Bengal-Type

About

Bengal type, Bengal cat, Asian leopard cat

When you start calling around to Bengal breeders, you will often hear

them say a cat is very "typey."

What exactly does that mean? The diagram on the right explains the Bengal cat body.

In simplistic terms, the more type a cat has, the more similar its appearance is to the wild cat.

The more structural attributes a Bengal cat has to the ALC, the more type it has.

The more structural aspects the Bengal cat has to the domestic Tabby,

the less type it has.

Each time you look at a Bengal, try to imagine it with a black coat.

Then ask yourself, would this cat still look wild?

If the answer is yes, then you are looking at a typey cat.

The Bengal standard was written to describe a F1 Bengal Cat therefore,

good Bengal kittens should all be moving in that direction.

There are many different aspects of the Bengal cat that put together type.

However, for clarity, I'll address them individually.

Bengal Cat Type and Wild Essence

EYES

Perhaps the biggest impact of type is the eyes. So what type of eyes make a Bengal cat look typey -

big eyes set wide on the outer edge of the skull. A wild cat needs large, wide set eyes to hunt.

The domestic cat no longer depends on hunting for survival so domestication of the cat led to smaller, close set eyes.

EARS

The ears make a huge impact on the wild look of a cat.

Many domestic cats have large, triangular ears, set on the top of its skull.

The Asian Leopard cat has rounded, cupped ears set lower on the skull so that they angle out, not up.

The rounded cupped shape is critical to the wild cat's survival as is captures sound waves better than the flatter,

triangular domestic cat's ear. When rounded, cupped ears are achieved on a Bengal cat, they add to the cat's type.

SKULL

It is hard to separate skull from ears because the placement of the ears has an effect on the appearance of the skull.

The Asian Leopard cat has more rounded shape to the top of its skull. Therefore, when looking at a Bengal cat's head in profile,

one should see a dome shape both in front of and behind the ears. Having this fore skull and back skull adds to a Bengal's type.

Domestics look of whisker & chin

WHISKER PADS AND CHIN

The whisker pads and the chin on a typey Bengal cat are always pronounced.

Once again, one can turn to the needs of a wild cat for a rationale.

The chin on an ALC would have to be large and strong to rip through its prey.

With domestication, a cat no longer has to rip through prey, so the strong chin is lost.

A Bengal with typey whisker pads and chin will have a three leaf clover effect; each whisker pad

and the chin are well pronounced.

BODY

The Asian Leopard cat has one more vertebrae than the domestic cat, more muscle mass

than a domestic cat, and longer hind legs than a domestic cat. Therefore, when you watch a typey Bengal cat walk, it will be long, muscular with a higher rear end. These structural differences are obvious when one sees the cat in motion.

Type look whisker & chin

Domestics look skull

(ALC) Aisian Leopard cat

FEET

Look at a wild cat's feet and you will be moved by the sheer size of them in comparison to the body. The knuckling is massive; the feet are powerful and strong. A Bengal that retains the structure of its ALC heritage will have feet with substance.

Aisian Leopard cat feet

TAIL

For a wild cat, the tail actually serves the purpose of balance; therefore, the Asian Leopard cat's

tail is strong, short, and thick. Some of our domestic out crosses have long, thin, whippy tails.

Bengal cats with type will have a tail more like an ALC and less like a domestic cat.

Typey feet RW SGC Sno Explorer Click Here to go to his page

WILD ESSENCE

Wild Essence is almost like a first impression. When a cat or kitten first looks at you, does it look wild? That is wild essence. It is achieved on the Bengal cat's face by combining enough characteristics of type with enough characteristics of the ideal facial coat pattern with jet black mascara that is the ultimate goal for the Bengal face.

SimplyBlessed Heaven Scent

is the ultimate in wild essence

BENGAL BREED CHARACTERISTICS

About bengal cats, behavior, pets and bengal personality.

First, one must understand that every cat is an individual, and while there are generalizations that describe

the majority of the cats within a breed, a kitten's personality should be determined by your observations of the kitten.

Bengals are full of personality, mainly because they are full of energy. Their minds and bodies do not rest 18 of the

24 hours like a typical cat. Its energy comes from the hybridization. The Asian Leopard Cat can't live a life of leisure as

it must constantly be in search of food, so it is on the move and the Bengal is on the move as well.

The Bengal has an interactive personality and will become an active member of the household.

If it doesn't receive enough mental and physical attention, it will let you know.

Bengals are extremely athletic and make great cats and on cat agility courses.

Bengal becomes very attached to its human companion.

Once the Bengal has imprinted on its human they will picked their partner, it is very loyal and loving. They demonstrate their devotion through grooming, rubbing, sleeping and talking. The talk of a Bengal is often distinct and is more of a chatter than a typical meow.

You will often hear the Bengal referred to as dog like because owning a Bengal is a bit more like owning a dog than a cat.

While the Bengal will demand your time, just as a dog demands to be played with, the will also demonstrate devotion as deep as man's best friend.

BENGAL STRANDED

B E N G A L (BG)

HEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 points

Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..6

Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Chin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Muzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Nose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Neck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

BODY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 points

Torso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4

Feet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Tail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 5

Boning . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Musculature . . . . . . . . 6

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN . . . 35 points

Texture . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

CATEGORIES

DIVISION: Tabby, Silver/Smoke

COLORS: Brown Tabby, Seal Sepia Tabby, Seal Mink Tabby, Seal Lynx Point, Black Silver Tabby, Seal Silver Sepia Tabby, Seal Silver Mink

Tabby, Seal Silver Lynx Point. Spotted or Marbled Patterns ONLY.

PERMISSIBLE OUTCROSSES

HEAD:

Shape: Broad modified wedge with rounded contours. Longer than it is wide. Slightly small in proportion to body, but not to be taken to extreme.

The skull behind the ears makes a gentle curve and flows into the neck. Allowance to be made for jowls in adult males. Overall look of the head

should be as distinct from the domestic cat as possible.

Ears: Medium to small, relatively short, with wide base and rounded tops. Set as much on side as top of head, following the contour of the face in

the frontal view, and pointing forward in the profile view. Light horizontal furnishings acceptable; but lynx tipping undesirable.

Eyes: Oval, almost round. Large, but not bugged. Set wide apart, back into face, and on slight bias toward base of ear. Eye color independent of coat

color except in the lynx points. The more richness and depth of color the better.

Chin: Strong chin, aligns with tip of nose in profile.

Muzzle: Full and broad, with large, prominent whisker pads and high, pronounced cheekbones. Slight muzzle break at the whisker pads.

Nose: Large and wide; slightly puffed nose leather.

Profile: 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 a very slight, to nearly straight, concave curve.

Neck: Long, substantial, muscular; in proportion to the head and body.

BODY

Torso: Long and substantial, not oriental or foreign. Medium to large (but not quite as large as the largest domestic breed).

Legs: Medium length, slightly longer in the back than in the front.

Feet: Large, round, with prominent knuckles.

Tail: Medium length, thick, tapered at end with rounded tip.

Boning: Sturdy, firm; never delicate.

Musculature: Very muscular, especially in the males, one of the most distinguishing features.

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN

Length: Short to medium. Allowance for slightly longer coat in kittens.

Texture: Dense and luxurious, close lying, unusually soft and silky to the touch.

Patterns: Spotted or marbled.

Spotted: Spots shall be random, or aligned horizontally. Rosettes showing two distinct colors or shades, such as paw print shaped, arrowhead

shaped, doughnut or half-doughnut shaped or clustered are preferred to single spotting but not required. Contrast with ground color must be

extreme, giving distinct pattern and sharp edges. Strong, bold chin strap and mascara markings desirable. Virtually white

undersides and belly desirable. Blotchy horizontal shoulder streaks, spotted legs and spotted or rosetted tail are desirable. Belly must be spotted.

Marbled: See TICA Uniform Color

Colors

Brown Tabby: All variations of brown are allowed. Markings various shades of brown to black. Light spectacles encircling the eyes and a virtually

white ground color on the whisker pads, chin, chest, belly and inner legs is desirable.

Seal Sepia Tabby, Seal Mink Tabby, and Seal Lynx Point Tabby: Pattern can be various shades of brown. There should be very little or no

difference between the color of the body (pattern) markings and point color.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The goal of the Bengal breeding program is to create a domestic cat which has physical features distinctive to the small forest-dwelling wildcats, and with the loving, dependable temperament of the domestic cat. Keeping this goal in mind, judges shall give special merit to those characteristics in the appearance of the Bengal which are distinct from those found in other domestic cat breeds. A Bengal cat is an athletic animal, alert to its surroundings and friendly, curious, confident cat with strength, agility, balance and grace. It is a medium to large cat which exhibits a very muscular and solid build.

Its wide nose with prominent whisker pads and large oval, almost round eyes in a slightly small

head enhance the wild appearance and expressive nocturnal look. It’s very slight, to nearly straight, concave profile and relatively short ears with wide base and rounded tips add to the Bengal’s distinctive and unique appearance. The short, dense coat has a uniquely soft and silky feel.

The coat may be glittered or not glittered, with neither type to be given preference.

A thick, low-set, medium-length tail adds balance to the cat.

ALLOWANCES: Smaller size, in balanced proportion, of females. Slightly longer coat in kittens. Jowls in adult males. Eyes slightly almond shaped.

Mousy undercoat. Paw pads not consistent with color group description.

PENALIZE: Spots on body running together vertically forming a mackerel tabby pattern on spotted cats; circular bulls-eye pattern on marbled cats; substantially darker point color (as compared to color of body markings) in Seal Sepia, Seal Mink, or Seal Lynx Point cats. Any distinct locket on the neck, chest, abdomen or any other area.

WITHHOLD ALL AWARDS (WW) Belly not patterned.

Temperament must be unchallengeable, any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but may not threaten to harm.

In accordance with Show Rules, ARTICLE SIXTEEN, the following shall be considered mandatory

disqualifications: a cat that bites (216.9), a cat showing evidence of intent to deceive (216.10), adult whole male cats not having two descended testicles (216.11), cats with all or part of the tail missing , except as authorized by a board approved standard (216.12.1), cats with more than five toes on each front foot and four toes on each back foot, unless proved the result of an injury or as authorized by a board approved standard (216.12.2), visible or invisible tail faults if Board approved standard requires disqualification (216.12.4), crossed eyes if Board approved standard

requires disqualification (216.12.5), total blindness (216.12.6), markedly smaller size, not in keeping with the breed (216.12.9), and depression of the sternum or unusually small diameter of the rib cage itself .