Hi all and thanks in advance for any interest in this topic.
I rescued an Occi/Bengal x about a year and a half ago. The story is that a breeder was in the process of surrendering a very sickly Bengal kitten (with a sketchy pedigree) at four weeks of age.. Thankfully, the clinic recommended the beautiful baby be placed at a local Bengal - specific shelter. At the time, I had recently lost a rescue from the Dominican which pretty much broke my heart beyond repair. I decided to honor him by giving another rescue a forever home ... instead of wallowing. As I combed the internet, the most precious and sad little face was suddenly staring back at me; he had me at meow
. I had Rory flown from Ontario to Vancouver within days of first seeing him. After months of vet visits, tons of meds (for a myriad of issues) and a procedure to clear his breathing passages, he's become a stunning adult. And, aside from being so very different from any cat I have known ( unique mannerisms ;chortling ; pelt rather than fur ... water - obsessed; unusually dependent ... and forever kitten) one of the sweetest cats I've ever known.Costly ... but worth every penny
I was wondering if any of the breed experts out there could tell me a bit more about how his rich ... almost 'saturated' color came to be and ... is this the product of cross breeding that the controversial 'Cheetoh' intended to produce? To me, he doesn't favor the images I've seen thus far. And, of course, I have little idea of where he actually came from or if he is, in fact, crossed with Occi. I have only known one other Bengal and she was from one of the earliest breeders in The U.S.; very wild and almost untouchable. I realize the breed has come a long way (depending on who your talking to, of course). But, that said, I'm not at all looking to start a controversial dialogue
I'm simply a rescue parent wondering if anyone would like to share their thoughts/comments/Bengal advice on this little miracle that almost wasn't:
*correction: the third image is Murray, the baby we lost.
I rescued an Occi/Bengal x about a year and a half ago. The story is that a breeder was in the process of surrendering a very sickly Bengal kitten (with a sketchy pedigree) at four weeks of age.. Thankfully, the clinic recommended the beautiful baby be placed at a local Bengal - specific shelter. At the time, I had recently lost a rescue from the Dominican which pretty much broke my heart beyond repair. I decided to honor him by giving another rescue a forever home ... instead of wallowing. As I combed the internet, the most precious and sad little face was suddenly staring back at me; he had me at meow
. I had Rory flown from Ontario to Vancouver within days of first seeing him. After months of vet visits, tons of meds (for a myriad of issues) and a procedure to clear his breathing passages, he's become a stunning adult. And, aside from being so very different from any cat I have known ( unique mannerisms ;chortling ; pelt rather than fur ... water - obsessed; unusually dependent ... and forever kitten) one of the sweetest cats I've ever known.Costly ... but worth every pennyI was wondering if any of the breed experts out there could tell me a bit more about how his rich ... almost 'saturated' color came to be and ... is this the product of cross breeding that the controversial 'Cheetoh' intended to produce? To me, he doesn't favor the images I've seen thus far. And, of course, I have little idea of where he actually came from or if he is, in fact, crossed with Occi. I have only known one other Bengal and she was from one of the earliest breeders in The U.S.; very wild and almost untouchable. I realize the breed has come a long way (depending on who your talking to, of course). But, that said, I'm not at all looking to start a controversial dialogue
I'm simply a rescue parent wondering if anyone would like to share their thoughts/comments/Bengal advice on this little miracle that almost wasn't:
*correction: the third image is Murray, the baby we lost.
