I've been looking for a kitten for quite sometime, and finally someone responded to my craigslist post. She stated she had Bengal Mix babies - 8 weeks old. She is asking me 75 dollars for one, and honestly even after researching all I could on Bengals I cannot tell from the poor quality cell phone pics she sent me if they even have Bengal in them. She stated that the male was a purebred and the female was half Bengal and half domestic and that the kittens were 75% Bengal. Honestly, I would love a purebred Bengal someday, but really I'm quite young and can't afford one at this point in time and a mix would do just fine for me- any kitten would be fine really. I will probably buy one of her kittens even if it is not even mixed with Bengal, but I would like to be able to tell if they are or not anyway. Tomorrow I am to meet her and meet the kittens to pick which one I want to buy, and the way I see it- if I can tell it's not even part Bengal by looking at em, I will let her know that I know she is scamming me but make an offer on a kitten at a much lower price. Because non-purebred kittens are usually free or at most 15-20 dollars (if half Siamese, ect.) where I live but honestly I'm from such a small town and can't find anyone selling or giving them away right now- some will be ready in about 5 weeks or later but I've already waited 2 months searching and I just want a kitten.

So basically what I am asking is if there are any specific physical traits I should look for to confirm they may have any Bengal in them?
Honestly a larger list of things would be nice, I don't want to look for one thing and tell her they aren't Bengal mixes, I would rather look for many things and tell her how I know.


The only reason I go thru all this trouble is because I've been waiting to find my new son or daughter for so long that I might end up actually spending the 75 dollars on the kitten if I can't get any help. I really truly suspect they are not actual Bengals- in fact they are most likely just spotted tabby. I say this because I asked if the purebred father had papers and the lady said yes, but that her parents had them and they had no use for them (basically saying she wouldn't show them to me). And when she sent the pictures to me, she held them in a way where only their feet and heads wear showing- why wouldn't she show the markings???

Anyway, I already know there's 99% chance it's a scam, but when I meet up with her I want to be able to tell her why I can SEE it, because I don't want to just say "That's not a Bengal, I'm not paying that much" I want to be able to point out why so that maybe she will see that if I could see they weren't Bengal that others would too, and (hopefully) stop scamming animal lovers like me and just admit they are tabbies and (double hopefully) just sell me one for cheaper. I COULD afford 75 dollars, but don't feel comfortable with it knowing it's a scam, you know? Also more money I have to spare, the more I can spoil my new baby boy or girl. =]

Also if they ARE Bengal mixes- I will gladly pay the 75$, but if not- I most likely won't because honestly when I found out they might be bengals, I got so excited but the more info she gave me the more I started seeing she was lying... Please Help?


*first time posting if posted in wrong topic please let me know so I can fix it*

Hi Aimeejade. My honest opinion is - Go with your instincts!

IF they have Bengal in them, you will never know if it is 25% or 75%! She could easily have mated two gorgeous tabby moggies and because they 'look Bengal' thinks she can fob them off as such. You would need to be certain of the father AND see his papers to even begin to believe her!

If you see them and like them, then what you are buying is still a kitten - no matter what its claimed lineage. It isn't a Bengal, as its a mix, so should be at 'normal' kitten prices in my book. You should ask about PKDef / HCM testing on the father and she will either run screaming...... or she will know all about it and be able to provide certificates to prove the father is checked.

Make your reduced offer, and she will probably agree or make a reduced counter-offer realising the game is up! At best she is a BYB (back yard breeder) and cannot offer you any guarantees as to health / lineage etc - especially not at the prices she is offering!

Good luck!

You will never be able to tell if they are part bengal, or just cats that look a bit like bengals, sorry (if they even look like bengals at all).

Can I ask why are you going the crossbreed route? People who breed cats like this are usually just doing it to make a quick buck, rather than an attempt to breed beautiful healthy cats. I wouldn't encourage them to be honest. Step away from Craigslist!

I'm going to suggest you try to get a full blood bengal. You can do this for cheap if you are happy to get an adult. The first port of call is rescues. There are bengal specific rescues in the US (if that's where you are?). The next port of call would be retired breeding cats. These are cats that have had a few litters, are neutered, and then sold for a token fee as pets. You can find these advertised on breeder's websites, and I'm sure your country has some sort of bengal cat listing.

Why don't you tell us where you are, and you can get some suggestions on where to look for a cat?

Hello there, welcome to the forum

I would be very careful with this situation as it does sound like it could well be a scam. It is pretty difficult to know for sure whether a cat definitely has bengal in it just by looking, especially since it is a cross so will most likely have features from the other breed even if she is telling the truth.

The only thing i can think of that guarantees a cat has at least some bengal in it, are rosettes. Only bengals carry this trait so if the kittens have rosettes, you know they definitely have bengal blood in them. However, thats not to say if they don't have rosettes they definitely aren't part bengal. Bengals can also be spotted or marbled but these are traits that can also be seen in other breeds.

The only other way to prove it really is to see the papers of the full bengal parent but if she is refusing to show you them, that in itself would make me rather suspicious!

If you do decide that they you would like to get them either way, there are some important factors that would apply to any kitten. Is she saying that they are now ready to go at 8 weeks or that you can just choose your kitten now? Because 8 weeks is extremely young and really too early to be separated from the mum and siblings. Kittens should normally be rehomed at 12-13 weeks of age. They should have received vaccinations at 9 weeks and then 12 weeks as well. If they are rehomed before this time, they are extremely susceptable to illnesses as their immune system hasn't fully developed. Considering this, despite being eager to get a kitten i would wait for a better breeder as there would be nothing worse than bringing home a kitten only for it to get ill because it is too young. And that's not even considering the behavioural problems that can also result from homing kittens that are too young.

Also you will need to consider the health of the parents and whether this could have an effect on the kittens. Have they been tested for PK Def / FIV/ FeLV / screened for HCM? Probably unlikely with a crossbreed but it's worth asking so you are fully prepared.

Are you allowed to see the parents? Seeing the supposed full bengal parent would probably be alot easier to identify whether there is a bengal lineage or not.

Do you get to see where the kittens are being kept? Since it is going to be your pet, you really want to ensure the kitten has been socialised properly and not just brought up in a cage. So make sure you interact with the kitten to see how he/she reacts to people.

As Paiviaso has said, going the crossbreed route can often be dangerous as you do get alot of BYBs who don't take as many precautions as pedigree breeders. Especially using websites such as craigslist can attract some rather dodgy customers! However i wouldn't say that all crossbreeds should be avoided by any means...

I would also recommend the rescue / ex breeder route if you aren't set on a kitten. That way you could have a full bengal with a reputable background for a nominal price. Ex breeders espcially are some of the most beautiful examples of the breed and are often offered to a good forever home simply for the cost of neutering / spaying!

Sorry i couldn't provide a way of guaranteeing you choose a bengal but i hope this information is helpful! Please keep us updated with your search and feel free to ask any more questions if you are unsure

I would do my best to not support backyard breeders looking to make a quick buck, and visit a shelter instead.

I know of two beautiful cats that are from one of the top breeders here in the US I am not sure where you are located but they are 150 and 2 and 3 years old and BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! They are the best of the best like I said they come from a TOP quality breeder and they are retired queens so they are top notch Bengals!!! This is the route I would go if I were you!Even with this lady she might have a male bengal and might have papers on him but how would you even know he is the father?

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If you've done any reading in this forum, I think you would appreciate that the people here have for the most part bought cats from "hardcore" breeders, who take their craft very seriously, taking their cats to shows, and fretting about bloodlines, and health screenings, socialization, and whether their bengals have enough contrast in their rosettes, or enough space between their spots, or if their coats have enough contrast or whether paying $1,000 is likely to get you a better bengal than merely $500 etc. etc.

So I think if you are asking whether you are getting scammed by someone charging $75 on craigslist for a cat that is claimed to be a part bengal, based on a blurry photo taken from an iphone... well... I don't know if this is the right crowd to answer such a question, lol. I'm not trying to come off as a snob or anything (I'm honestly very new to purbred cats myself), but it's kind of like going to a ferrari forum and asking for advice on buying a used 1970 used vw bug.

My own opinion: if you want a bengal, buy a bengal. If you lack the funds to get a kitten, go to a reputable breeder and buy an ex-queen or stud, or perhaps one of their older kittens who has been passed over because of an "undesirable" coloration or coat pattern etc. For example my Serafina was heavily discounted because she was a "blue bengal", but has all the bengal traits, and I do love her coat, and she's one of the best cats imaginable.

If you just want a great cat, go to a shelter (there are even bengal shelters) and get one there.

Don't buy a cat off craigslist. Craiglist is great for free couches or to find someone to clean your driveway. Not so good for finding quality pets.

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The little monsters 3

If you're really quite interested in the bengal breed, and are willing to pay a bit more than you would for a moggy kitten, but don't want to pay for a pedigree cat, why not look into a bengal rescue? Or, for a free older cat, the rehoming section of this forum? Not sure where you're located, so I can't give a specific example of a rescue, but if you live in the States, you should absolutely check out Petfinder.com. You can type your zip code and select "bengal" for the breed. Often times you'll get results from shelters, rescues, and people looking to rehome. I got my kitty by contacting the Great Lakes Bengal Rescue and they referred me to a humane society which had just rescued thirty bengals. All things considered, my boy is probably a mix, but he has so much energy you could mistake him for a wildcat. Doesn't sound like a mix would bother you, either. Look into it, you don't want to give this person money so they can continue swindling!

Just an addendum to the post citing petfinder.com as a place to find a cat.

They are VERY outdated, at least for cats in Utah. The cats on that site are often posted up to 18 months ago.

I guess there might be something newer, but they do not update the site very often. (again, at least in Utah)

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~ Kyenta

I think your best bet is to go to a rescue organization or shelter. For $50 and up you can get a kitten that has had it's shots and spayed or neutered. If you want a Bengal then wait until you're older and more financially well off and get the real thing rather than a cross.

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Lollo

There is nothing wrong in going to a rescue and getting anything, be it a full pedigree or a moggie cat.

The confusion came because you never mentioned anything in your second post about a rescue centre. You just advocate a cross and as the OP was asking about crosses it is wise to be very precise about what we are suggesting as, often people do no read the whole thread but skim it.

On a side note: you often put in abbreviation and symbols that I do not understand. For example, you had .__. and >_< in the last comment. I have seen others that I don't understand as well.

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Lollo