Coat and color are a distinctive feature of the Bengal cat. Each pattern is individual: spots or stripes on a cat are like fingerprints on a person; no two are alike. Today, there are many colors of Bengal cats. The Snow Bengal stands out among all of them; it is even sometimes confused with another breed. Every cat lover dreams of having a little “leopard” at home.
Spotted color
The spotted color of the Bengal cat is the most popular color. If you have seen a Bengal cat, then most likely you have seen it in its spotted form. The brown spotted tabby color was recognized in Championship Status (TICA) in 1991.
Spotted Bengals have distinctive, small to medium-sized spots along the entire length of their body. Large, random, two-color rosettes are especially appreciated. This color in domestic cats looks like a mini-leopard. This style emerged when breeders believed that larger, sparser spots were more desirable. The original spotted tabby pattern found in domestic cats has been modified by selective breeding.
The coat is covered with random, diagonal or horizontally aligned spots on the body, belly and legs. Large dark spots on a light background are usually preferable.
Of course, there are variations in spotting, and one Bengal cat can have many different types of spots.
Single-Spotted
The spots are monochrome, one-color. These are simply solid spots splashed with droplets on a contrasting background, similar to wild cats such as Cheetahs or hybrid spotted cats (Ocicat, Egyptian Mau, Spotted Shorthair).
Bengals with solid spots are allowed to show, but are not preferred. Some breeders believe that they should not be allowed to compete.
The most popular spotted color for a Bengal cat is the Rosette Bengal. Spots are called rosettes when the spots are two-tone contrasting colors different from the background color. The Bengal cat is the only domestic cat with rosettes!
Rosettes in the Bengal breed began in the early 2000s, when some breeders bred the shade spots with darker spots. The rosette quickly developed.
When you see the evolution of the breed over the years, it is amazing to realize the progress that some rosette breeders have made in just a few decades.
The 3 most important types of socket:
— Arrows (Arrow-head) — Paw-print — Donut (Donut)
Arrowhead sockets
The arrows may be solid and monochrome in one spotted group, or they may be a variety of colors that fade toward the background. Well-defined arrow rosettes are rare and popular among Bengal cat owners and breeders.
The arrowhead socket is not the most common, but it is probably the easiest type of socket to identify. Arrow rosettes are shaped like a triangle, like the tip of an arrow or teardrop, with all ends pointing toward the back of the cat.
Asian leopard cats have many different color types, but the arrowhead pattern is one of the most visually impressive. Arrow-shaped spots are excellent camouflage in the dim light of a forest habitat. With such fur, a cat that stands motionless on trees or in fallen leaves is very difficult to notice.
The Bengal cat breed standard requires the spots to be horizontally aligned instead of the vertically aligned spots of the classic tabby. The arrow-shaped spots on the coat give them the appearance of illusory movement or motion blur.
Donut outlets
Donut rosettes are spots darker than the main background, outlined by an even darker outline.
The donut rosette gets its name from the almost complete dark outline around a lightly colored center.
It took years of selective breeding to create the donut-shaped rosettes, but they are now one of the most popular rosettes.
Paw-print rosettes
Paw print rosettes are shaded spots that are open on one side with smaller, darker spots on the edge. Such a rosette is never completely covered by a dark outline.
Footprint rosettes get their name because they often look like small paw prints running across a cat's body.
Smoked sockets
Smoke rosettes are large, full rosettes that seem to fit together like a puzzle with little space in between.
Chain socket
Chain rosettes are a linked series of donut rosettes connected horizontally and running parallel on either side of the cat's spine.
The chain rosette can also be seen on wild cats such as Ocelots.
Clusters of rosettes
Rosette clusters are small spots that form clusters around a central color.
