Are Bengal cats the closest relative to big cats?

No, Bengal cats are not the closest relative to big cats.

Here's why:

* Bengal cats are domestic cats. They are a breed developed by selectively breeding domestic cats with Asian Leopard Cats.

* Big cats belong to the Panthera genus. This includes lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and snow leopards.

* Domestic cats belong to the Felis genus. While both domestic cats and big cats share a common ancestor, they diverged millions of years ago.

While Bengal cats have a wild look and some wild cat traits, they are still domesticated cats and are not considered to be closely related to big cats.