The Bengal cat was first bred by Jean Sugden (Mill) in Yuma, Arizona. She crossed a wild Asian Leopard Cat (Felis bengalensis) with a Domestic Shorthair. Thus creating the first hybrids in 1963. She did not continue this breeding programme until she remarried and moved to Couina, California. Jean Mill, as she is now known, met Doctor Willard Centerwal who was involved in genetic research into the Asian Leopard cats’ immunity to Feline leukaemia. In the course of the programme, leopard cat hybrids were produced. He ended his research when a vaccine for leukaemia was developed. Jean Mill acquired eight of the hybrids which were due to be destroyed. At first the breeding was very hit and miss producing sterile males and only a few live litters being born. With perseverance and careful selective breeding the beautiful Bengal cats as we know them today were produced. Many experienced breeders have contributed to the breed since then, further developing and improving it.