The Bengal is one of the coolest and most stylish cats out there! And if you love Bengals, you’re in luck – we’ve got 15 fun facts all about them! Discover their recent origins, their fearsome ancestor, and find out which celebs love Bengals! And if you liked this, check out more cat related fun here! Hows about these black cat facts? Or perhaps you’d rather have a go at this big cat quiz! You might even be up for these purr-larious cat jokes!

1. They Are Descended From Leopards (Sort Of)!

Bengal cats are descended from the Asian leopard cat, a small wild cat native to…yup, Asia! They have large pointy ears, as well as the classic leopard print fur pattern! Bengals were created when a breeder bred an Asian leopard cat with a domestic cat, and over the last few years their popularity has soared!

2.They Have Unique Markings

Bengals are easy to distinguish from their unique markings – you can tell a Bengal by their special ‘rosette’ markings, which mimic that of a leopard (and their wild ancestor, the Asian leopard cat). If your cat doesn’t have these rosette markings, it’s more likely to be a tabby!

3. They Can Be Described as ‘dog-like’

Bengals resemble dogs more than other cats in some ways – they are playful, curious, and they love going on walks and exploring! They are very active and enjoy cuddling up to their owners. You can even walk Bengals on a leash, just like a dog!

4. They Are Chatty

Bengal cats are known for being very ‘chatty’ – they love to make noises! They will communicate vocally a lot, about everything, including when they’re hungry, tired or upset! Some Bengals even talk in their sleep!

5. They Love Swimming!

Most cats hate water, but Bengals aren’t like most cats! They LOVE the water! They even enjoy swimming, so don’t be surprised if you’re Bengal tries to join you in the bath! They are also known to drink water straight from the tap!

6. They Are Excellent Hunters

Like their leopard ancestor, Bengals are excellent hunters, and will spend as much time as possible stalking their prey. So if you’re Bengal lives near any small rodent friends or birds, be extra careful and on the look out! Your Bengal will think bringing you a dead bird as a present is a great idea, so make sure you keep an eye out to avoid any bird related accidents!

7. Bengals Are Smart

Bengals are very intelligent cats, and they make the perfect pet if you’re looking for a brainy companion! Bengals can even learn tricks if you teach them patiently, including sit, spin around and shake hands! Wow!

8. They Have Glittery Fur!

Well, sort of! It’s not exactly glittery, but it’s beautifully shiny and sleek, a bit like if you’d sprinkled gold dust on them! Aww! Not all Bengals have this glitter coat effect, but maybe yours is one of the lucky ones! And if two glitter Bengals have a kitten, it might be super extra glittery!

9. They Love Climbing

Bengals need lots of vertical space to play, which means rope ladders, trees, high platforms and other ways of climbing! They probably inherited this need to be high from their wild ancestors, and nothing makes a Bengal happier than perching somewhere!

10. Bengals Are From the USA, Not Asia

Although they are named Bengals (after Bengal, a region in Asia that includes parts of India) they were actually bred in the USA! The name comes from their ancestor, the Asian leopard cat.

11. They Are Not That Old

Unlike some cat breeds, which have existed for thousands of years, the Bengal only came into existence in the 20th century. In fact, it can be traced to a very specific year, 1963, when breeder Jean Mill first bred Bengals!

12. They Have Some Health Issues

Bengals are great pets, but sadly they do have some health issues to look out for. These include stomach issues, lymphoma (a type of cancer) and arthritus. Make sure you get your Bengal regularly checked out at the vets to keep any health conditions under control!

13. It’s Illegal to Own One in Australia…Sort of!

Sadly, if you’re an Aussie who loves Bengals, you’ll have to make sure you have the right sort of Bengal! This is because Australia has very strict laws about pets, and you can only have a Bengal if it’s very distantly descended from its Asian leopard cat ancestor!

14. Celebs Love Bengal Cats!

Bengal cats are popular with all kinds of people, including celebrities! Actor Kristen Stewart owns a Bengal called Max, and other celebs who have owned Bengals include Paris Hilton, Khloe Kardashian and Martha Stewart!

15. Suki is a Celeb Bengal!

Suki the Bengal is a famous cat with nearly 2 million followers on Instagram! Suki is super adventurous and can be found in all sorts of places with her friend Killua the dog! Suki’s favourite activities include exploring the outdoors, playing in the snow, and walks on her leash!