IDEAL BENGAL CAT BREED STANDARD

POINT ALLOCATIONS:

HEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Total of area 35 points)

SHAPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5 points

EARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5 points

EYES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5 points

CHIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5 points

MUZZLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5 points

NOSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    2 points

PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5 points

NECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3 points

TORSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5 points

LEGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5 points

FEET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5 points

TAIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5 points

BONING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5 points

MUSCULATURE . . . . . . . . .   5 points

TEXTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 points

COLOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10 points

PATTERN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 points

The leopard cat is the foundation cat for the Bengal Breed.  The first and subsequent generations derived from the breeding of a leopard cat to a domestic cat or other Bengal cat is recognized as a domestic Bengal cat.  The goal of the Bengal cat breeding program is to create a domestic cat which has physical features distinctive to the leopard cat, and with the loving, dependable temperament of the typical domestic cat.  Keeping this goal in mind, breeders and judges shall give special merit to those characteristics in the appearance of the Bengal cat which are distinct from those found in other domestic cat breeds.  The Bengal cat should visibly appear different from other domestic cats.  Its basic appearance should resemble a leopard cat.  A Bengal cat is an athletic animal, alert to its surroundings; a friendly, curious, confident cat with strength, agility, balance and grace.  It is a medium to large cat which exhibits a very muscular and solid build.  Females are generally smaller than males and exhibit proportionately similar qualities.  Its wide nose with prominent whisker pads and large oval, almost round eyes in a slightly small head enhance the wild appearance and expressive nocturnal look.  Its very nearly straight, slightly convex profile and rounded tipped ears and wide base add to the Bengal cat's distinctive and unique appearance.  The coat area is one of the most distinguishing features.  The short, dense coat, displaying either a randomly spotted or marbled pattern, has a uniquely soft and silky texture.  The coat may or may not be glittered, but glitter is only preferred if all else is equal.  A thick, low set, medium length tail adds balance to the cat.

RECOGNIZED CATEGORIES/DIVISION/COLORS:

Traditional Category, Tabby Division, Brown Spotted Tabby, Brown Marbled Tabby, Silver Spotted Tabby and Silver Marbled Tabby only.

Sepia Category, Tabby Division, Seal Sepia Spotted Tabby and Seal Sepia Marbled Tabby only.

Mink Category, Tabby Division, Seal Mink Spotted Tabby and Seal Mink Marbled Tabby only.

Lynx Category, Tabby Division, Seal Lynx Spotted Tabby and Seal Lynx Marbled Tabby only.

HEAD

Shape:  Broad modified wedge with rounded contours.  Longer than it is wide. Slightly small in proportion to body, but not to be taken to extreme.  The skull behind the ears makes a gentle curve and flows into the neck.  Allowance to be made for jowls in adult males.  Overall look of the head should be as distinct from the domestic cat as possible.

Ears: Medium small compared to size of head, with wide base and rounded tips.  Set as much on side as top of head, following the contour of the face in the frontal view, and pointing forward in the profile view.  Light horizontal furnishings acceptable; but lynx tipping undesirable.

Eyes: Oval, almost round. Large, but not bugged.  Set wide apart, back into face, and on slight bias toward base of ear.  Eye color according to coat color. The more richness and depth of color the better.

Chin: Strong chin, aligns with tip of nose in profile.

Muzzle:Full and well defined, with prominent whisker pads and high, pronounced cheekbones. Slight muzzle break at the whisker pads.

Nose:Large and wide; slightly puffed nose leather.

Profile: Curve of the forehead should flow into the bridge of the nose with no break. Bridge of nose extends above the eyes; the line of the bridge extends to the nose tip, making a nearly straight, convex curve.

Neck: Long, slender, but muscular; in proportion to the head and body.

BODY

Torso: Long and substantial, not oriental or foreign. Medium to large. Consideration should be given to allow for smaller size, in balanced proportion, of females.

Legs: Medium length, slightly longer in the back than in the front.

Feet: Large, round, with prominent knuckles.

Tail: Medium length, thick, with rounded tip.

Boning: Sturdy, firm; never delicate.

Musculature: Very muscular, especially in the males, one of the most distinguishing features.  Allowance to be made for the generally slighter musculature of the females.

COAT

Length: Short to medium.  Allowance for slightly longer coat in kittens.

Texture:Dense and luxurious, close lying, unusually soft and silky to the touch.

Patterns: Spotted or marbled. Coat may be glittered or not glittered, but glitter only preferred if all else equal.

The Spotted Pattern: Spots shall be random, or aligned horizontally. Rosettes showing two distinct colors or shades, such as paw print shaped, arrowhead shaped, doughnut or half doughnut shaped or clustered are preferred to single spotting but not required.  Contrast with ground color must be extreme, giving distinct pattern and sharp edges.  Strong, bold chin strap and mascara markings desirable. Virtually white undersides and belly desirable.  Blotchy horizontal shoulder streaks, spotted legs and spotted or rosetted tail are desirable.  Belly must be spotted.

The Marbled Pattern: Pattern shall consist of horizontally flowing colors and patterns with sharp contrast, distinct shapes, and sharp edges to the markings when the cat is stretched with a chaining look being preferred. Vertical striping and/or classic bulls eye are undesirable.  Preference should be given to cats with three or more shades; i.e., ground color, markings, and dark outlining of those markings.  Contrast must be extreme, with distinct shapes and sharp edges.  Virtually white undersides and belly desirable.  Belly must be spotted.

Colors: Five colors recognized are brown tabby, seal sepia tabby, seal mink tabby, seal lynx tabby, and silver tabby.

Brown Tabby: All variations are allowed; however, a degree of rufinism yielding a yellow, buff, tan, golden, or light orange ground color is preferred over a gray or dark orange red background. Markings may be virtually black, tan, or various shades of brown.  Light spectacles encircling the eyes and a virtually white ground color on the whisker pads, chin, chest, belly, and inner legs (in contrast to the ground color of the flanks and back) is desirable.  Rims of eyes, lips, and nose should be outlined with black, and center of nose should be brick red.  Eye color may be gold, copper, green, bronze, brown or hazel, the more richness and depth of color the better.  Tail tip must be virtually black.  Paw pads may be virtually black, eggplant, or rosy pink with no speckling or mottling allowed.

Silver Tabby: Ground color should be a sparkling silver-white overlaid with intense black horizontally flowing markings, contrasted markings may be distinctly charcoal to dark gray.  Rims of eyes, nose and lips outlined in black.  White spectacles encircling the eyes and a white ground color on the whisker pads, chin, chest, belly, and inner legs (in contrast to the ground color of the flanks and back) is desirable. The silver tabby genetically is a shaded cat expressing the agouti pattern, therefore the undercoat should be white.  A small degree of tarnishing is acceptable, especially along the spine, legs, muzzle and face.  Paw pads should be deep charcoal or brownish black, no speckling or mottling allowed.  Nose leather brick red.  Eye color may be gold, copper, green, bronze, brown or hazel, the more richness and depth of color the better.

Seal Sepia Tabby: Ground color should be ivory, cream, or light tan with pattern clearly visible.  Seal sepia tabby pattern may be various shades of seal sepia to a dark seal sepia.  Ivory or cream spectacles encircling the eyes, and ivory or cream whisker pads and chin are desirable.  There should be very little or no difference between the color of body markings and point color.  Paw pads should be dark brown with rosy pink undertones allowed.  Tail tip should be dark seal brown. Eye color should be gold, but may also be gold green, the more richness and depth of color the better.

Seal Mink Tabby:  Ground color should be ivory, cream, or light tan with pattern clearly visible.  Seal mink tabby pattern may be various shades of seal mink to a dark seal mink.  Ivory or cream spectacles encircling the eyes, and ivory or cream  whisker pads and chin are desirable.  There should be very little or no difference between the color of body markings and point color.  Paw pads should be dark brown with rosy pink undertones allowed.  Tail tip should be dark seal brown.  Eye color should be aqua (blue green) but may also be green, or green gold, the more richness and depth of  color the better.

Seal Lynx Tabby:  Ground color should be ivory to cream with pattern clearly visible.  Pattern can vary in color from dark seal brown, light brown, tan, or buff, with light spectacles, whisker pads, and chin.  There should be little difference between color of body markings and point color.  Paw pads should be dark brown with rosy pink undertones allowed. Tail tip must be dark seal brown.  Eye color must be blue, the more richness and depth of color the better.

ALLOWANCES

Allowances:  Smaller size, in balanced proportion, of females.  Slightly longer coat in kittens.  Jowls in adult males.

PENALIZE

Penalize:  More than one vertical stripe or bar on either side forming a mackerel tabby pattern on spotted cats; circular bulls eye pattern on marbled cats; substantially darker point color (as compared to color of body markings) in Seal Sepia, Seal Mink, or Seal Lynx cats. For any distinct locket on the neck, chest, abdomen or any other area. For a concave break where forehead meets the bridge of the nose. Do not penalize for mousy undercoat.

WITHHOLD ALL AWARDS

Withhold All Awards:  Belly not spotted. Kinked or abnormal tail. Incorrect number of toes. Improper bite.

TEMPERAMENT

Temperament must be unchallenging; any sign of definite challenge, i.e.. attempt to swat, claw, or bite shall disqualify.  The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but may not threaten to harm.

ALLOWABLE OUT CROSS

 Allowable Out cross: Leopard Cats.

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