Zazen Bengals is a small in home cattery located in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. We breed bengals in the hopes of developing specific breed traits and we usually produce only 2-3 litters each year. We have lived with Bengal's since 1989 but did not decide to begin breeding until the Fall of 2004. Our cats have free range of the house and have their own private space in the basement. There is a special large cattery room we call "Alcat-traz) which is full of exercise equipment, climbing areas, and toys which we reserve as a bachelor pad for our Studs (and the girls during planned breeding) Other than those 'special times' our female cats and kittens have free run and spend time with the other resident humans, pet cats and our large dogs. We do not cage our cats.
We have always loved cats, yet bengals have a very special place in our hearts. Their personality and 'catitude' make them absolutely joyful and loving companions and it is our hope to share that joy with others. The cats we have in our breeding program have all be chosen not only for their exceptional beauty and future potential, but mostly because they have social, loving and sweet personalities to enhance our lives and which they will pass on to their kittens.
Bengals are incredible cats with very intelligent and lively personalities. They are very active, very smart, very stubborn and very loving - however, very few of them can be classified as lap kitties. It has been our experience that although Bengals are very loving and affectionate cats, they can also be very independent and are only very rarely the kind of cat who sits quietly on your lap. (The only time our's do that is when they want to use us as furniture for a nap or want to watch tv)
Bengals have incredible coloration ranging from warm red golds to sharply contrasted yellows and blacks and to our beautiful silvers. Genetic silvers are rare cats, and they remind us of the stunning Asian Snow leopards of the Himalayas.
An Asian Snow Leopard
Bengals have incredible pelts which are very different from other cats. Their coats feel like shaved beaver fur or rabbit and once you begin to pet one, you simply don't want to stop. The texture of their coat is a very special part of being a bengal cat. In addition, because the texture and structure of the coat is different from domestic cats, Bengal's don't usually shed as much as other breeds of cats. They will 'blow' out their coats twice a year as the seasons change, but we have known alot of people who are normally allergic to cats who seem to do fine with purebred bengals. It may be that the genetic inheritance of the Asian Leopard Cat somehow changes the components in their saliva as well as the hair of their pelted coat. Either way, people who are normally allergic to cats seem to do well with bengals. Actually I am allergic to long haired cats and sometimes react to our mixed breed Ginger and our Siamese/Thai Layla - but I have never had a reaction to our bengals.
As much as we love cats - we also love our dogs, and our cats have the benefit of growing up around them once they reach 12 weeks of age and have completed all their vaccination series (Baby kittens are kept in a nursery room with their months until they have completed at least 2 series of vaccinations and then are only allow supervised visitation with the dogs until they are 16 weeks of age)
Our new puppy T Bone (a malamute/husky mix) and our wonderful 12 year old Dane Zazhi each bring affection to our cats in different ways. T Bone chases and is chased by the cats - while Zazhi allows them to snuggle up and nap with her on her super size single bed in the living room. By the way - although our dogs go outside - our cats do not (though they sometimes try)
