Trying to figure out if my cat is a bengal (mix) or not

Greentail

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She was a feral/stray when I met her in Texas from a feral cat colony. She's super vocal, is very persistent on trying to open doors, she almost NEVER leaves me alone as she finds it necessary to sit on top of me every minute of every day and when she was still an outdoor cat, I saw her walking towards me with the sun behind her and as I only saw her silhouette, she just appeared MASSIVE, like a lion almost. Everyone always likes to comment/compliment on her pattern.
 

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nanniecat

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She was a feral/stray when I met her in Texas from a feral cat colony. She's super vocal, is very persistent on trying to open doors, she almost NEVER leaves me alone as she finds it necessary to sit on top of me every minute of every day and when she was still an outdoor cat, I saw her walking towards me with the sun behind her and as I only saw her silhouette, she just appeared MASSIVE, like a lion almost. Everyone always likes to comment/compliment on her pattern.
how incredibly lucky u both are to have found each other! i did have my cat's dna done. i was obsessed with "who's your daddy" i got the report filed it away and have not looked at it since. cause what i realized it didnt matter at all. she is my cat, i luv her and thats it! u two have a wonderful bond. enjoy it! she has special look on her face! CONGRATULATIONS!:loveeyes::redheartpump:
 
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Greentail

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how incredibly lucky u both are to have found each other! i did have my cat's dna done. i was obsessed with "who's your daddy" i got the report filed it away and have not looked at it since. cause what i realized it didnt matter at all. she is my cat, i luv her and thats it! u two have a wonderful bond. enjoy it! she has special look on her face! CONGRATULATIONS!:loveeyes::redheartpump:
I get it, but no offense, I actually do want to find out whether or not she is a bengal or not. Plus, isn't "Who's your daddy" a game and has nothing to do with cats? I'd also rather not spend $100 or so to get a test done.
 

Flybynight

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Hi,
Beautiful cat 🌸
She is a marbled tabby pattern, which came from the domestic cat population and was used in the Bengal breeding program.
This pattern is thought to have developed naturally in the British isles. In the US, I read it is more common in New England but not as common as in the British isles.
It is possible she is a mix Bengal, as Bengals are fairly popular and have that pattern among them.
She does look similar in the head size and face. So I think a good chance she is a mixed Bengal. Could also be a Bengal from a later generation.
 
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Greentail

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Hi,
Beautiful cat 🌸
She is a marbled tabby pattern, which came from the domestic cat population and was used in the Bengal breeding program.
This pattern is thought to have developed naturally in the British isles. In the US, I read it is more common in New England but not as common as in the British isles.
It is possible she is a mix Bengal, as Bengals are fairly popular and have that pattern among them.
She does look similar in the head size and face. So I think a good chance she is a mixed Bengal. Could also be a Bengal from a later generation.
Thank you! I knew I wasn't crazy but with the amount I know about bengals, I suspected either a mix or from a later generation. I used to want a Bengal years back due to how gorgeous they looked but I'm glad I never tried to save up for one, my cat is just as bad as a purebred one!
 

StefanZ

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She may have some distant Ancestry, but as its now, she is a domestic shorthair, classic brown tabby. Possibly torbie, (ie tortie too) but I dont think not.
Its not even sure she is a torbie; because brown tabbies do often have some reddish looking fur.

You have several pics of spots on her belly. Now, spots on the belly are common also with striped and classic tabbies, so they by themselves doesnt prove anything.

If she is visibly biggish, its not impossible she has for example, a maine coon as Ancestor. A Maine, mated with a shorthair, will get shorthair kittens. :)
 

sivyaleah

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I get it, but no offense, I actually do want to find out whether or not she is a bengal or not. Plus, isn't "Who's your daddy" a game and has nothing to do with cats? I'd also rather not spend $100 or so to get a test done.
In order to be a Bengal she would have to have the papers proving she's purebred showing her lineage going back several generations of only that breed of cat. Any other cat is a domestic, marbled black (brown) shorthair tabby in this instance.

There no are no good DNA tests to prove one way or another anyway. They are all garbage and will only tell you about possibilities. Feline DNA is extremely similar across all breeds since they have not been selectively bred for enough time to have differences, like in dogs.

She looks typically domestic to my eyes. Lots of cats are larger that the average, and have the same behaviors as yours. I see no specific purebred type of cat in her. Only about 3-5% of all cats worldwide are purebred and breeders keep a keen eye on their cats, no "oops" litters, etc. Of course a backyard breeder could get hold of a purebred cat and randomly breed them or, a pet could escape from their home but unlikely they wouldn't have been neutered or spayed before going to their home or, shortly thereafter. The odds of this happening are very slim.
 

cataholic07

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If she was a bengal mix she would be high energy still and play for hours. I think she is just a domestic short hair tabby. Still stunning though.
 
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Greentail

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In order to be a Bengal she would have to have the papers proving she's purebred showing her lineage going back several generations of only that breed of cat. Any other cat is a domestic, marbled black (brown) shorthair tabby in this instance.

There no are no good DNA tests to prove one way or another anyway. They are all garbage and will only tell you about possibilities. Feline DNA is extremely similar across all breeds since they have not been selectively bred for enough time to have differences, like in dogs.

She looks typically domestic to my eyes. Lots of cats are larger that the average, and have the same behaviors as yours. I see no specific purebred type of cat in her. Only about 3-5% of all cats worldwide are purebred and breeders keep a keen eye on their cats, no "oops" litters, etc. Of course a backyard breeder could get hold of a purebred cat and randomly breed them or, a pet could escape from their home but unlikely they wouldn't have been neutered or spayed before going to their home or, shortly thereafter. The odds of this happening are very slim.
I used to wonder if she had been abandoned due to her being from an "oops" litter and she was terrified to be indoors with the door closed when I first coaxed her into my home.

If she was a bengal mix she would be high energy still and play for hours. I think she is just a domestic short hair tabby. Still stunning though.
Due to her being abandoned/feral, she would hide 24/7 as she was an outdoor cat. Now she still hides but she really has a lot of energy. But she only likes to play if either her daughter provokes her or if I just ignore her. She refuses to play with me but it'll take time I think.
 

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Very cute girl! She could easily be a sister of Pimenta, if it weren't for the geographical separation. It sounds like the personaility is similar too: Pimenta is very active and very sociable. She doesn't like being alone- she gets separation anxiety easily. Many people online have asked me if she's a Sokokê; she fiits the description to a "t", but is just a brazilian domestic shorthair from a local feral colony :loveeyes::runningcat::runningcat:
 

Flybynight

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I don't think cats who are specific breeds (most man made) are really that rare. They are bred by people who register them and those who do not. Still the same DNA. Not all breeders are good.

Many pets are not neutered/spayed before leaving the breeder. Many people let their pets roam or pets in heat escape.
Keep in mind the numbers of Persians, Siamese etc who left breeders before sterilizing cats became more common. Of course they mixed with the local cats.

There is a series on Siamese cats in the UK: Feline Frolics and reading it will show you how easy mixing was and for generations.
I read the first book, quite funny, Cats in the Belfry. Doreen Tovey is the author. I think the series was set in the 50-60's but that Is quite a few generations after Siamese first landed in the West.

Now sterilization is more common but I am sure we all have come across people who do not or want to breed an 'interesting' cross for themselves. Happens more with dogs but also happens with cats, the 'interesting' or cute named mixes.

G Greentail
I still think she looks like a Bengal. Look at the small head to body size, not typical of a domestic. (keeping in mind, Bengals are part domestic, but the smaller head to body size comes from the Asian Leopard cat).
Though, I know there are those who say cats of a particular breed never have kittens with domestics 🌝
 

Meowmee

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I am not that familiar with bengals. Her head/ ears don’t have the look to me from what I have learned. Just my guess though. Not all cats who are mixed with say domestic and pb or who are pb will have all of the hallmark traits associated with the breed. Many pb started with domestic cats from the area and have been bred with other breeds for various reasons so they can have different looks. She is gorgeous, such a beautiful pattern and eyes.

I have however read stories of people releasing unfixed bengals outside because they could not manage them and so they could then obviously breed with outdoor or indoor outdoor cats who aren’t fixed.

Years ago many people let their cats roam and many did not spay neuter in time to stop a litter or at all. Many still do that now. I have rescued numerous dumped unfixed kitties.

My Quinn is pb siamese, he was not neutered by the breeder, she said wait until 5 pounds or 6 months. All my dvm still say 6 months. So not all pb kitties are neutered before they leave. He was n at just 6 months. There is a siamese mix cat on sm whose mom is pb siamese, dad is a free roaming domestic, an oops litter. He is so gorgeous, he has seal points, long light silvery body fur and beautiful blue eyes. They are sort of farm cats I think.
 
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Willowy

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Keep in mind the numbers of Persians, Siamese etc who left breeders before sterilizing cats became more common. Of course they mixed with the local cats.
Yeah, but at what point is a purebred mix no longer a purebred mix? 3 generations? 5? 10?

But I agree that Bengals unfortunately attracted an irresponsible crowd due to the novelty of being "part wild" and there are probably way more Bengal mixes out there than we suspect.

And I think purebred mixes are more common in the UK (I would guess this is due to so many pets being put down during WWII) so it also depends where you live. There are probably some ritzier areas of the US where more purebreds are found too.
 
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