Bamboo Cattery is dedicated in the breeding of the Bengal cat. We are crossing and line
breeding 20 of the best Asian Leopard Cat bloodlines available, including many of our own Leopard Cats as well as many early generation Bengals directly out of some, to produce the best cubs (kittens) possible in quality,  health, and temperament.

With over 35 years of breeding exotic, endangered, and domestic animals, Mike has won numerous awards and titles from his peers, including Lifetime Outstanding Breeder Award in a Breed Association in 1994 and Master, Grand Master, and the first Supreme Grand Master Breeder Awards by a National dog registry and has even been credited with developing a breed of dog called the Mountain View Cur, but that's another story.

Mike's articles on breeding have been published for over a decade in national and international magazines and is being sought after to write more. Mike has judged for many  organizations and registries over the years and both Mike and Marie have served and are serving on several genetic advisory boards and committees.

Mike is a Lifetime founding member and serving his 5th term as President of The International Bengal Breeders' Association (TIBBA), and The International Pantherette Breeders Association (TIPBA) and a founder and Director of The International Savannah Breeders' Association (TISBA), . He is also the the CEO and an All-breed Show Judge of the International Progressive Cat Breeders Alliance (IPCBA).

Marie is also an IPCBA All-breed Show Judge, EO, and a founding member and siting Director in The International Bengal Breeders' Association (TIBBA), The International Savannah Breeders' Association (TISBA), and The International Pantherette Breeders Association (TIPBA). Mike and Marie also, founded the new Pantherette breed and are also Filial Bengal Cat Consultants of the early generation Bengals aka: Filial Bengals and list goes on.

Bamboo Cattery's first year of showing their later generation Bengals, won International-American and Regional Best Bengal, Best Bengal Kitten, Best Brown Spotted, Best Seal Mink, Best Seal Lynx and Best Marble for the 2000 ACFA show season.

They are also the founders of the Leopard Cat Foundation, dedicated to saving the wonderful Leopard Cat species and pure subspecies (the true foundation cats of the Bengal breed).

Bamboo is a good size Cattery. It's not so small as to have a limited quality gene pool and not so big as to not have a loving hands on approach with our Cats. We feel the benefits of a mid-size Cattery are enormous. Our breeding cats are kept under our new state-of-the-art facility, assuring the best possible health in every cat and kitten we raise. We continue to mentor many new catteries and they are using our facility as a model.

Just like every other Bengal breeder, we are breeding our Bengals to look as much like the Asian Leopard Cat with a loving sweet disposition as possible, preferably even better than many other domestic cats. The most Exotic looking Bengals are the first generation (F1). In the 20 plus years that Bengals have been around it is our opinion that no F4 (aka SBT) has ever compared in over-all beauty to the F1 Bengal (the original Bengal cat).

We found at Bamboo, that instead of diluting the Bengal with domestic blood over and over again, until we have cats just like a domestic cat in both temperament and in looks, we should select the most exotic looking Bengals and find a way to domesticate them to be loving, well behaved, house pets.

We found that with proper socializing techniques, none of the old wives tails about the early generation  (EG) Bengals, holds true. Every EG Bengal we have raised over several years now has been litter box trained, eat regular dry cat food, and are even more bonding and loving (dog like) than many other domestic cats including the later generation Bengals. The early generations are the true essence of the Bengal cat.

We feel that since these cats meet more closely to the breed standard and above mentioned goals, we feel that we have no choice but to concentrate mainly on the Early Generation Bengals or what we call the ideal Bengal cat.

Don't get us wrong, we thing all Bengals are beautiful and are not knocking other breeding programs using the later generation Bengals and are happy to supply contact information on several ethical breeders who we have mentored  if you like. We just want to work with the Bengals that are the closest to our goals and what we feel meet the Bengal standard ideal.

All Bamboo cubs (kittens) are raised in our home with us, our children and other pets. Early generations are all bottle raised to make sure they will be a loving sweet well mannered pets. They are well socialized (guaranteed) and have loving, sweet dispositions. They are fed only the best natural blended foods available, and are vaccinated, wormed, and Veterinarian checked to assure they are of the best possible health. please check out our Testimonial page.

We are located in beautiful central Kentucky, near Lincoln's birth place, just one hour south of Louisville and two hours north of Nashville, Tennessee. You are welcome to visit and see first hand these beautiful cats by appointment, or you can place a deposit and we can send you photos and information on the cats and kittens that are available. Be sure to take a look at our Kitten page . We ship from Louisville, Kentucky, but kittens must be at least 8-10 weeks of age. We sometimes ship outside of the US, depending on the countries requirements.

In an effort to promote around the world what can be accomplished with proper socialization of the early generation Bengals, we are now considering on a case by case basis, shipping into countries requiring quarantine. Of utmost importance to us is the continuing socialization and good care to which our kittens are accustomed.

If you live in a country that requiers a quarantine and are interested in purchasing a Bengal from our cattery, please send information about your cattery (if applicable), local quarantine facility, and your proximity to it for frequent visitations as well as anything else you would like us to consider. We will review the information you send us and get back to you.