In keeping with the Exotic cats questions

[hopehacker]

I was wondering what you feel about Bengal cats. I know they are considered domesticated, however the 5,000 years of domestication doesn't apply to them, because they are only 4 generations away from the Asian Leopard cat. I have a Bangel and he's the sweetest little guy you'd ever want to meet, but he is very playful. Do you think he's safe to have in the home?

 

[elizabeth a.]

I've never heard anything to make me think Bengals are not safe to have in the home. I think the original crossbreeding introduced new genes, but selection since then has been pretty stringent to get rid of anything undesirable. And the same can't really be said about wolf-dog hybrids, I don't think, as the "wild" aspect seems to be valued there, so the selection pressures are different. Plus the wolf blood tends to be a lot of generations closer as there's not really a new breed being developed as there was with the Bengal.
So love them and don't fret about being devoured!

 

[mellanie]

Except for when they go to the vet's, Bengal's are great pets! (I'm a vet assistant, and have never met a Bengal at work who didn't go absolutely psycho when examined, including my own!) I have a little girl, she just turned one year old on Saturday.

 

[bengal cats]

My retired queen Lady Luck is never psycho when she goes to the vet. I guess I got lucky with her. I do have some boys who can be a bit nutty at the vets.

 

[hell603]

My Loki (marble Bengal) is 3 1/2 and they sweetest boy- he sleeps with me tucked into my left armpit!!!!!!! At the vets he get's scared and tucks himself into my arms.

I my opinion if a cat, any cat, is not safe around humans it's usually because of very bad experiences with humans.