Bengal brothers

The McNary family in 2022. Left to right: Luke with Cato, Max with Neo, Jill, Mark with Luna.

Adopting a Bengal cat is perhaps the closest the average person can get to owning a wild animal. The result of breeding Asian leopard cats, a small wild feline species native to Asia, with domestic cats, Bengals sport leopard-like spots and marbled rosettes on their coats of various shades of gray, brown or white. The breed has high energy and are considered high maintenance, much like their wild cousins.

The McNary family of the Charter Oaks neighborhood—Jill and Mark and sons Luke and Max—are the proud owners of Neo (7) and Cato (6). Luke explained, “There’s so much I love about Bengals. Obviously, they’re beautiful, but I also love their personalities. I feel like they fit perfectly between cats and dogs.”

The cats greet Luke at the front door when he gets home and enjoy spending time around people. Most of the time Luke feels they understand what he is saying but they might decide not to listen. “My cats think they are in charge,” added Luke.

Bengals are very active and playful. They often do best with equally energetic companions who match their roughhouse play. They love to explore vertical space, such as tall cat trees and high perches. Many also enjoy running on exercise wheels. “If you leave a cabinet open where the glasses are, the cats will crawl up in the cabinet,” said Jill.

Some Bengal cats can share living space with other cats and dogs but many are territorial and clash with other pets. But Luna, the McNary’s Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, lives in harmony with Neo and Cato; however, Luna is more interested in the cats than they are in him.

Neo and Cato are half-siblings, inseparable and act like brothers. “One minute they will be cuddled up grooming each other, then a few minutes later they will be fighting,” said Luke. Neo is more laid back whereas Cato is not afraid to express his opinion, often loudly.

Sometimes the two cats can be trouble for Luke, damaging furniture and waking him up at 5 a.m. for breakfast. “That is part of the ‘why’ I love them. The challenges of owning near-wild cats are part of the experience,” said Luke.