Importing Bengal cats to Australia?

Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), as administered by the Department of the Environment and Energy, and the Biosecurity Act 2015, as administered by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources the importation into Australia of the Bengal cat above fifth filial is prohibited.

F1 Bengal cat
F1 Bengal cat. A difficult cat companion and banned from importation into Australia
Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

A fifth filial Bengal is considered to be a domestic cat by the Australian government while higher filials are regarded as wildcat hybrids.

A 5th filial Bengal cat is five generations from the wild and the wild cat half of the Bengal cat is the diminutive but highly independent and untameable Asian leopard cat.

An importer must provide a proper, certified pedigree and prove that the cat is fifth filial. Without the documentary evidence the cat will be barred from entry into Australia.

The same rules apply to other wild cat hybrids namely: Savannah (domestic x serval), Safari (domestic x Geoffroy’s cat), Chausie (domestic x jungle cat).

You can contact the Department of the Environment and Energy on +61 2 6274 2678 or email: exotic.species@environment.gov.au for more information.

Applications to import need to accompany the breed’s name and a signed declaration that the cat is permitted entry to Australia under the rules.

I have a question over Bengal cat breeders in Australia. Breeders will have cats of higher filial, perhaps F1s. I have tried to find out if they are permitted without success. Logically breeders should not possess breeding cats above F5s. If someone can clarify this point I’d be pleased. I suspect F1s are allowed by breeders under restrictions.

P.S. There is a petition online to change the law on importing Bengal cats into Australia. A friend of mine, Martin Stucki who owned A1 Savannahs at the time wanted to breed Savannah cats (or import them) in Australia as I recall. His intention was firmly rebutted and he continues to live in America. I think he lives in Montana and runs a beautiful hotel.

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5 thoughts on “Importing Bengal cats to Australia?”

  1. So the cat fanciers are now wanting more breeds while sitting on their thumbs while the govt wants to poison, bludgeon or shoot any cat they see outside. Idiots.
    I’ve stated my opinion of hybrids before and it’s not nice.

    Reply
    • Yes, there are cat breeders there surprising as it seems. And there are a similar percentage (to human pop size) of cat owners to Europe and America. It’s the feral cat which terrifies the government and outside cats.

      Reply
      • Nonsense. The Australian Government and a large segment of it’s uncivilized backward miscreant citizens would happily ban all cat ownership and show up on your doorstep confiscate your cat and have fun drowning it in a bucket on your porch. Don’t kid yourself on where this is going.

        Reply

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