What is a Foundation/Filial Bengal Cat?    Deity Bengals is a Foundation/Filial Bengal Cat Breeder.  As a USDA licensed Foundation/Filial Breeder,  Deity Bengals breeds Asian Leopard Cats as well as early generation Bengal Cats. The first three generations resulting from the ALC (Asian Leopard Cat) x Bengal Cat are considered  “Foundation Bengal Cats,” or “Filial Bengal Cats”. The term “filial” comes from the Latin word filius, or “son”.  The genetic meaning of the word filial is “of/or relating to a generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation”.  Foundation Bengal Breeders (Filial Bengal Breeders) refer to the first generation cross between the ALC and a domestic Bengal as an F-1 Bengal.  The F-2 Bengal is the second generation cross (the offspring of the F-1 Bengal and a domestic Bengal).  The F-3 Bengal is the third generation (the offspring of the F-2 Bengal and a domestic Bengal).  The International Cat Association (TICA) considers the fourth generation (F-4 Bengal) to be a “SBT” (Studbook Tradition) Bengal, eligible for competition in the show ring and a fully accepted domestic cat.    The following table clarifies the early generation terminology used by the Bengal world today: F-1 ALC parent X domestic Bengal parent F-2 F-1 parent X domestic Bengal parent (has an ALC grandparent) F-3 F-2 parent X domestic Bengal parent (has an ALC great-grandparent) F-4 F-3 parent X domestic Bengal parent (has an ALC great-great-grandparent)    The first three Foundation/Filial Bengal generations generally produce infertile male offspring.  There are a few exceptions to this rule but for the most part, only female Foundation Bengals have proved to be fertile and thus the Foundation males are adopted into qualified pet homes.    As Foundation Bengal Breeders, Deity Bengals has first hand knowledge of the personality of the Foundation/Filial Bengal Cat.  The Foundation Bengal is an intense feline with many aspects of the Asian Leopard Cat behavior that can make a fascinating addition to the appropriate home.  However, those same idiosyncrasies can make life very uncomfortable for both owner and cat if the household is unprepared or unable to accept them on the Foundation Bengal’s terms.  The closer the Foundation Bengal is to the Asian Leopard Cat, the stronger the instinctive behaviors and the less likely that they can be modified to fit the owner’s expectations.  A true Foundation Bengal Cat enthusiast does not expect the cat to change to fit the owner’s lifestyle, but rather is willing to change their lifestyle to accept the behavior of the cat.  In general, while SBT Bengal Cats adapt readily to new situations, new people, and new places. Foundation Bengal Cats find it more difficult to do so and are much more easily stressed by those changes.    The Foundation Bengal is often leery of new situations because nature has instilled a cautious intelligence in their ancestors.  They need a stable and secure environment and typically do not adapt to variations within their everyday life.  The commitment to a Foundation Bengal must be considered life-long.  While they may not bond to all people, if they do, it is usually passionately intense, and breaking this bond can destroy the spirit of the cat.  They are not your traditional pet cat and there needs to be a clear understanding of the environment and lifestyle one needs to achieve in order to form the trusting relationship that may be possible with them.  The Foundation Bengal is not predisposed to being aggressive but when faced with an uncomfortable situation (often involving loud noises, quick movements, or strange people or situations), they typically show shyness and look for a safe and quiet place.  This may be any area of their home that they have chosen as a safe and secure environment: perhaps a separate room or a remote cat tree where they can be “alone”, until they feel safe and secure.  Every Foundation Bengal is different, with individual personalities and different reactions to every situation.  Foundation/Filial Bengals can be registered with TICA for use in Foundation Bengal Breeding Programs.  However, they cannot be entered in cat shows.   The SBT Bengal The Bengal is a relatively new breed of cat.  Jean Mill of Millwood Bengals developed the breed in the United States, by crossing an Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic cat.  The domestic Bengal derives its name from the Latin name of its wild ancestor, Felis Bengalensis (Asian Leopard Cat).      The Bengal is a medium to large cat that can reach the size of 15 pounds.  Females are usually smaller than males with the average weight being 8-10 pounds.  They are sleek, and have a well-developed muscular structure.  The legs should be slightly longer in the back than in the front.  The feet are large and rounded.  A broad head that may seem slightly small in proportion to the body characterizes the breed.  The muzzle is broad and has prominent whiskers with high cheekbones.    Bengal Cats are either spotted or have marbled coat patterns.  Spots with at least two colors present (rosettes) are particularly desirable.  The following colors and patterns are recognized and eligible for competition: Brown Spotted Tabby, Brown Marbled Tabby, Seal Sepia Spotted Tabby, Seal Sepia Marbled Tabby, Seal Mink Spotted Tabby, Seal Mink Marbled Tabby, Seal Spotted Lynx Point and Seal Marbled Lynx Point.  Silver was also recently accepted as a color variation eligible for championship status.  Blue and melanistic (black) are additional colors that occur, but are not yet recognized by most associations that accept the Bengal Breed.    The breed is recognized for championship competition by most international domestic cat associations including TICA (The International Cat Association), ACFA (American Cat Fanciers Association), GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy), and AACE (American Association of Cat Enthusiasts).    Bengal Cats can take a great deal of interest in running water and often don’t mind getting wet.  Most Bengal owners have stories about their cat’s affection for running water or even jumping in a sink or tub.  Additionally, Bengal cats are very high-energy, intelligent, and curious, and so are particularly interactive with their human housemates, wanting to be in the middle of whatever the human is engaged in, and often following the human around the house as household chores are performed.  Bengal Cats have been known to play games with their owners, such as “fetch” and “hide-and-seek”.  As their activity and play requirements are high, this is not a cat best left to its own devices for long periods of time, as they can be quite mischievous and destructive when bored.  If an owner is likely to spend much of the day away from the cat, having another high-energy feline companion to occupy your Bengal is an excellent idea.  Bengals tend to vocalize to communicate with their humans, and are quite capable of jealousy and spitefulness if they feel that another feline is getting more attention, or if they are being ignored.  The other side of this coin is that they are also very affectionate and playful with their humans.