CFA BENGALS
COAT & COLOR
Coat: Worth 10 of the 25 Coat & Color Points - 100 Points
Eye: Worth 5 of the 25 Coat & Color Points - 100 Points
In this section, we are addressing the various Tabby Coat and Eye colors of the Bengal coat. These sections are in order of the CFA Bengal Standard.
2016 - 2019 CFA Bengal Standard for COAT:
With qualities unique to the breed, the Bengal coat is short, close lying, soft, luxurious, and ideally glittered. Allowance for slightly longer coat in kittens.
BROWN (Black)
The Brown (Black) color class is our largest color class and can be explained as "Full Color" as it represents Browns (with black), reds, golds, beiges and taupes. Note: This class does not include Charcoals. Click on Button below for this webpage:
SNOW
The Snow color class represents the entire group of accepted "Snow" colors accepted for "Championship" in CFA. Click on the Buttons below for these webpages.
CHARCOALS
These remaining Charcoal colors are part of 3rd color class that represents all remaining accepted colors that are not already part of the Brown or Snow color classes. Click on the Buttons below for these webpages:
SILVER
These remaining Silver colors are part of 3rd color class that represents all remaining accepted colors that are not already part of the Brown or Snow color classes. Click on the Buttons below for these webpages:
BLUE
These remaining Blue colors are part of 3rd color class that represents all remaining accepted colors that are not already part of the Brown or Snow color classes. Click on the Buttons below for these webpages:
AOV
In the "AOV" (any other variety) portion of this website, we address the various additional colors that a Bengal can come in that are not currently accepted for exhibition:
Melanistic Bengals (Full Non-Agouti - In all color variations except Charcoal)
Smoke Bengals (Silver and Melanistic genes combined with/without other color genes)
Chocolate Bengals (Chocolate gene with/without other color genes)
Cinnamon Bengals (Cinnamon gene with/without other colors genes)
Lilac Tabby Bengals (Chocolate and Dilute genes in a single Bengal)
Fawn Tabby Bengals (Cinnamon and Dilute genes in a single Bengal)
Click the AOV button below to go directly to the index page for AOV colors:
Breed Council Change Considerations:
NOTE: Rose highlight indicates a "Strike-through" of wording in the Bengal Breed standard to be removed. Gold highlight indicates an "underline" which is new wording being proposed to add in to the Bengal Standard.
1. Remove "(Rosette/Spotted, Marble)" from all color descriptions.
Rationale:
A. These colors are consistent with all patterns. We do not need to state it at the beginning of each color because of this.
B. If we pass to move "CHARCOAL TABBY PATTERN EFFECT" into the "BENGALS PATTERNS and COLORS" section.
CURRENTLY QUESTION #23 for the 2019 Ballot. Results: 44 Yes, 25 No - 69 voters needs 42 "yes" votes to pass. PASSED Council. Also, PASSED BOD vote on 2/1/20 and will be part of our standard.
2. After the section titled “BENGAL PATTERNS AND COLORS”, create new sub-heading underneath for “BENGAL PATTERNS” centered and underlined if possible.
BENGAL PATTERNS AND COLORS
BENGAL PATTERNS:
RATIONALE: Current standard does not have a subsection focusing on Bengal patterns like it does on colors.
PROPOSAL #24 for the 2019 Ballot. Results: 41 Yes, 27 No - 68 voters needs 41 "yes" votes to pass. PASSED Council. Also, PASSED BOD vote on 2/1/20 and will be part of our standard.
Breed Council Change Considerations for 2019 that did not get on the Ballot:
A. Add "Tabby" to the end of all Lynx Point Color classes that are part of the Agouti coloration.
Rationale:
Currently, all colors have the word "Tabby" at the end of the color name for the Agouti Patterned Bengals. Since this is correct for all cats that have Agouti, it would be incorrect for cats that have two copies of the Non-Agouti allele(Melanistic Lynx Point) Examples:
A. Colorpoint: Cs/Cs and Agouti: a/a would be a Solid or Melanistic LP.
B. Colorpoint Cs/Cs and one or both Agouti allele's creates a Lynx Point Tabby - Not just a Lynx Point.
CURRENTLY NOT A QUESTION ON THE 2019 BALLOT AS IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US THAT THE WORD "LYNX" IS SYNONYMOUS WITH "TABBY". THIS IS WHY "TABBY" IS NOT USED
B. Is there a way that we can work away from listing every single color combination that we have genetic knowledge for? Maybe something like this:
A. Full Color - Brown/Black and Red Bengals
B. Silvers - Dominant Allele that keeps Yellow (Reds/Golds) from being produced.
C. Charcoal - ALC Agouti Pattern allele that darkens colors into the black/grey/white color range.
D. Colorpoints (LP's, Minks, Sepias) - Have 2 colorpoint alleles which is a effect of albinism which removes color from the coat making them appear white/cream/tan for base color and darker pattern markings.
E. Dilute (Blues) - Two copies of this allele Dilutes the coloring of the cat in coat, skin coloring and eye color. It will dilute all colors - browns, reds, charcoals, LP's, Minks, Silvers etc.
F. Melanistic (also known as "Solid" or "Full Non-Agouti") - This darkens the color of each strand of fur and also removes banding. It is not that the Cat itself is "solid" in color as it means that each strand of fur is solid in color. The effect in a Bengal is that the cat can look like a Black Leopard/Black Panther if it is a "Full Color" Bengal. NOTE: Combining this with the color Silver creates the style known as "Smoke".
Rationale:
A. How many of us like/desire the red coloring withing the Brown color group? We breed far more cats with this color and yet it is not singled out... Why should a Blue Silver Lynx Point? It makes our colors much more difficult to work with.
B. A more simple method means that focus can be given to the color variations that really matter to most of us.
Obstacle:
Teresa Seling has checked with a few judges, and there is currently no way to avoid listing all the color variations. But - I will continue to check/work on this option as it may create an easier standard.
NOT CURRENTLY A QUESTION ON THE 2019 BALLOT - BCS HAS BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO HAVE ALL OF THE COLOR COMBINATIONS DESCRIBED INDIVIDUALLY.
C. Accept "MELANISTICS" into Championship
Rationale:
A. It is already in our breed and in many cases, is something desired.
B. Allowing and encouraging Melanistics to be bred/shown is appropriate because many breeders prefer the more dramatic look to the apb/a Charcoal Bengals and this trait can be desired by those breeders
C. Allowing Melanistics (Full non-agouti) is appropriate because a Brown Bengal who carries a single Melanistic/Non-Agouti/Solid alelle helps female Bengals pattern from fading with hormones.
D. A Full color (Brown/Black) Bengal that is also Melanistic/Non-agouti/solid is the same coloration as a Black Jaguar. It is already in nature and something desired by some clients and some breeders.
E. Let those people who wish to work with this trait do so. None of us should let any one else tell us what's appropriate for our own breeding programs/clients.
F. Letting melanistics/non-agouti/solid cats be judges within the Bengal current color classes allows for Breeder to grow. If cats are not compared within the show environment, breeds can miss important missing attributes that may not meet the standard as well as other cats being judged. We all benefit from side-by-side comparisons even if don't want to breed Melanistics ourselves.
CURRENTLY NOT ON THE PROPOSED 2019 BALLOT - NOW THAT BENGALS ARE IN CHAMPIONSHIP, THERE ARE CLEAR RULES ABOUT MOVING OUT OF AOV AND JOINING CHAMPIONSHIP. A STRONG NUMBER OF CATS WOULD NEED TO BE SHOWN AND/OR REGISTERED FOR THIS OPTION TO BE CONSIDERED AND PUT ON THE BALLOT. More research is being done on this topic.
D. Remove the word "SEAL" from all of our color descriptions.
Rationale:
A. To be consistent with CFA color descriptions in other breeds.
B. "Seal" is not necessary and removal will help to shorten some of the very long names.
Obstacle:
A. Ties to other cat organizations are strong and it may not be what the majority of the council will approve.
B. Ties all Colorpoint cats together with the single word "Seal".
CURRENTLY NOT ON THE 2019 BALLOT - THE WORD SEAL IS CUSTOMARY IN CFA FOR MANY OF THE COLORPOINT CATS AND IT GROUPS THE COLORPOINT CATS TOGETHER AS WELL.