Bengal Cat Coat Colours

The Brown Bengal Cat

Brown – Formally recognized for championship status in 1991

Colour variant: Brown Charcoal

As a side note, the Spotted pattern was accepted for championship status in 1991. The Marble pattern wasn’t accepted for championship status until 1994

The variation of the Brown coloured Bengal cat ranges from very cool Brown (almost no brown in the coat) to very warm Brown where there is a hot orange/red colour tone. Terms used for Browns are: Golden, Red, Cream, Tawny, Honey, Taupe, Tan, Beige & Caramel.

All shades of brown are accepted but an orange-brown is often preferred for ground colour.

Key features of a Brown Bengal Cat

Brown Bengal cat Genotype: C/C
Brown to jet black markings
A black tip tail
Red nose
Brown, copper, gold, green or hazel eyes
Countershading to the underside

The 3 Snow Bengal Coat Colours

The Seal Lynx Bengal Cat

Seal Lynx – Formally recognized for championship status in 1994

Colour variant: Silver Lynx

The Seal Lynx is the lightest colour of the Snow Bengals. The kittens are often born completely white and begin to get ghost markings around 7 to 10 days of age. Their markings continually darken over the following 6-12 months until coat maturity is fulfilled. This is something that owners can physically see happening during this time.

Key features of a Seal Lynx Bengal Cat

Seal Lynx Bengal cat Genotype: c^s/c^s
A very light white cream color
Dark or light seal markings
Dark seal brown tail tip
Blue eyes only

The Seal Mink Bengal Cat

Seal Mink – Formally recognized for championship status in 1994

Colour variant: Silver Mink

The Seal Mink Bengal cat is generally born with a visible pattern on a white to cream background colour. Like the Lynx, the Mink Bengal will reach full colour maturity around 12 months of age. They will have caramel coloured rosetting.

Fun fact: There is no individual Mink gene. A Brown Bengal cat cannot carry Mink. Instead, a mink Bengal must inherit one Lynx gene and one Sepia gene.

Key features of a Seal Mink Bengal Cat

Seal Mink Bengal cat Genotype: c^b/c^s
Ivory, cream, light tan color
Various shades of seal mink to dark seal mink markings
Dark seal brown tail tip
Blue-green or aqua eyes

The Seal Sepia Bengal Cat

Seal Sepia – Formally recognized for championship status in 1994

Seal Mink Bengal cat Genotype: c^b/ c^b

Colour variant: Silver Sepia

The Seal Sepia is the darkest of the three Snow variants. These Bengals are born with visible patterns that, by adulthood, can range from a light yellow-brown to a snowy hue with sepia markings. They should exhibit strong contrast to their background colouring.

Key features of a Seal Sepia Bengal Cat

Ivory, cream, light tan color
Various shades of seal sepia to dark seal sepia markings
Dark seal brown tail tip
Green or gold eyes

The Silver Bengal Cat

The Silver Bengal Cat – Formally recognized for championship status in 2004

Colour variant: Silver Blue, Silver Seal Lynx, Silver Seal Mink, Silver Seal Mink & Silver Charcoal

Silver: influenced by the inhibitor genes (I, i or I, I), is essentially a reduction in colour. This gene suppresses warm tones, resulting in an almost white base coat with striking dark markings. Silver Bengal cats can range in shade, with backgrounds varying from white to a very dark steel colour. They can also appear in various combinations such as Silver Snow, Silver Charcoal, and Blue Silver.

Key features of a Silver Bengal Cat

As little tarnish (yellow/rusty brown) in the coat as possible
Dark gray to jet black markings
A black tip tail
A brick red nose
Green or golden eyes

The Blue Bengal Cat

Colour variant: Silver Blue

The blue color, caused by the dilute genes (d,d), is quite rare, but some breeders like Ashmiyah Bengal Cats are diligently working to promote and preserve this unique colour gene in Bengal cats. Blue Bengals feature a powder blue or grey coat with some cream undertones. Their spotted or marbled patterns are a Dove Blue, Dark Blue or Metallic Grey. Since this is a recessive gene, both parents must carry it to produce a blue Bengal kitten.

Key features of a Blue Bengal Cat

Eye colour: Green or Gold
Nose leather: Rose, outlined in dark blue
Paw pads: Dark purple with pinkish tone

Fun Fact: Ashmiyah Bengal Cats began working with the Blue (Dilute) colour gene back in 2012. We’re one of the very few Bengal breeders in Australia that have been privileged enough to produce Blue Bengals and see firsthand how awesome the traits and features of this colour are within the breed.

The Black Bengal Cat

Melanistic Bengal Cat Solid – a/a

Colour variant: Silver Smoke

Solid black Bengals, which possess the (a,a) agouti genes, exhibit a black-on-black pattern that resembles the melanistic coloration seen in leopards and jaguars, often referred to as black panthers.

In melanistic Bengals, both the background and the pattern share the same black hue. This gives subtle ghost markings. Under daylight, you can discern these faint patterns, similar to those on a black panther.

Black Bengals are rare and less favored by breeders as the color variation is caused by a recessive domestic cat gene. Secondly, because the Bengal is a breed where high contrast coats are the overarching goal and focus that we’re supposed to be trying to achieve. Thirdly, aside from the colour being special and admired by some, the cat associations are highly unlikely to ever give them Show-Bench recognition.

Bengal Coat Patterns