Could my cat be part bengal?

[sashh]

Mistery cat, now Misty arrived about a year ago. She had followed a neighbour home and he knew I fostered cats.

Took her to the vet, no microchip, asked around, put up poster etc - nothing so she became a permenant resident.

A few people have posted ahout bengals. I thought they all had spotty bellies but no, some seemed to not have spots at all and some xbreeds have a White belly.

I'll try to do some pics but description

White belly, paws and bib.

Tabby with a black stripe down the centre of her back and some spots and some more traditional tabby stripes.

But one thing that seems to be more bengal - from you tube- I've never met one IRL is her noises, I cant say it's a mew because it's more of a 'wha'.

So am I deluding myself or could she be part bengal?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Do we get pictures? Some toms or queens do get out and breed with moggies before going home and the kittens get sold as x breeds.

[sashh]

Pics on profile - I hope.

[cozietoesie]

Can't see yet but it usually takes a short while to load.

[prettybird]

She could just be part oriental. Our Siamese don't mew but "whaaah" (much more guttural) instead.

[sashh]

Maybe pretty.

I've fostered cats for years (can't now she's here) and she is more vocal than any I've known.

I'm not bothered, she's here to stay, just interested in if she could be part of something identifiable.

She's quite small, which I think isn't a Bengal thing, when shw first arrived I thought she was about 6 months but the vet said fully grown.

[sashh]

OK I think I now have a public profile with pics

[cozietoesie]

Oh she's a good looking cat.

(I'll defer to Fluffy on the 'Bengalness')

[TheWombat]

Ooh, a mystery cat, how exciting! She sounds very cute :)
Most bengals do have spotty tummies. I think it's the snow bengals ( white with pale beige spots) that don't. But yours will be a cross anyway, if it has socks and bib. The miow thing could be a sign - bengals tend to be very vocal and have a wide range of noises: chirps, squeaks, growls, whines, howls, chatters. Mine never shuts up!

Some other things to check:
What colour is her nose? Bengals have brick red noses.

Check her paws. Bengal cats have slightly webbed toes because they are descended from swimming cats.

Does she show interest in water e.g climbing in the bath with you, watching you in the shower, shouting at you to turn the tap on?

Is she a good climber? Is she quite muscular?

[TheWombat]

She's gorgeous! She does look solid and muscular. Hard to see from the pics if there's definite Bengal in there - she might have a Bengal grandparent, but could also be a very prettily marked tabby.

I want a catty cuddle now.

[TheWombat]

Have shown DH: his (layman's) opinion is that she IS part Bengal. :)
Apparently many bengal crosses end up with a white tummy and bib / socks like yours - I didn't know this.
We've had 3 in total, all of which were very similar in body shape to yours (although that could be because they are all, err, cats).

[sashh]

Wombat that's what we called her for a couple of weeks. Then it became Misty, but her full name is now Maquesa gatta misterioso, hunter of legs.

She's out at the moment, having kitty adventures, I don't think her nose is red - will check that and her feet when she comes back.

She doesn't show an interest in the bath / shower but she does like to put her paw into a glass of drinking water and lick from her paw.

She has perfectly good clean water in her bowl.

Climbing - yes. I found her in my wardrobe on top of the clothes hangers (that had clothes on). She also climbs on top of the wardrob and if a door is open lowers herslf onto the shelf at the top.

She will also jump onto you, well on to one of my friends, from floor to his chest.

She does have quite a wide vocabulary, but not as wide as my previous cat, Charlie - you could hold a conversation with him.

She doesn't mew, sort of squaks and if I don't obey her instantly the pitch goes up. She has a distinct noise that I know means she has brought a mouse or a bird in.

[CotedePablo]

I don't know anything about Bengals, but she's a beautiful cat.

[sashh]

Thank you to everyone wh says she is beautiful - she certainly knows she is.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I would say thats a bengal cross, we went to a bengal cat show in the summer and they were much smaller, mines more F3 so I thought they were all kittens. note the rippling muscles.

The main difference between him and our previous cats (3 white chinchilla persians, one long hair ginger and one deranged tortie) is the persistance. He will miaow for 45 minutes before giving in and accepting he is not going out. He sits watching you do things like open a drawer or cupboard and then starts trying to do it too.

If you dont do as instructed first time the volume goes up.

[RooneyMara]

She's gorgeous

I clicked on this thinking Bengal cats were the black ones with huge orange eyes. But that's Bombay isn't it?

I think I had one of those once, he was rescued...absolutely beautiful. He died after about 7 weeks though...obviously someone dumped him as he was poorly

Your lass looks very much at home and very happy!

[TheWombat]

:). The 'paw in the water' thing rings a bell with me, although I think some moggies do it too. And I also recognise the squak, the hunting and the attention-seeking! I am sure she has some Bengal in her.

Have you tried her with this toy? Da Bird. Every Bengal I've ever known has been unable to resist it...

Fluffy I love the F3s....not sure if they're for us, but they are stunning to look at.. :)

[Fluffycloudland77]

Not at 4am they aren't. He can get radio 4 on the huge ears though so it's swings and roundabouts.

[ZebraOwl]

No idea about the Bengal bit, but she has a FANTASTIC full name

[KeepYerTitsIn]

Ooh I reckon she is part Bengal, lots of the signs are there, lucky you. She's a beauty anyway.

[sashh]

Fluffy

Yes to the persistance.

I've been sleeping with my bedroom window open until recently. As it's got cold she has learned that she has to sit by the window and ask.

But she has tried that at 1am. I am not about to start getting up at that time to let her out. She kept up the yowling for about an hour.

She does seem to have slight webbing between her toes - but I can't say I've ever looked for that on another cat.

I wonder if this is why she's a stray?

She is currently in her eaarly morning position of being between me and the PC and pretending I'm dough that needs kneading.

Thanks all.

[Melaniejane07]

Hi wombat, I've just found this post because I've always wondered if mine were x bengal. They are both siblings brother and sister. Both vocal often follow me into the bathroom expecially when the shower is on.
My boy has a prominent cry more like a riow my female does aswell not as loud, she chirps alot chats away. They are so affectionate unlike any cat I've ever known. They also have large ears and prominent faces especially as kittens. It'll be interesting to ever find out. I'm not sure if I would ever know fir certain, but my boy certainly looks handsome and muscular.

[Melaniejane07]

They are also really persistent wanting lots of attention, my male (Leo) also tends to climb upto the top bunk to sleep (clever cat ) my female angel likes on the shed roof. These are my cats as kittens