History of the Bengal Cat
the First Spotted Domestic Breed

The Bengal Cat is beautifully unique because it is the first spotted domestic breed that is a direct descendant from a wild ancestor (the Asian Leopard Cat aka Felis Bengalensis).

The domestic Bengal must be at least four generations or more from the Asian Leopard Cat before it can be registered with any governing body (TICA, ACFA, etc.). Earlier generation hybrids, known as F1, F2 and F3, are considered to be experimental and can be somewhat temperamental in nature, although nobody can deny they are very beautiful.

Asian Leopard Cats (ALC) are small wild cats found in southern and eastern Asia. ALC’s often are thought to be the same size as other large cats such as the snow and clouded leopard but this is not the case. ALC’s vary in appearance and size, ranging from 6 to 14 lbs. They do appear larger than a domestic cat due to the length of their body.

The Bengal Cat is the result of work undertaken by Jean Mill in the USA. Jean’s studies in genetics at U C Davis in 1946 led her to breed a black domestic short haired tomcat to a female Asian Leopard Cat, imported from SE Asia in 1961. The spotted female offspring was then mated back to the father (there was no other suitable tomcat) and the resulting litter produced a nasty tempered solid black daughter and a sweet natured spotted son. The new little boy was killed by a fall from a shelf onto concrete and his black sister produced a kitten, but ate it at 2 days of age. It was the first of many soul tearing tragedies which plagued Jean and her early efforts. After the death of Jean’s husband, Bob Sugden, Jean gave the female ALC to the San Diego zoo. Jean’s hybrids contracted pneumonia (there were no vaccines available then) and died. This ended Jean’s early project.

Later in 1980 Jean Mill and Dr. Willard Centerwall from Loma Linda University reclaimed five F1/hybrids that he had previously given to a zoo in the Mojave Desert. On a trip to India in 1982 Jean had discovered a litter of beautifully spotted domestics (Indian Mau), so she imported several domestics from India to make beautiful Indian Mau babies. After several years of breeding her hybrids to the Indian Mau domestics, Destiny was born in late 1983, the world’s first beautiful fertile B2T male.

The outcome from Jean's enormous ongoing effort and persistence has resulted in our beautiful domestic Bengal Cat which we enjoy today.
Jean Mill is clearly legendary in the world of the Bengal Cat and she is still breeding highly sought after Bengals at her Millwood Cattery in California, USA. Take a look at any quality Bengal pedigree and you are likely to find an array of Millwood ancestry.

Look for Jean Mill in Life Magazine, Spring 2007.

The aim of the breed is to partly replicate the wild look of the ALC but with the loving temperament of the domestic cat. The domestic Bengal is NOT a wild animal. It is a friendly, loving, cheeky, wild looking domestic pet.

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