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BLUE TABBY COLOR

2016 - 2019 CFA Bengal Standard for BLUE TABBY COLOR:

 

(Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  Ground color is pale blue gray to slate blue gray, with markings being medium blue to darker blue.  There should be good contrast between ground color and markings.  Warm fawn tones can be present on face, back, and legs.   Underside and chest will be lighter in color than ground color found elsewhere.  Area around eyes, temples, and muzzle are lighter than ground color.  Pigment around eyes, and lips is dark blue.  NOSE LEATHER:  Rose, outlined in dark blue.  PAWPADS:  Aubergine/purple.  EYE COLOR:  Any color other than blue.

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.  Change the color description of “Blue Tabby” as follows:

 

BLUE TABBY (Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  Ground color is pale blue gray to slate blue gray, with markings being medium blue to darker blue.  There should be good contrast between ground color and markings.  Warm fawn tones can be present on face, back, and legs.   Underside and chest will be lighter in color than ground color found elsewhere.  Area around eyes, temples, and muzzle are lighter than ground color.  Pigment around eyes, and lips is dark blue.  Nose leather:  Rose, outlined in dark blue.  Paw pads:  Aubergine/purple.  Eye color:  Any color other than blue.

 

BLUE TABBY (Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  Ground color, including lips and chin, pale bluish ivory.  Markings a deeper blue affording a good contrast with ground color.  Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole body.  Nose leather:  Rose to dark gray.  Paw pads:  Rose.  Eye color:  Gold to green.  Tail tip:  Slate blue. 

 

RATIONALE:

A.  Changes wording to be more in line with 16 other CFA standards for blue tabby with a few changes necessary to highlight the differences in Bengals. Added in Eye color and tail tip color.  

B.  Deeper blue is a better term for the Blue Bengal as "Darker Blue" is synonymous with Blue.   Our "Blue" is a dilution of their normal coloring which will never be a dark blue.   

C.  Other CFA Breed standards describe the fawn tones as "Warm fawn tones over the whole".    This proposed change would make it possible to have just the parts described in our current standard as well as "the whole".   It's more inclusive and less words.

PROPOSAL # 48 ON THE 2019 BALLOT.  Results:  34 Yes,  33 No - 67 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 proposed 2018 version for BLUE TABBY (with a few adjustments in gold):

 

Current 2016 - 2019 CFA Bengal Standard for BLUE TABBY:

(Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  Ground color is pale blue gray to slate blue gray, with markings being medium blue to darker blue.  There should be good contrast between ground color and markings.  Warm fawn tones can be present on face, back, and legs.   Underside and chest will be lighter in color than ground color found elsewhere.  Area around eyes, temples, and muzzle are lighter than ground color.  Pigment around eyes, and lips is dark blue.  NOSE LEATHER:  Rose, outlined in dark blue.  PAW PADS:  Aubergine/purple.  EYE COLOR:  Any color other than blue. 

Officially Proposed in 2018:

(Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  Ground color pale blue gray to slate blue gray.  Clearly visible markings medium to dark blue.  Warm fawn tones can be present on face, back, and legs.  Dark  blue pigment around eyes and lips.   NOSE LEATHER:  Rose, outlined in dark blue.  PAW PADS:  purple-pink.   EYE COLOR:  Gold to Green.

 

Mariannes proposal in 2017:   (Same as 2018 proposed above)

 

 

OPTION 1 for 2019:   (2018 proposed with one word change -  "Dark" would be "Darker" and we would add in eye color):

(Rosetted/Spotted, Marble)  Ground color pale blue gray to slate blue gray.  Clearly visible markings medium to deep blue.  Warm fawn tones or patina can be present over the whole or on the face, back, and legsDeeper blue pigment around eyes and lips.   NOSE LEATHER:  Rose, outlined in deep blue.  PAW PADS:  purple-pink.  EYE COLOR:  Gold to Green.

Rationale: 

A.  Condensed wording is what is being requested.   

B.  Using the phrasing "Clearly visible" vs. "good contrast" is more accurate for a tone-on-tone coloring palate like Blue Bengals have.

C.  Using "Deep Blue" where "Dark Blue" is being used.  Blue Bengals really only get to a medium blue -  There is no "Navy" or "Dark Blue". 

D.  Deep Blue is consistent with other CFA breed standards for "Blue Tabby". 

E.  The dilute color gene dilutes all colors.   The outer ring on a blue is never "Dark Blue" as it is a gene that dilutes the original dark brown ring colors. 

F.  We may be required to address eye color as a part of this section.  If so, I would suggest that we use the same terms as a Brown Bengal because it also fits if this original color is diluted by the dilute color gene (which is often the case). 

g.  Other CFA Breed standards describe the fawn tones as "Warm fawn tones over the whole".    This proposed change would make it possible to have just the parts described in our current standard as well as "the whole".   It's more inclusive and less words.

CURRENTLY NOT ON THE BALLOT IN FAVOR OF THE VERSION BELOW AS QUESTION  #58 FOR THE CURRENTLY PROPOSED CFA BALLOT.

B. Accept the color description as written by many other breeds that have Blue as one of their colors:

 

 

Current 2016 - 2019 CFA Bengal Standard for BLUE TABBY with proposed changes highlighted:

(Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  Ground color is pale blue gray to slate blue gray, with darker blue markings.  There should be good contrast between ground color and markings.  Warm fawn tones can be present on face, back, body and legs.   Underside and chest will be lighter in color than ground color found elsewhere.  Area around eyes, temples, and muzzle are lighter than ground color.  Pigment around eyes, and lips is dark blue.  NOSE LEATHER:  Rose, outlined in dark blue.  PAW PADS:  Aubergine/purple.  EYE COLOR:  Any color other than blue.  TAIL TIP:  Slate Blue. 

Officially Proposed in 2018:

(Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  Ground color pale blue gray to slate blue gray.  Clearly visible markings medium to dark blue.  Warm fawn tones can be present on face, back, and legs.  Dark  blue pigment around eyes and lips.   NOSE LEATHER:  Rose, outlined in dark blue.  PAW PADS:  purple-pink.   EYE COLOR:  Gold to Green.

 

Mariannes proposal in 2017:   (Same as 2018 proposed above)

 

 

OPTION 2 for 2019:   (CFA already accepted blue color description):

(Rosetted/Spotted, Marble):  Ground color, including lips and chin, pale bluish ivory.  Markings a very deeper blue affording a good contrast with ground color.  Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole.  NOSE LEATHER:  Old Rose.  PAW PADS:  Grey to Rose.  EYE COLOR:  Gold to Green.   TAIL TIP:  Slate Blue. 

Rationale: 

A.  Condensed wording is what is being requested.   

B.  Same wording as in other CFA Breeds:  American Bobtail, American Curl, American Shorthair, American Wirehair, British Shorthair, Cornish Rex, Devon Rex, Exotic, La Perm, Manx, Norwegian Forest Cat, Persian, Scottish Fold, Selkirk Rex, Siberian, Turkish Angora, Turkish Van.​

C.  Using "Deep Blue" where "Dark Blue" is more accurate for the actual shade of Blue/Gray that a Blue Bengal has.  (it is not a Navy Blue or Dark Blue). 

D.  The dilute color gene dilutes all colors.   The outer ring on a blue is never "Dark Blue" as it is a gene that dilutes the original dark brown ring colors.

E.  Other CFA Breed standards describe the fawn tones as "Warm fawn tones over the whole".    This proposed change would make it possible to have just the parts described in our current standard as well as "the whole".   It's more inclusive and less words.

F.  Adding in color for tail tip is nice, but may not be necessary for a cat who's tail will always be some shade of Blue.

 

 

Obstacles:

 

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