait is highly desirable. Some other variants of coat (pelt) colours  include "Marbled", "Snow" & "Silver".
Bengal Cats are very active & athletic and enjoy being up high, so an owner would benefit from providing a tall play pedestal. They also have a natural affinity for playing with or in water.
The Bengal is not a pet for people that want a lazy cat. They are active, lively & playful and may even enjoy a game of fetch!

They are also known to quite talkative at times and will delight in being right under your feet just to be with you!
 

One question you must ask yourself is-Why do I want a Bengal?

Bengals are a fabulous breed of cat but might not be suited to everyone as they have specific wants and needs.
There is a wealth of information available on the internet, or feel free to visit some of the sites on my LINKS page.