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BROWN (BLACK) TABBY COLOR

Brown (Black) Tabby coloration has many variations.   Think of this section as "Full Color" as it doesn't contain the inhibitors that the other color categories do.   Inhibitors/Elements like:  Color point (Lynx Pint, MInk & Sepia), Blues & Lilacs (Dilute), Silvers, Charcoals and Melanistics.   

 

2016 - 2019 CFA Bengal Standard for BROWN (BLACK) TABBY COLOR:

(Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  All variations of brown are allowed as the ground color, ranging from buff tan, honey gold, to orange.  Markings may be various shades of tan, brown, and black.  There should be extreme contrast between ground color and markings, with distinct shapes, and well defined edges.  Markings should be two toned.  Lighter color spectacles enhance the eyes.  A much lighter to 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.  NOSE LEATHER:  Brick red, outlined in black.  PAW PADS:  From pink, to brick red, with allowances for black or brown.  EYE COLOR:  Gold to green.

Golds/Reds/Browns

Light Golds/Taupes/Browns

Golds & Reds

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.  Within the “BROWN (BLACK) TABBY” color description, change as follows:

 

BROWN (BLACK) TABBY (Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  All variations of brown tabby are allowed.  as the ground color, ranging from buff tan, honey gold, to orange.  Markings may be various shades of tan, brown, and black.  There should be extreme contrast between ground color and markings, with distinct shapes, and well defined edges.  Markings should be two colors with allowances for two toned tones.  Lighter color spectacles enhance the eyes.  A much lighter to 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.  Nose leather:  Brick red, outlined in to black.  Paw pads:  From pink, to brick red, with allowances for black or brownBlack.  Eye Color:  Gold to green.  Tail tip:  Dark brown to black.

Proposed Final Version (for ease of understanding all the changes above):

BROWN (BLACK) TABBY (Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  All variations of brown tabby are allowed. Markings may be various shades of tan, brown, and black.  There should be extreme contrast between ground color and markings, with distinct shapes, and well defined edges.  Markings should be two colors with allowances for two toned tones.  Lighter color spectacles enhance the eyes.  A much lighter to 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.  Nose leather:  Brick red to black.  Paw pads:  Black.  Eye Color:  Gold to green.  Tail tip:  Dark brown to black.

Rationale: 

A.  Housekeeping:   The first sentence in our standard says:  "All variations of brown are allowed as the ground color..."    This is not correct.   For instance, we don't want a dark Brown ground color.   This sentence goes on to describe the ground color range (it doesn't include Browns).   It seems that a period was missing to separate the overall coloration vs. ground color in this first portion of the standard for color.

B.  This description of coloring hopes to be inclusive of all color tones within the Brown Bengal color variations.

C.  We only need to describe the range of colors once.   For simplicity, we don't need to do this for each part of each pattern (This item could be proposed in 2020 if this first step is accepted).

D.  By adding specific language to the Rosetted/Spotted pattern, it helps to showcase this as our most defining trait for our breed.

E.  Adds in tail tip to make color easier for judges to identify (at a judge's recommendation)

Obstacle:

A.  We probably should have added "red" into the colors.   Even though "red" can be understood to be part of "Browns", it may be good to highlight it.   Especially since many council members believe the ideal coloration for a Bengal is similar to an African Leopard or Gold Jaguar which both have the tri coloring of Golds, Reds and Dark Browns.    If this proposal passes, I will suggest we add "red" to this color grouping for next years ballot.

PROPOSAL #44 ON THE 2019 BALLOT.  Results:  32 Yes, 37 No - 69 voters need 42 "yes" votes to pass.  Did not pass.

2.  ONLY if Proposal #44 does not pass, within the “BROWN (BLACK) TABBY” color description, change as follows  (This is a fall back position in case #44 is not popular -  please vote "yes" for both Proposals if you accept either as better than our current standard.   This is not an "either/or" type of question:

 

BROWN (BLACK) TABBY (Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):   All variations of brown (and gray for Charcoals) are allowed as the ground color, ranging from buff tan, honey gold, to orange.  Markings may be various shades of tan, brown, gray and black.  There should be extreme contrast between ground color and markings, with distinct shapes, and well defined edges.  Markings should be two toned.  Lighter color spectacles enhance the eyes.  A much lighter to 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.  Nose leather:  Brick red, outlined in to black.  Paw Pads:  From pink, to brick red, with allowances for black or brown.  Black.  Eye color:  Gold to green.  Tail tip:  Brown to black.

 

RATIONALE: Adds in language for charcoals.  Removed the nose outline, as this is not a common trait in Bengals.  Corrected paw pad color (Breeds and Standards recommendation – we still have allowances for other colors in that section).  Tail tip to make color easier for judges to identify (at a judge’s recommendation).

 

PROPOSAL #45 ON THE 2019 Ballot.  Results:  28 Yes, 40 No - 68 voters need 41 "yes" votes to pass -  Did not pass.

Proposal 46 – ONLY if Proposals #38 and #39 pass (Moving Goggles description into “Pattern”), change the “BROWN(BLACK) TABBY” color description as follows:

 

BROWN (BLACK) TABBY (Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):   All variations of brown (are allowed as the ground color, ranging from buff tan, honey gold, to orange.  Markings may be various shades of tan, brown and black.  There should be extreme contrast between ground color and markings, with distinct shapes, and well defined edges.  Markings should be two toned.  Lighter color spectacles enhance the eyes.  A much lighter to 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.  Nose leather:  Brick red, outlined in black.  Paw Pads:  From pink, to brick red, with allowances for black or brown.  Eye color:  Gold to green. 

 

RATIONALE: Goggles/spectacles will be described in the each of the 2 patterns and does not need to be repeated in the color description.

 

CURRENTLY PROPOSAL #46 ON THE 2019 Ballot.  Results:  28 Yes, 40 No - 68 voters need 41 "yes" votes to pass -  Did not pass.

Breed Council Change Considerations for 2019 that did not get on the Ballot:

A.  Accept the 2018 proposed version:  

 

CFA Bengal Standard for BROWN (BLACK) TABBY:

All variations of brown tabby are allowed, ranging from very cool to warm tones.  Ground color ranges from cold or grey-beige to warm tan and copper brown.  Markings black to dark brown.  Skin pigment around eyes, lips and nose is black. Black tail tip.  Nose leather:  brick to black.  Paw Pads: black.

Rationale:  We have been asked to shorten our standard so that it is simplified and easier to remember for judges.

Obstacle(s): 

A.  Browns are almost never "Cool" in tones.   Cool tones come from a lack of gold/yellow pigment and even our cooler toned Taupe/Browns have warmth to the coloring -  they just don't have a lot of Golds/Reds.    the Term "Very Cool" really only relates to Silvers where all yellow/red coloring is removed.

B.  Markings are not just black and dark brown -  The inner coloring of rosetted/Spotted Bengals can be tan, gold, reds and light brown.

C.  This leaves an impression that the two colored (or two toned) rosettes are not important.

NOT CURRENTLY ON THE 2019 BALLOT.   I HOPE THAT I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE BEST OF THIS LANGUAGE TOGETHER WITH THE BEST OF WHAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SUGGESTED IN CREATING PROPOSALS #44 AND #45 FOR THE 2019 BALLOT.

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