A Blog for Bengal Breeders

Jon and I have learned a lot from studying small wildcats.  We use them - above and beyond any standard,  to guide our breeding.  By making collages of wildcats and comparing small forest dwelling wildcats, especially the southern species of Asian Leopard cats, with ground dwelling wildcats and then seeing where our Bengals fit in the spectrum between the small tree dwelling wildcats and the ground dwelling wildcats, we have been able to make better selections of kittens.  In order to help other Bengal breeders who may share a similar goal, we've created a Blog where we plan to post these collages and explain what we are learning from them.  This page will grow as we have the time to put on thoughts in an article with the pictures to match.  We hope you find it helpful.

The Value of Posting Pedigrees for Bengal Breeders

July 2, 2023
by Robyn Paterson

I recently engaged in an online conversation about posting pedigrees. I always thought it was the done thing that responsible breeders posted their pedigrees, but it is shocking to see how infrequently pedigrees are… Read more

Inbreeding and Linebreeding 

by Jon Paterson

The use of inbreeding and linebreeding in pedigree animals is a topic that creates a lot of controversies. Before deciding whether these breeding methods are something you can correctly and safely utilize in your breeding program, there…

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How the Forest Shaped the Bengal Ear

Bengals descend from a small tree-dwelling wildcat - the leopard cat. By observing the ears of the leopard cat and other small tree-dwelling cats, we better understand nature's design. 

In the top line collage are three small, tree-dwelling wildcats from…

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Bengal Eyes

Bengal eye shape is a current hot topic due to the Bengal going through the process of becoming a championship breed in CFA.  The submitted standard was basically an old TICA standard with a few changes, but one thing that…

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Bengal Body Shape

When you look at this picture, what draws your eye?  The head shape, the open mouth, the strong mascara?  

For me, what makes this picture so stunning is how it shows off this cat's incredible body. 

The body of a…

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Bengal Ear Set and Size

When we hear from breeders about what they are looking for in a Bengal kitten or see their comments in public forums, it seems that most people feel ear size is a top priority.  Everyone is trying to reduce the…

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Rule of Thirds - The Back Skull

The Rule of Thirds was originally taught to me many years ago by Les Hall from Junglebook Bengals.  Les was known for breeding Bengal cats with wild essence.  Her cats looked like small forest-dwelling wildcats.

The Rule of Thirds helps…

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Bengal Ear Cupping and Forward Tilt

The Leopard cat relies on its ears.  Yes, those large nocturnal eyes do catch movement in the dark shadows of the night, but, often, before the movement has been spotted, a sound has been captured, directing the eyes to the…

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Breaking Domestic Tabby Patterns

The pattern is a pretty important part of the Bengal breed.  The Bengal breed is most notably known for its large two-toned spots called rosettes. But a rosette, in and of itself, is not a pattern. Patterns are how the…

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Countershading Pattern in Bengals

Countershading - often referred to as the white tummy in Bengals - is the expression of a dark topside and a light underside.  Current Biology published how modern technology has allowed scientists to learn about the camouflaging patterns, including countershading…

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Rule of Thirds - The Front Third

The first third of on the head of a small forest dwelling wildcat is the most important third of all.  The front third of the head distinguishes this group of cats from all other wildcats on the planet. 

On the…Read more

Rule of Thirds - The Middle Third

The middle third of the Rule of Thirds is likely the most difficult section to write about because in the middle third, it is more about what you do NOT want to appear there than what you do want to…Read more

Tail Set


For cats who survive on their own hunting ability, the tail is a very important feature - especially for cats who primarily live in trees as they are jumping, climbing, and sometimes free falling in order to get where they…Read more

Bengal Nose Set

The Bengal Standard doesn't say anything about where the nose should be set, but a study of small forest dwelling wildcats leads to only one answer -   the nose should set low in between the whisker pads - not above…Read more

Bengal Nose Size

Above is a collage of a variety of small forest dwelling wildcats that live and hunt at night in the trees of jungles and forests.  What dominant feature of the face stands out on all of them?  That big, huge…Read more

The Bengal Nose Shape


As a Bengal breeder when I am trying to understand a feature on my Bengals, I look to the small forest dwelling wildcats as a futuristic, or extreme, model of what to strive for.  It isn't likely that the Bengal…Read more