Most of us have heard of purebred dogs, but many people still don’t know there is such a
thing as purebred cats. If they do, they are almost certainly unaware of the large difference
between the two, other than the fact that one is a dog and one is a cat…hopefully. All dogs are
derived from some sort of breed, whether unknown or a mix of multiple, their origins can always
be traced back to a breed or breeds. This is not the case for purebred cats. Cats were
domesticated somewhere around 10,000 years ago. Descended from their wild ancestors, cats as
we know them bred freely over thousands of years, without selective breeding from humans. It
was only about 150 years ago that humans began selecting certain cats to capture desirable traits
(color patterns, long hair, size, temperament, facial structures etc.). These few select cats were
used to create breeds, and every breed has, at its foundation, a limited selection of domestic cats.
Only about 1% to 3% of all cats are purebred, with the remaining percent falling into the
“domestic cat” category. So, contrary to popular belief, every large fluffy cat is not a Maine
Coone, and every color point cat is not a Siamese (Wilson, 16 Mar. 2017).
Now enter hybrid cats to this stage. Hybrid cats are a cross between a domestic cat and a
wild cat; in the case of a Bengal, it is the Asian Leopard Cat. From there, you will produce a 1st
generation Bengal, or F1. That F1 is then taken and bred to a Bengal, producing a G2, and that
G2 will produce a G3. In those first three, and sometimes even fourth generations, the males are
sterile, so only females can be kept back for breeding programs. Once you produce your 4th
generation, you have now produced an Stud Book Tradition (SBT), meaning this cat is now
considered a domestic Bengal, and in most registries can be shown for titles and championships.
Most Bengals you encounter today will be far beyond that 4th generation, with very little
percentage of the original ALC used in that line.
thing as purebred cats. If they do, they are almost certainly unaware of the large difference
between the two, other than the fact that one is a dog and one is a cat…hopefully. All dogs are
derived from some sort of breed, whether unknown or a mix of multiple, their origins can always
be traced back to a breed or breeds. This is not the case for purebred cats. Cats were
domesticated somewhere around 10,000 years ago. Descended from their wild ancestors, cats as
we know them bred freely over thousands of years, without selective breeding from humans. It
was only about 150 years ago that humans began selecting certain cats to capture desirable traits
(color patterns, long hair, size, temperament, facial structures etc.). These few select cats were
used to create breeds, and every breed has, at its foundation, a limited selection of domestic cats.
Only about 1% to 3% of all cats are purebred, with the remaining percent falling into the
“domestic cat” category. So, contrary to popular belief, every large fluffy cat is not a Maine
Coone, and every color point cat is not a Siamese (Wilson, 16 Mar. 2017).
Now enter hybrid cats to this stage. Hybrid cats are a cross between a domestic cat and a
wild cat; in the case of a Bengal, it is the Asian Leopard Cat. From there, you will produce a 1st
generation Bengal, or F1. That F1 is then taken and bred to a Bengal, producing a G2, and that
G2 will produce a G3. In those first three, and sometimes even fourth generations, the males are
sterile, so only females can be kept back for breeding programs. Once you produce your 4th
generation, you have now produced an Stud Book Tradition (SBT), meaning this cat is now
considered a domestic Bengal, and in most registries can be shown for titles and championships.
Most Bengals you encounter today will be far beyond that 4th generation, with very little
percentage of the original ALC used in that line.