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How to choose a Bengal ? 

Before starting looking for your Bengal,  think about what you're waiting from it.

A pet ,a breeder or ,the must : a show cat. 

Meaning of shows: for a simple owner that would like to breed with his cat, or for a breeder that would like to increase his livestock, shows are the best place to meet other Bengals and where you could compare your own cats and/or production to other ones.

It's too easy to stay home and tell that you got the best ones, you need to compare them several times.

You can also discover the next father or mother of your next breeder, you will get information concerning the good points or the worst  points of your cat.

This will permit your cat to be noted and to be known by people.

You could also meet nice persons who share the same hobby: Bengals.( Alexandra David- Neel).

A pet Bengal is certainly not a low quality cat and not ever an ugly one.

The Bengal is a gorgeous cat and even if you choose a pet one, it must be a good specimen of the breed.

The price will be given compare to the quality of the beauty( the same cat can be available as a breeder or a pet but the price will be doubled for the person that decide to breed with it. So a pet owner can get a wonderful cat for a reasonable price.)

The price for a pet cat started at 1000 euros but the price can increase if your choice is going to a very beautiful model or if its parents are champions.

A breeder will be chosen according to the standard of the breed and without defects according to the standard.

In that case, the breeder will propose you to choose a kitten within the bests.

So it's really important to choose your kitten in a professional breeder.

The price started around 1500 euros and more according to the quality of the kitten chosen.

A breeder or show quality Bengal is more exceptional!

And very often the breeder keeps it for him!

A show kitten is not easy to find.

It is very often that you have to reserve it a long time before his birth or before the breeding.

A litter will not get for sure this high level kitten.

This kind of kitten will start at 2000 euros; can raise 3500 euros and sometimes more.

A show quality kitten will permit you to go in front of the judge without being ridiculous. This cat will become certainly a great international champion (minimum). 

Generally when you are under Bengal spell, it's very often because of his wild beauty, his coat or charisma.

Although this cat is a really good friend very easy to live with, endearing and always curious about what you are doing.

While you are visiting some websites, you certainly have an idea of the Bengal you are looking for.

You certainly prefer a special colour or marking more than another… 
 

Before starting your search, you must realise that at the moment in Europe or across the Atlantic, Bengal's place of birth, you can find Bengal and Bengal! 

Some unscrupulous "breeders" are raising and propose medium quality kittens, some of them really ugly for a very few money...some of them can sell medium quality for the same price as a good quality kitten!

Only because they didn't take time or money to look for the best crossing. 

If you only want" a simple Bengal" maybe you will be happy to find these persons.

But if you want A Bengal, The Bengal, I advise you to take all your time, do not bye too much with your heart. 

So how not being lost?

The first thing that can help you, even if you don't know very much about the breed, is the STANDARD!!!Read it, it is the first thing i advise you to do before choosing a kitten.

The coat of course is important but some breeders, unfortunately, do not pay enough attention to the type of their cats, or the quality of the texture of the coat. The judges during a show are very sensitive about it.  

For the colour of the coat the most important thing is the contrast! The cats with beautiful and big spots or nice donuts are very much sought-after, but with the most contrast as possible.

You have to chose a very pronounce contrast, and enough melanin from the start of the birth. 

A kitten born with very black spots will be certainly a nice two coloured donuts later. But a kitten born with nice donuts will lose the contrast with the time.

At the end you have a completely faded Bengal. The breeder will tell you that it is because of the food… 

Four sorts of spots exist: 

The spots: entirely black

The arrow donuts: two coloured spots in arrow shape, black in the front, orange in the back

The paw print donuts: two coloured spots, black and orange not entirely closed by a black circle.

The donuts: the black goes in circle around the orange or gold (and not brown or orange going in circle around yellow or light orange)

The donuts have no more value than other kind of spots models if there is not enough contrast.

The very dark spots are very appreciated by judges and connoisseurs. 

The spots must be wide and spaced ,with an horizontal aligning.

At the moment, we can find Bengal for sale with tiny spots.

And if the back of the coat is grey it is the last straw…!!! 

Don't be fooled! Spots or donuts it is first the contrast that must take your attention, size and aligning. Don't buy a 15 days old kitten with nice donuts because while it will grow you get chance to see your cat loosing the contrast.

Take attention to the temperament of the cat! There is a risk that you hardly regret your choice, if you realize that you can't manipulate the kitten presented by the breeder.

Ask him where is raised the kitten, a kitten raised in good conditions will be perfectly socialized even with unknown people.

For the ones who are looking for a cheap cat, that loves tabby coats, some house cats exist with lovely spots! You just have to pay a few euros…the price of the vaccinations! 
 

The Bengal is a luxury cat. 

If you want a Bengal don't hesitate to take your time, take a real Bengal, that will honoured the breed and not a pale copy that we start to see everywhere. 

The price must alert you. a Bengal sold under 1000 euros is hiding a bad surprise! 

A serious breeder will be happy to sell you the cat that fits you the best. Even if you have to wait for a while. 

Good luck in your search!