Bengal Standard
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The Bengal is a medium to large, sleek, very muscular cat with a thick tail, which is carried low. It has a wild appearance and expressive nocturnal look, enhanced by its wide nose with prominent whisker pads and large, oval almost round eyes in a slightly small head along with a distinctive spotted or marbled tabby coat, which should be thick and luxurious. It should be alert, friendly and affectionate and in excellent physical condition, with a dependable disposition. Males are generally larger than females.
HEAD: A broad, medium wedge with rounded contours, slightly longer than it is wide. The head should be rather small in proportion to the body, but not taken to extremes. The skull behind the ears has a gentle curve which flows into the neck. Allowance should be made for jowls in adult males. The 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 the profile either straight or a very slightly concave curve. The wild appearance is much easier to achieve with a straight profile and the high bridge of the nose.
EARS: Medium to small, rather short with a wide base and rounded tips. They are set as much on the sides as on the top of the head, following the contour of the face in the front view and pointing forward in profile. Light horizontal furnishings are acceptable, but ear tufts are undesirable.
EYES: Oval, but may be slightly almond-shaped. They are large, but not bold and are set wide apart on a slight slant towards the base of the ear. Eye colour as for the individual coat colour range and should harmonize with intensity of coat colour. The more richness and depth of colour the better.
NOSE: Large and broad with a slightly puffed nose leather and may be slightly roman.
CHEEKS: High cheek bones.
JAWS: Full and broad with prominent whisker pads.
CHIN: Firm. In profile, of good depth and in a vertical line with the tip of the nose.
NECK: Thick and muscular. Long and in proportion to the body.
BODY: Medium to large, with substantial boning. Long, very muscular and robust, never delicate. A belly pouch is allowable in adults/
LEGS: Of medium length, strong and muscular. The hind legs should be a little longer than the front legs and more robust.
PAWS: Large and rounded.
TAIL: Medium to long, thick and even, slightly tapered at the end with a rounded tip.
TEMPERAMENT: Temperament must be unchallenging. Any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. Cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee or generally complain aloud, but may not threaten to harm. Bengals should be confident, alert, curious and friendly cats.
SCALE OF POINTS Head and neck 25 ~ Ears 5 ~ Eye shape and colour 5 ~ Body 15 ~ Tail, legs and paws 10 ~ 60 ~Coat texture 10 ~ Coat colour 10 ~ Pattern 15 ~ Condition 5~ 40 ~ Total 100
FAULTS / PENALTIES REFER TO GENERAL LIST OF FAULTS FOR ALL BREEDS, PLUS: ALLOWANCE: Paw pads not consistent with their colour grouping. A belly pouch is allowable in adults as it is a feature of wild cats and does not suggest being overweight.
PENALISE: Long, rough or coarse coat. Distinctly ticked coat. Spots on body running together vertically, forming a mackerel tabby pattern. Circular bulls-eye pattern on marbleds. Any distinct locket on neck, chest, abdomen or any other area not provided for in the standard. Whip tail. Any tendency towards oriental fineness of body and/or tail. Substantially darker point colour.
WITHHOLD: Belly not patterned. Tail tip incorrect colour. Challenging exhibit or exhibit unable to be handled January 2006 CCCA Official Breed Standards Bengal Page 2 Updated June 2007. Updated January 2010 Updated June 2010 Updated November 2011 Updated January 20 12 Updated January 2014 Updated August 2015
COAT AND COLOUR COAT TEXTURE Short to medium length:, closed lying, dense and luxurious, like a pelt, unusually soft to the touch and with a luminous sheen.
PATTERNS SPOTTED Spectacles: Which encircle the eyes should preferably extend into vertical streaks, which should be outlined by an "M" marking on the forehead. A coloured thumbprint (ocelli) is preferred on the back of the ears. A strong, bold chinstrap, mascara markings, distinct broken or unbroken necklace(s) and blotchy horizontal shoulder streaks or spots are desirable. Broken streaks or spots run over the head, on either side of a complex scarab, down the neck and onto the shoulders, where they may break up into rosettes or spots. Rosettes:Are formed by a part circle of spots around a distinctly lighter centre. Arrowhead-shaped spots are preferred. Larger spots may be rosetted. This is preferred to single spotting, but is not essential. Spots: Should generally be large, well formed and distributed at random, or in horizontal alignment. Contrast with the ground colour must be extreme, giving a distinct pattern and a shape outline to the spots. Spots should not run together vertically to form a distinct mackerel tabby pattern. Belly: Must be patterned. Legs: Have broken horizontal lines and/or spots. Tail: Is widely ringed, rosette and/or spotted along its length, with a dark solid-coloured tip.
MARBLED PATTERN Spectacles: Which encircle the eyes should preferably extend into vertical streaks, which should be outlined by an "M" marking on the forehead. A coloured thumbprint (ocelli) is preferred on the back of the ears. Broken streaks run over the head on either side of a complex scarab marking, down the neck and onto the shoulders. A strong, bold chinstrap, mascara markings, distinct broken or unbroken necklace(s) and blotchy horizontal streaks are desirable. Markings: Are uniquely different from the classic gene, with as little "bulls-eye" similarity as possible. Instead, the pattern is random, with large, swirled patches or streaks, clearly defined but not symmetrical, giving the impression of marble, preferably with a horizontal flow when the cat is stretched. Vertical, striped mackerel influence is also undesirable. Belly: Must be patterned. Legs: Have broken horizontal lines Tail: Is widely ringed and/or marbled along its length, with a dark solid-coloured tip. In the marbled pattern, preference should be given to cats with three or more shades i.e. ground colour, markings and dark outlining of those markings. Contrast must be extreme, with distinct shapes and sharp edges.
COAT COLOUR BROWN Markings: May be virtually black or various shades of brown or tan. The preferred ground colour ranges from light tan, orange, golden, yellow or greyish brown, with the pattern clearly visible, with a high degree of rufousing. Light spectacles encircling the eyes and a very light shade of the ground colour on the whisker pads, chin, chest, belly and inner legs (in contrast with the ground colour of the flanks and back) is desirable. The tip of the tail equals the darkest shades of the markings. Sorrel or Golden colours are included in the brown range. The Leopard is brown with black spotting. The overall appearance should be of gold dusting, called glitter, which is most desirable. A grey base coat should not be penalised. Eye colour: Gold, green or hazel, with deep shades preferred and should harmonise with intensity of coat colour. Eye rims and lips: Black or to harmonise with coat colour. Nose leather: Outlined in black, with the centre of the nose leather in shades ranging from pink to brick red, to harmonise with coat colour. Paw Pads: Black or to harmonise with coat colour.
SEPIA Markings: Are medium to light sepia. The preferred ground colour ranges from ivory, cream or light tan, with clearly visible pattern, often with a high degree of rufousing. A thumbprint (ocelli) is preferred on the back of the ears. Light spectacles encircling the eyes and a very light shade of ground colour on the whisker pads, chin, chest, belly and inner legs (in contrast with the ground colour of the flanks and back) is desirable. The tip of the tail equals the darkest shades of the markings. The overall appearance should be of gold dusting, called glitter, which is most desirable. Eye colour: Green to gold, with deeper shades preferred and should harmonise with the intensity of coat colour. Eye rims and lips: Brown or paler shades to harmonise with coat colour. Nose leather: Outlined in brown, with the centre of the nose leather ranging from rosy tones to brick red, or to harmonise with coat colour. Paw pads: Seal with slightly rosy tones, or to harmonise with coat colour.
MINK Markings: Are medium to light sepia. The preferred ground colour ranges from ivory, cream or light tan, with clearly visible pattern, often with a high degree of rufousing. A thumbprint (ocelli) is preferred on the back of the ears. Light spectacles encircling the eyes and a very light shade of ground colour on the whisker pads, chin, chest, belly and inner legs (in contrast with the ground colour of the flanks and back) is desirable. The tip of the tail equals the darkest shades of the markings. The overall appearance should be of gold dusting, called glitter, which is most desirable. A grey base coat should not be penalized. Eye colour: Aqua or blue-green, with deeper shades preferred and should harmonise with the intensity of coat colour. Eye rims and lips: Brown or paler shades to harmonise with coat colour. Nose leather: Outlined in brown, with the centre of the nose leather in shades ranging from pink to brick red, to harmonise with coat colour. Paw pads: Seal with slightly rosy tones, or to harmonise with coat colour.
LYNX POINT Markings: May be in a range from dark seal to light brown. The preferred ground colour ranges from medium to light brown, cream, ivory, to almost white, harmonising with the colour of the markings. A coloured thumbprint (ocelli) is preferred on the back of the ears. Light spectacles encircling the eye a virtually white ground colour on the whisker pads, chin, chest, belly and inner legs (in contrast with the ground colour of the flanks and back) is desirable. The tip of the tail equals the darkest shades of the markings. There should be little difference between the colour of the body markings and of any points. The overall appearance should have a paler equivalent effect of glitter like pearl dusting, called crystal, which is most desirable. Eye colour: Blue, with deeper shades preferred and should harmonise with the intensity of coat colour. Eye rims and lips: Brown or paler shades, to harmonise with coat colour. Nose leather: Outlined in brown, with the centre of the nose leather in shades ranging from rosy tones to brick red, or to harmonise with coat colour. Paw pads: Seal with slightly rosy tones, to harmonise with coat colour.
SILVER regar dless of pattern, markings are superimposed over a silver agouti ground colour. The degree of silver varies, with extreme contrast between the markings and the ground colour being the ideal. Although not preferred, the colour of the hair tips is commonly a little darker and/or a little colder in colour than in the non-silver equivalents. Apart from the silver ground colour and allowing for the above comments, the colour of component parts of Silver Bengals is the same as for the non-silver Bengals. Accepted silver colours are brown, sepia, mink and lynx point.