While I was planning to breed my Bengal Cat, my friend mentioned something about the importance of the ‘F’ scale that got me curious as to what it is.
So, what to know about F ratings of Bengal cats? The F ratings of Bengal Cats denote the number of their generation. In that case, the first offspring of an Asian Leopard Cat and a domestic cat will be an F1 Bengal cat, the second will be an F2 Bengal cat, and so on. Furthermore, it tells about their behavior and overall personality before adoption, as well as breeding.
Let’s explore them in detail below.
What do F ratings mean in Bengal cats?
The alphabet F here refers to the Filial scale.
It signifies how far a specific Bengal cat is from its ancestor; the Asian Leopard Cat (ALC).
It is essential to understand that Bengal cats are hybrids of the wild Asian Leopard cat and domestic cats. So, F1 Bengal cat is the first generation of an ALC and a domestic cat. F2 would be the second generation and so on.
The closer to F1, the wilder your Bengal Cat would be, and the farther away from it would mean it’s a more toned-down domestic cat.
How to Interpret F Ratings?
A number denotes all the F Ratings; therefore number ‘1’ would denote the generation number from Asian Leopard Cat.
Hence:
F1 are the first generation of the Bengal Cat
They are the first hybrid offspring and are also known as original Bengals.
The family line starts from F1 and continues to F5.
Initially, the F1 females are bred with a fertile male Bengal or an Asian Leopard Cat to produce F2 Bengals.
This follows to F5, as shown in the table below,
| F Scale | Generation of Bengal Cat | Breed Chart |
| F1 | 1st | Asian Leopard Cat x Domestic Cat |
| F2 | 2nd | F1 parent x Domestic Cat |
| F3 | 3rd | F2 parent x Domestic Cat |
| F4 | 4th | F3 parent x Domestic Cat |
| F5 | 5th | F4 parent x Domestic Cat |
How vital are F Ratings in Bengal cats?
Apart from telling the ALC characteristics to be found in Bengals, F Ratings help to determine the overall personality of the cat, their temperament, behavior, compatibilities with other pets and the size too.
Every new generation moves away from the Asian Leopard Cat Legacy
Therefore:
The higher a Bengal is on the Filial scale, it will exhibit more of its Asian Leopard Cat’s characteristics and vice versa.
Such as:
- Interest in spending time outdoor
- Preference for a Raw food diet
- Level Interest in playing with water
- Appearance
- Socializing skills
These will vary across the F-numbers, depending on the amount of ALC it has.
Also, these ratings can tell you about the personality characteristics of the other generation, if you plan to breed your Bengal Cat.
Then:
You can decide if you want to have a kitten that is near to the F1- wilder side or F4- Domestic front.
What is the difference between F1 and F4 Bengal cats?
F1 Bengal’s personality is wilder as compared to other F ratings as it has higher Asian Leopard Cat aspects in it. As the ALC is known to be wild, so the F1 Bengal’s overall personality is on the wilder side.
However:
It doesn’t mean that it is too wild to be a pet.
Whereas:
F4 Bengal cats belong to the fourth generation; therefore, they are domestic cats with characteristics farthest away from Asian Leopard Cats.
This generation and onwards makes the best domestic pets.
They are also known as SBT- StudBook Tradition.
What is the temperament of F1 to F3 Bengal Cat?
Bengal cats of this range are considered to be wild and exotic as they are nearest to the aspects and characteristics of an Asian Leopard Cat.
Their temperament is usually intense and less socializing.
Are F1- F3 Bengal Cats dangerous to be kept as household pets?
Their temperament depends on the character of their ALC-parent; this, however, doesn’t mean they are dangerous.
They can be kept as pets; they require attention and training.
It is highly recommended to train them at a younger age to soothe their wild side.
How to deal with F1-F3 Bengal Cat temperament?
As wild as they might look or have high ALC attributes, they can still be kept as pets
But:
There are specific ways with which you can deal with their temperament.
It can be done by:
- Training them to behave well around people and other house pets
- Introduce them to new people as early as possible they may shy away from socializing
- As they are on the higher side of having wild instincts, therefore, it will be necessary to teach them to Control their fight or flight response
- Teach them how to use the litter, as they may have the habit of peeing around
Why is it Illegal to own an F1-F3 Bengal Cat in some states?
Certain laws are surrounding the Bengal cat breed, as their filial number indicates how wild or domestic it is.
Most of the states allow Bengal Cats from F3 onwards; therefore F1 and F2 are considered illegal to adopt or even breed.
However:
Every country or state has different law for the purchase and adoption of Bengal Cats based on their Filial number.
Do price range of a Bengal Cat vary across their F numbers?
Bengal cats are known as a rare breed.
Their price range varies across their Filial numbers as well. F1 is likely to be more expensive than F4.
One of the reasons for the high price for F1-F3 is attributed to the amount of ALC genes present in the cat which means you are purchasing a wild cat.
Tips before buying a Bengal as per its filial number
It is essential to consider the following:
- Before purchasing or adopting a Bengal cat, be familiar with the meaning of F-Number and Ratings
- Make sure you research about the temperaments of the Bengal Cat from F1-F4 so that you know which F is the most suitable for you
- Check the laws in your state or country beforehand for the Filial number you are planning to own
- Check their price range so that it fits in your budget
FAQs
Do Bengal Cats like attention?Bengal cats are active cats who love to keep themselves busy by exploring and jumping around.
There are fewer chances that it will lie down for hours or irritate you for attention as long as it has something to keep themselves busy.
But:
We cannot be too sure about that also, as they have an unpredictable temperament.
Other than that, they have emotional and physical attention needs.
In order to fulfill your Bengal cat’s emotional demands, it is important to provide them activities for their mental stimulation such as cat gyms or interactive problem-solving toys.
What is the best thing about owning a Bengal Cat? Owning a Bengal cat is similar to owning a small leopard.
There are a lot of things that make them best pets such as their dynamic personality, colors, and textures of their coat, ability to get along with other pets, love for water and much more.
Also:
They are adorable pets with an exotic appearance and a fun personality.
They love to play with water too, which is one of the fantastic qualities of a Bengal Cat.
Therefore, if you want a playful pet who loves to explore and try new things, then it is the purr-fect pet for you.
Do Bengal Cats require a lot of maintenance and care? Bengal cats are low maintenance cats; they are short haired, so they don’t shed a lot.
Also, they keep themselves clean. In other words, they are self- sufficient.
However, as a pet owner, you need to make sure they eat healthy food with a high-quality diet, and their immunizations are up to date.
Other than that it is essential to keep them active through exercise and by providing interactive toys.
Do Bengal Cats get along with other pets? As surprising as it may sound, Bengal cats quickly get along with other pets, especially dogs.
So:
If you own a dog, you might enjoy the way you get along with each other.
Bengal cats, however, have high prey drive so it might be risky to trust them with smaller animals such as rabbits or hamsters.
Also:
If you own fishes, then you have to careful that they don’t annoy your fishes or harm them because Bengals love water, and wouldn’t mind dipping their paws in the aquarium and playing around it.
And if you plan to bring another cat, then your Bengal Cat may not like it as they don’t get along with other cats. They can only get along with another Bengal cat.
What is the personality of a Bengal Cat like? Bengal cats are known to be highly intelligent, athletic and active cats, as much as fun it is to own them as a pet it is challenging too!
They have destructive habits because of their love for exploring around by jumping and climbing here and there, so you might have to keep an eye on your valuable vases.
However:
They love to play games and are fantastic trick learners. So if you ever wanted to play fetch with your pet, then Bengal is the perfect pet for you!
