Cashmere Bengal Cats

The goal of creating the Bengal Cat breed was to develop a breed with the personality of the sweetest of domestic cats and the look of the most beautifully spotted of the wild cats. It was the small Asian Leopard wild cat that was bred to domestics to create the foundation this new breed. Initially, a number of mixed breed cats, as well as Maus and Abyssinians were bred to the wild Asian Leopard Cats. Any of these cats, as individuals, might have carried the recessive longhair gene. Thus it is perfectly reasonable that longhaired kittens from short haired Bengal parents have occasionally been occurring in purebred litters since the breed began. Many of those cats used in the founding of the breed also carried recessive genes for "non traditional" Bengal colors, such as blue, as well. Some of these colors have become recognised for show status, and some have fanciers who are working toward their recognition.
In the same way, the longhair or "Cashmere" variety of Bengal has admirers and supporters within the breeder community, and the cats are now being shown in the "New Trait" class with the hope of having them fully accepted for show competition soon.

The semi long coated Cashmere variety of Bengal is very similar in personality and temperament to their short coated siblings. They are active, curious, typically outgoing, generally companionable with other pets (especially dogs), and highly social. They are often found playing in the sink or shower, and have an "un-cat-like" affinity for water and bathing. Often considered "dog like" in their propensity to retrieve, learn tricks, and follow their owners around from room to room, they are nonetheless "all feline" and require indulgence and training to respond to their excellent leaping skills
(which may well find them suddenly in the middle of your dining room table, or even the top of your refridgerator!)and investigative nature. The Cashmere is perhaps a tad quieter in nature than his short coated brethren, but he is still a cat with a reasonably high energy level, and happiest in a household in which he can be an active participant.