(ORDO NEWS) — Bengal cats are often referred to as little leopards for their unusual coloration.
However, it was the bright spotted skins of their wild ancestors – Felis Bengalensis – that led to the fact that this species was on the verge of extinction.
Poachers ruthlessly shot animals for their skins.
The cubs were sold to tourists as living souvenirs. Everything changed in the 1960s, when experiments began at the University of California related to the study of immunity in cats.
Jane Mill and her experiences
In 1960, cat lover Jane Mill (then called Mrs. Sugen) traveled to Thailand and brought back a living souvenir – a Bengal cat kitten.
When the baby grew up, she was mated with a black domestic cat. From this crossing, spotted kittens appeared, with the same color as their mother.
One of these cats, when she grew up, was mated with the same black cat, and spotted babies appeared again. But at this point, due to the personal circumstances of Mrs. Sugen, the experiment was interrupted.
University of California Research
Fifteen years later, Jane Mill (by that time she had managed to get married a second time) learned that experiments were being conducted at the University of California to study immunity in the cat family.
Scientists compared the performance of wild and domestic cats of different breeds in relation to immunity to viral leukemia.
This program considered both large predators and smaller predators such as Felis bengalesis.
Within the framework of the program, interspecific crossings were carried out. Jane Mill asked the program manager to give her some of the hybrids obtained from these experiments.
As a result, Jane received eight females.
The fact is that interspecific crossbreeding of felines is a very complex process, wild cats do not always mate with smaller ones, and all male offspring from such matings turn out to be barren.
So the university provided the females, and Jane added two cats – one spotted cat she adopted from a shelter, and the second “participant” was a house cat of a beautiful color, with brown rosettes on the skin and orange eyes.
Difficulties in breeding
Even wild cats that grew up in captivity did not become affectionate and gentle. Hybrids of the second generation also almost did not differ in terms of behavior from wild relatives.
But the hybrids of the fourth and fifth generations were already becoming affectionate and friendly. Unfortunately, along with this, external signs weakened, exotic colors became less pronounced.
To pick up incoming couples, it was necessary to import animals from Asia, and this is not so easy, because you need to obtain a special permit.
But in the States there were only 27 representatives of the wild species, and this was not enough for experiments. so I had to look for animals abroad.
Nevertheless, Jane Mill managed to breed hybrids that began to consistently transmit external breed characteristics.
And for the first time, the breed of a domestic Bengal cat was presented at an exhibition in 1987. It took another four years for the breed to be officially registered, which made it possible to breed “Bengalis”.
Today, representatives of the breed are far removed from their wild ancestors. They are friendly and sociable, allow themselves to be picked up (when they want to – but this is the property of all cats).
And representatives of the Bengal breed are very inquisitive and devoted creatures to the owner.
At the same time, they are graceful, dexterous, elegant, and they look the same as their wild ancestors, they have completely preserved their color and other external features – what Felis Bengalensis was originally valued for.
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