Source https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/03/bengal-cats.html
Reference https://www.purina.co.uk/find-a-pet/cat-breeds/bengal
Sarah C.P. Williams’ article posted on Stanford Medicine stated that researchers at Stanford Medicine studied the origins of Bengal cat’s coats and determined that it most likely stemmed from domesticated cats. These cats were assumed to be bred from the genes of an Asian leopard and a house cat. Many people want bengal cats because of their wild-like leopard appearance but domesticated personality. However, it has been reported that the appearance of Bengal cats have always been around in domesticated cats.
Researcher Gregory Brash and his colleagues sequenced 947 Bengal cat genomes and found that there were no parts of the Asian leopard cat genomes that would have been assumed to be found in all Bengals. Instead, the results determined that the appearance of Bengals was a result of genetic variations that were already present in domestic cats. In the end, it was decided that the ideal Bengal Cat coat could have been achieved with the simple domestic cat genome.
This research is very interesting. Not only does it determine that Bengal cats are not as exotic as originally thought, but it also highlights the fact that many people are paying, on average $1,500 – $3,000 on a cat that is not actually what it seems. I am curious to see if the prices of Bengal cats decrease as a result of this study.
This is such an intriguing topic! As an owner of an exotic pet, I know how pricey the pet trade can get. I am also incredibly curious to see if the pricing regarding these "exotic" cats decreases... It is also very fascinating to see similar traits to the Asian leopard cats demonstrated in cats lacking their genome... It makes me wonder if this study may be carried over to other types of pets marketed for their exoticism.
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