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CATEGORIES:
Traditional,
Sepia, Mink, Pointed.
DIVISION:
Tabby.
COLORS:
Brown Spotted Tabby, Brown Marbled
Tabby, Seal Sepia Spotted Tabby, Seal Sepia Marbled Tabby, Seal Mink Spotted
Tabby, Seal Mink Marbled Tabby, Seal Spotted Lynx Point and Seal Marbled Lynx
Point only.
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 tips. 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 l ine 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).
Consideration should be given to allow for smaller size, in balanced proportion,
of females.
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. Allowance to be made for the
generally slighter musculature of the females.
COAT/COLOR:
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. Coat may be
glittered or not glittered, with neither type to be given preference.
The
Spotted Pattern:
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.
The
Marbled Pattern:
Pattern shall be random
giving the impression of marble, with a horizontal flow when the cat is
stretched. Vertical
striping undesirable. Preference should
be given to cats with three or more shades; i.e., ground color, markings, and
dark outlining of those markings. Contrast must be extreme, with distinct shapes
and sharp edges. Virtually white undersides and belly desirable. Belly must be
spotted.
Colors:
Four
colors recognized are brown tabby, seal sepia tabby, seal mink tabby, seal lynx
point tabby.
Brown
Tabby:
All variations are allowed; however,
a high degree of rufinism yielding a yellow, buff, tan, golden, or orange ground
color is preferred. Markings may be virtually black, tan, or various shades of
brown. Light spectacles encircling the eyes and a virtually 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. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose
should be outlined with black, and center of nose should be brick red. Eye color
may be gold, copper, green, bronze, brown or hazel, the more richness and depth
of color the better. Paw pads and tail tip must be black.
Seal
Sepia Tabby:
Ground color should be ivory,
cream, or light tan with pattern clearly visible. Seal sepia tabby pattern may
be various shades of seal sepia to a dark seal sepia. Ivory or cream spectacles
encircling the eyes, and ivory or cream whisker pads and chin are desirable.
There should be very little or no difference between the color of body markings
and point color. Paw pads should be dark brown with rosy undertones allowed.
Tail tip should be dark seal brown. Eye color should be gold, but may also be
gold-green, the more richness and depth of color the better.
Seal
Mink Tabby:
Ground color should be ivory,
cream, or light tan with pattern clearly visible. Seal mink tabby pattern may be
various shades of seal mink to a dark seal mink. Ivory or cream spectacles
encircling the eyes, and ivory or cream whisker pads and chin are desirable.
There should be very little or no difference between the color of body markings
and point color. Paw pads should be dark brown with rosy undertones allowed.
Tail tip should be dark seal brown. Eye color should be aqua (blue-green) but
may also be green, or green-gold, the more richness and depth of color the
better.
Seal
Lynx Point:
Ground color should be ivory to
cream with pattern clearly visible. Pattern can vary in color from dark seal
brown, light brown, tan, or buff, with light spectacles, whisker pads, and chin.
There should be little difference between color of body markings and point color.
Paw pads should be dark brown with rosy undertones allowed. Tail tip must be
dark seal brown. Eye color must be blue, the more richness and depth of color
the better.
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 wild cats, 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.
The Bengal cat should visibly appear different from other domestic cats. It’s
basic appearance should resemble a small, forest dwelling wild cat. A Bengal cat
is an athletic animal, alert to its surroundings; a 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. Females are generally smaller
than males and exhibit proportionately similar qualities. 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. Its 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 coat
area is one of the most distinguishing features of the Bengal cat. The short,
dense coat, displaying either a randomly spotted or marbled pattern, 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.
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. Do not penalize for mousey undercoat.
WITHHOLD
ALL AWARDS:
Belly
not spotted. Paw pads not consistent with their color group description, or paw
pads not all of the same color.
Œ
Œ Œ Œ Œ
Temperament
must be unchallenging; any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. The cat
may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or general ly complain aloud but may not
threaten to harm." Evidence of intent to deceive the judge by artificial
means, cats with all or part of their tail missing (except those breeds whose
standard calls for this feature), totally blind cats, cats having more or less
than five toes on each front foot and four on each back foot (unless proved to
be the result of an injury or as authorized by a Board approved standard), male
cats in the adult championship class which do not have two descended testicles,
and, at the discretion of the judge, tail faults (visible or invisible) and/or
crossed eyes shall be disqualified from
championship competition.
See
Show Rules, ARTICLE SIXTEEN for comprehensive rules governing penalties/disqualifications
applying to all
breeds.
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