Scottish Fold Bengal Mix Cat – a bundle of cuteness overload

The Scottish Fold Bengal mix cat – a bundle of cuteness overload

Breed traits and the final result

Mixing and matching can always get you out of a boredom rut and into fun town again. But what happens when you mix a Scottish Fold with a Bengal cat!?

Scottish Folds are normal-sized domestic cats that you adore. Might be because of their round shape or their loving personality. Either way, they make great pet partners. But have you met the Bengal cat!? Slightly bigger and energetic, this one brings the wild into urban. Often times though it is best to compromise and get the best of both cats.

Meet the Scottish Fold

Brief history

The Scottish Fold links back to one ancestor, Susie. This was a white cat with folded ears living on a farm in Scotland. Susie’s genetic mutation that caused the ears to fold was passed on to one of her kittens. Thus, the Scottish Fold breeding began.

The early times of this breed were a bit bumpy. Cat Associations refused to recognize it because of their potential health problems. The gene that gives the folded ears can lead to severe bone problems. Therefore, correct breeding is very important in this breed.

Body traits & lifespan

Folds are medium-sized cats in general. They weight somewhere in the range of 3 to 6 kg. Males are typically larger than females. Their shape is round by all means: head, muzzle, body, paws and ear tips.

Scottish Folds come in all coat colors and patterns. Most often, you can find short-haired cats to adopt or buy. Yet, there are long-haired Folds as well with the same color diversity. The fur is dense with an underlying layer. Eyes are big and round and never miss a move.

The life expectancy of a Scottish Fold is between 12 and 15 years. If you go for one, you might get a long-time buddy!

Health

Due to the genetic mutation that gives those cute folded ears, these cats face health issues.

• Degenerative joint disease – the most common problem in these cats. It causes joint pain and bone stiffness. In time, the legs and tail of your Fold could lose mobility.
• Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and cardiomyopathy – Scottish Folds are susceptible to these diseases.

Grooming is essential for these little ones. The folded ears need regular and gentle cleaning routine. Because of the ear fold, dirt and infections have a greater chance of sticking.

Personality

The Fold is a universal cat. Whether you live alone or have a huge family with children and other pets, this cat is perfect. Adaptable, loving and playful, the Scottish Fold doesn’t say no to anyone. They are intelligent and love challenges as much as toys. Careful not to leave them alone for too long though.

Meet the Bengal Cat

Brief history

You know how sometimes accidents have awesome outcomes!? Well, one such outcome is the domestic Bengal cat.

Back in the 50s’ and 60s’ people could get an Asian leopard cat from any pet store. And so did a California breeder named Jean Mill. Empathic and loving, Jean left her leopard cat to hang around a domestic black tom cat. Keeping each other company is one thing, but the two went on to mate. The outcome was a litter of strong cats with leopard spots. This is how the Bengal breed first came to life.

Despite the wild traits gained from the Asian leopard cat, the Bengals are 100% domestic. The International Cat Association fully recognized the breed in 1991. The wild heritage makes them strong, healthy and large in size. No wonder it grew in popularity and price.

Body traits & lifespan

It is easy to guess that this is a large-sized cat. A male can weight anywhere between 4.5 and 7 kg, while the females range from 4 to 6 kg. Their bodies are well built, but slender and athletic.

The head is broad and mildly elongated with rounded margins. Set a bit wide apart, the ears are medium to small in size. The shape of their eyes is a mix of oval and round.

Connected by a strong neck is the muscular body with medium-tall legs. The posterior ones are slightly longer than those in front and their paws are round and large.

A strong, thick tail with a black tip defines the shape of their body. When rolled over, you get a glimpse of their wild ancestry – a light colored, spotted belly.

The coat colors and patterns lack the diversity of Scottish Folds. However, they wear a specific spotted or striped coat with similar color nuances. There are two main classes, namely the brown-spotted and the snow-spotted Bengal. These contain brown tabby, black silver, marbled or seal silver. Light or darker brown, all Bengals have short hair with a nice glimmer.

The lifespan of a Bengal cat goes from 10 to 16 years. Same as the Scottish Fold, these cats can be long-term companions.

Health

These cats are generally healthy. Yet, as is the case with all cats, there can occur health problems rooted in genetics. In the case of Bengal cats, these are the diseases observed:

• Distal neuropathy – cats experience weakness, but usually recover on their own.
• Progressive retinal atrophy – it is a genetic disease that compromises the cat’s vision in time. This can be tested with ease.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – common heart disease in cats. It affects the heart muscle which decreases cardiac function.

Personality

Get ready for fun and games, because this is one energetic cat. Highly intelligent as well. An apartment can be constraining for the Bengal cat. They need space to run and sometimes they might drive you crazy.

Often compared to a dog, the Bengal likes to play fetch and don’t mind the water. Climbing is a favorite activity and being tall that is no problem to them. Puzzle toys, tricks, and switches keep them busy and euphoric. You can swim together by day and share the bed at night. A warning though – they will steal your covers and feel no remorse.

Do you have children and a family dog!? No worries, the Bengal cat fits right among them. They are happy to make friends and have buddies to consume their energy with. Children are equally energetic and curious which makes them perfect matches.  

Scottish Fold Bengal – a game of mix & match

What these two breeds have in common are their amazing personalities. Aside from that, they both require a low amount of effort to groom and care for.

Healthwise, they can be generally healthy fellows, but prone to some genetic mismatches. This depends on how the breeder handled the pairing. A disease that both these breeds are susceptible to is cardiomyopathy.

But what happens when you mate one with the other!? You get a precious outcome in the shape of a folded-ears leopard spotted cat.

When breeding Scottish Folds, it is important to never pair two cats with folded years. This would lead to the specific health troubles of the Fold. It is fine to breed them with another domestic cat or Scottish Fold with straight ears.

The Bengal cat meets the criteria. The resulting cats will grow bigger in size and probably get the ear fold. The particular coat pattern of the Bengal is also inherited.

Aside from the cute physical traits, the mix is also prone to diseases of the parent breeds. There are cases of Scottish Fold Bengal cats diagnosed with OCD (osteochondrodysplasia). This is the cause of abnormal bone development. The condition progresses in time. Some cats show signs later in life, some from small ages.

Because of the high cost of a Bengal cat, this mix will not come cheap either.

Conclusion

Looking for a cat full of energy to keep you active and have the roundness of the Scottish Folds!? Look no further because the Scottish Fold Bengal cat is here to befriend you. But don’t shy away from putting time and effort into your research. Learn about your cat and fully commit to building a high-quality bond. It will reflect back into your lives.