How Old is Your Bengal Cat in Human Years? Although the conversion "science" is not exact, this chart gives a general idea of how old your feline friend is in human years! **Note the first year of life is the most significant in regards to age progression. After the first year, the aging process slows down considerably. Feline years are noted in the first column (maroon) and conversion to human years are in the second column (black).

What Does it Mean? SBT, F3, OS, GRC and the list of initails goes on! So, what do all those initials mean? Let's break the code! Here's a brief explanation: Let's start with titles and go on from there.  CH   Champion  GCH (GC/GRC)   Grand Champion  DGC   Double Grand Champion  TGC   Triple Grand Champion  QGC   Quad Grand Champion  SGC   Supreme Grand Champion  PGC   Platinum Grand Champion  RW   Regional Winner  IW   International Winner  OD   Outstanding Dam  OS   Outstanding Sire  LA   Lifetime Achievement  IA   Inter American  AB   All breed  SP   Speciality Some of the titles listed are representative of different feline organizations for example; TICA, ACFA, UFO (if we have missed yours, please do let us know!).  ALC   Asian Leopard Cat  F1   The first generation offspring from an ALC (F1 can also mean first generation cross of two different breeds)  F2   Second Generation offspring from the ALC (same applies in regards to different breeds)  F3   The third generation offspring  F4/SBT   Fourth generation offspring are known as SBT (stud book tradition). Only SBT's can be shown in championship competition

So, when deciding to add a kitten to your family... Remember some important information that will assist you through the life of your cat. From kittenhood to senior citizen, each life stage makes different demands on the owner as well as the feline. Cats are living longer lives and those contemplating a cat as a "furever" companion must realize the length of that committment! It is not uncommon for a Bengal cat to live well into it's geriatric years!  Kittens require constant interaction insuring proper socialization and their dietary needs are very different from the adult cat. As the kitten matures into the teen years there are changes occcuring sexually as well as developmentally. And then from a beautifully matured adult to the senior cat the obvious signs are generally a slowed down activity level...(as a side note... this isn't always the case in the Bengal breed!) Today with increasing awareness on the part of the owner, more and more felines are actually reaching "SR" years and the geriatric cat is not so uncommon. Proper care (diet, medical, husbandry/housing) have a great impact on your feline friend's longevity! As well genetics may also play a role in your cat's lifespan. Surveys, according to Alice Wolf, DVM, indicate that 10 - 20% of the veterinary feline patient population is now classed as "geriatric". Experts differ on when an adult cat is actually considered "geriatric", but generally, it is safe to assume that a 10 year old feline is a senior.

What's in a Name? ... What to Name Your Bengal Cat Is the old adage true? "A rose by any other name is still a rose". The name you bestow upon your Bengal cat may in fact be more than just a name! Names can reflect how others see your pet as well as what your cat needs to live up to! Names are repeated numerous times a day and generally the easiest names for your feline to recognize are those that are short and one or two syllables. Make sure the name is unique and doesn't sound like someone else's name in the family so your cat doesn't become confused by mixed messages. Your Bengal cat's name can be inspired by numerous things, a favorite author, a favorite perfume, a bit of humor and for breeders, perhaps following a theme that goes along with your cattery name! When naming your purebred Bengal, remember that registries have certain rules that apply generally to the number of characters and in regards to duplication. In the case of avoiding duplication, some names will lend themselves to spelling variations ie; Rider...Ryder. Adding a second name to the main name will decrease the probability of a duplicated name. There can be more than one "Rider" for example, within the general cat fancy or Bengal breed population but, only one "Rider" to the registered cattery. Should you decide to give your Bengal a name that is meant for the showhall such as "Spottedcats (cattery name) Cool Runnins" come up with a call name too. Here's a list of some well known names in the breed (by no means all): Hooter Fudge Ripple Nitro Glisstening Destiny Warhawk Wurthawate Virtual Reality Strike Force DiCaprio Mercury Rising Shiloh Silver Cloud Kaleidoscope Easy Lover Voodoo Magic Thriller Loner Tapestry Inkosi Rave Review Rajin Cajun Mirror Mirror Dynamo Glow Lethal Weapon Tarzan Ain't She Amazin French Lace Midas Touch Warpaint Praline Mattinee Idol Sampson Filigree Shining Jewel Lamborghini Aries Penny Ante SilknCinders Tory Kotton Pickin Lil Boogar Kotton Futures Magic Marker Tejay Kimo Ace Inda Hole Splendor Thunderbolt Rosetted Bandoleros Splendor Houdini Art Deco Kabuki Segura Khan Taro Leopole Pennybank Rorschack Patticake Heritage Cloud Nine Mirror Image KinKin Custom Made Shanarra Kita Loa Wild Thing Sudden Impact High Voltage Tae Bo Magic Marker Ramses Gold Willie Wild Catchet Emilio Sheen Calypso DiVinci Atlas Balaika April Benjamin Trademark Arusha Buzzer Labu Heartbreaker Phantom Ethan Hock Rosetta Stone Silver Idol