Adelhills Bengal Cats 

Welcome to the Bengal Cats

We hope you enjoy reading about the beautiful wild looking Bengals. They surely have captured our eye and our heart.

Have you ever found yourself staring at a wild cat in zoos, on TV, or if you're lucky in the wild, thinking how amazing it would be to enjoy that stalking graceful beauty every day?

Well with the tireless work of dedicated breeders that opportunity can be yours with the ownership of an exotic looking Bengal cat.

Wild Ancestors

The Bengal breed is descended from Asian Leopard Cats (Felis Bengalensis). The ALC, among other small cat species, were crossed with domestic breeds to create a hybrid that possessed the exotic wild look of a leopard but with the temperament and safety of the domestic cat.
After years of dedicated development the Bengal has become a wonderful companion pet with the exotic wild looks of their ancestors and the companionable traits of a house cat.  From time to time you will see some of their ancestral traits resurface like, larger roaming ranges, water habits and varying vocal traits.


Bengals are wonderful companions for the whole family, including children and other household pets. They are a very active cat that enjoys being in the thick of the household activity. My Bengals will often follow me from room to room just to "see what's up". They love to help fold laundry and get involved making beds! When the kids come home and the noise and activity level rises the Bengals are right into the fray. Bengals enjoying and participate in creating the happy chaos and activity. At times they will leave you in both tears of laughter and sometimes frustration at their antics.  If you are wanting a pretty kitty to just sit on a window seal it is NOT a bengal that you want!


Bengals are not couch potato cats. They are playful, active, inquisitive, nosy, comical and affectionate. Many are vocal "talkers" who will greet you with meows and coos expressing their moods and the joy of being with you. Because Bengals love to play and be involved getting into things, you will find hours of enjoyment watching them stalk, pounce, chase, fetch, climb, bound and generally revel in the exuberance of life.  this activity level is not for everyone so make sure your lifestyle and expectations suit this breed.

Other Pets

Bengals are a very companionable breed and therefore require interaction and playtime with their families, including their people, other felines and other pets in general. Bengals get on wonderfully with dogs.  If you have a cat friendly canine at home who needs a buddy, a Bengal might be the perfect playmate and companion.  Be aware that bengals can be a more dominant breed and therefore some bengals are better off as an only cat, while they very much will enjoy a canine companion.


Bengals are a highly intelligent breed and therefore are easy to train, not only in basic "kitty etiquette" but also in tricks like come, sit, beg, speak and games of fetch. Bengals can be taught to walk in harness on a lead. This will be to the enjoyment of many a passerby who is amazed and in awe to see a beautiful "mini leopard" happily walking on a lead.

Water Fun

Many Bengals also find great entertainment playing with and in water. YES a cat who loves water. I often find a Bengal who's decided that the first few inches in the bathwater were really meant as a playground rather than the start of a relaxing bath for me. Most bengals have an affinity to water which can also lead towards their easy training to use the toilet.  I highly recommend looking into the training options of teaching your cat how to use your toilet.

Pelts and allergy friendliness

Bengals have some amazing characteristics concerning their pelts. A Bengals pelt is very different from those of most domestic cats. They inherited the short, thick pelt of their wild ancestors. This amazingly soft coat (reminiscent of the texture of mink) means that your Bengal will require no grooming other than nail clipping. Because Bengals are an indoor cat they require little if any bathing.
Another benefit of their amazing pelts is that they have very little hair loss and shedding. In fact many people who are allergic to most cats find that they do not have the same allergic reactions to Bengals.
While Bengals cannot be claimed to be hypoallergenic cats, they do have a high percentage of success. I can assure you of this due to the success of my husband who has cat allergies but lives in a home full of Bengals without reaction.
Please note that different people may have different levels of reactions and should always try visiting and experiencing the Bengal breed first before purchasing if they have known allergies to cats in general.

The joy of ownership

The joy of Bengal ownership is something special we would like to share with you. As a Bengal owner you will enjoy that exotic wild look lounging and stalking around your home. The Bengals have an amazing ability to share in a deep companionable relationship that will give you years of enjoyment.

We hope that you have found this information helpful in determining if the Bengal is the right breed for you. If you have any further questions that we have not covered please feel free to contact us with your questions.

Not for everyone

Bengals are not the cat for everyone. If you are looking for a low key, quiet cat that sleeps most the time and is more of a pillow ornament, then the Bengal is not for you.

The Bengal does have their lounging times but they are a highly active cat that enjoys living life to the fullest.

Bengals can be challenging if you do not set rules and be consistent in their early training. We spend a lot of time and effort properly socializing our kittens and doing early imprint training and handling with our babies to ensure as much as possible they are well on their way to being excellent members of your household but just like with any young animal continued consistent training is essential in the first 2yrs of their lives.  If you are unwilling or unable to commit to giving a Bengal a loving home with consistent rules, training and expectations they are not the breed for you.

bengal kittens
Are Bengals a wild breed?

No, Bengals are a domestic breed with the look of the Wild Cat that you can enjoy in your home.

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Are Bengals safe to keep?

Yes, Bengals are bred as house cats to interact with people, children and other animals as lifetime companions.

bengal kittens
Are Bengals lazy lap cats?

No, most Bengals are not lazy sleep-all-the-time cats. While many Bengals will come for cuddles, kisses and enjoy sitting for a pat while you watch a movie, they also like to prowl, hunt for dust bunnies, play rambunctiously with each other, toys or other pets and see what's happening with the household.

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Does a Bengal require any special care different from other domestic breeds?

No, just like any cat the Bengal requires a high quality diet and routine veterinary care that is expected of any cat owner.

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What is the average life expectancy of a Bengal?

Bengals have the usual feline life expectancy of 12 to 16+ years.

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I've heard Bengals are smart, can I teach my Bengal to do tricks?

Bengals are extremely smart and are often easy to train in many things. Bengals can be taught to walk on a lead with harness, fetching objects, sit when asked, come when called, sit & beg etc... We highly recommend buying a "train your cat new tricks" type of book that you can enjoy working on with your Bengal.

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Q - Do Bengals like catnip?

Yes, but you should be aware that on average only 70% of domestic cats in general are affected by catnip. The other 30% of domestic cats can have low to no interest.

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Do Altered (desexed) Bengals spray?

Bengals are like most domesticated breeds and are easily litter box trained without issue. While most Altered (Desexed) cats don't spray, in rare cases this can happen. Training and environmental changes can be done to assist in this.

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I've heard that Bengals like water is this true?

YES, most Bengals like to play in and with water. My Bengals love to sit on the side of the bath and play. If there's only a few inches in the bottom of the tub, you can often expect a "guest" to drop in unannounced!

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Are Bengals indoor or outdoor cats?

Bengals are an indoor cat, while they may enjoy looking out the windows they should not be let outside without being on a harness lead and fully supervised.

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Are all Bengals the same?

No, there are many different factors that affect what you see and get in any cat including the Bengal. Things to consider when looking for a breeder of your Bengals are:

  • The breeders breeding ethics
  • Healthy breeding practices
  • Verifiable pedigrees
  • Viewable guarantee contracts prior to booking
  • Health testing of ancestors
  • Socialization practices
  • Temperaments of parents
  • Top quality lines
  • Clean disease free environment
  • Routine veterinary maintenance program
  • A friendly and easily to communicate with breeder
  • The breeders business ethics and reputation
  • Knowledge of the breed

While you may find Bengals available at a varying range of prices, what you get and what you pay for are usually always in direct correlation.

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White Tummies

Why are they sought after?

The Asian Leopard Cats among many other wild cat species have a 'white tummy'. This trait adds to the wild beauty of the Bengal breed.

Quality breeders of Bengals strive to produce cats that reflect wild colour and pattern traits. The Bengal breed should have lighter colored tummies (the lighter the better) in comparison with the background colour.

Bengals are also required to have spotted tummies. Dedicated breeders are striving to duplicate the white belly, inside of legs, throat, and neck of the wild Asian Leopard Cat, while, at the same time, keep the beautiful and vibrant body color of the Bengal.

The success of producing whited tummies is still rare. When breeders are successful in producing this in their cats and kittens it is considered highly prized.

The result of having the spotted whited tummy gives the Bengal breed a very unique wild look closely reflecting their wild ancestors the Asian Leopard Cat.

bengal kittens
Premoridial Pouch

The primordial pouch is located on a cat's belly and has the appearance of a loose flap of skin. It can be compared to a deflated balloon hanging between the back legs.  The primordial pouch swings slightly as a cat walks.

The primordial pouch is another trait prized for its wild ancestry that again lends itself to the Bengal as a further tribute to their hybrid wild cat history.

If you have watched nature shows you would have seen the very distinctive primordial pouch displayed on wild cats, swinging gently as they prowl through the forest.

The primordial pouch is often misunderstood in domestic cats and in the past been attributed to an “out of condition” cat, an “overweight” cat, or due to “recent lactation” in females or due to  “multiple litters” in females.  These are inaccurate statements made by those who do not recognize what the primordial pouch truly is. 

The picture above shows a female Bengal (Fraservalley Fey Pandoras Box of Adelhills), aged 10 months, having never been bred, and in excellent show condition, displaying the classic primordial pouch.

The primordial pouch can be found in both the male and females of the breed. As many other traits that are not required in the breed, quality breeders have recognized the primordial pouch as yet another wild trait that we want to keep in our breed. As breeders we prize those traits that lend themselves to that feeling of the wild ancestry of the Bengals.