Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) Bengal Standard

Category III BEN Bengal Standard

General

•  Appearance : the Bengal is a domestic cat, which has the physical features of the small forest dwelling Felis Bengalensis or Leopard cat a cat with a basic “feral” appearance and the loving dependable temperament of the domestic cat alert appearance the Bengal is sleek and very muscular.
• Size : medium to large

Head

• Shape : broad modified wedge, with rounded contours, longer than it is wide allowance to be made for jowls in adult males
• Size :  slightly small in proportion to body, not to be taken to extreme
• Profile : gently curved forehead to bridge, very slight concave curve of nose
• Nose : large and wide, slightly puffed nose leather bridge of nose extends above the eyes
• Cheeks : high prominent cheek bones
• Muzzle :  full and broad, with large prominent whisker pads

Ears

• Shape : medium to small, basically short ears with wide base and rounded tips light horizontal furnishings     acceptable, but tufts undesirable thumb print
• Placement : set far apart, following the contour of the face in the frontal view, pointing forward in the profile view

Eyes

• Shape:  oval, may be slightly almond shaped large but not bugged
• Placement: set wide apart, with a slight slant towards the base of the ears

Neck: thick and muscular, long and in proportion to body

Body

•  Shape: long and substantial, large in proportion to head, not oriental or foreign robust bone structure, never delicate very muscular, especially in males; is one of the features hindquarters slightly higher than shoulders

Legs: medium long, slightly longer in the back than in the front very muscular, never delicate

• Paws: large and round

Tail :thick, tapered at the end, with rounded tip medium large, medium length

Coat

• Structure: short to medium length allowance for slightly longer coat in kittens texture is thick, luxurious, unusually soft to the touch, and preferably showing glitter
• Color: for color varieties refer to the following tables

Condition :  perfect physical condition, well balanced physically and temperamentally

Remarks

• General: Bengals should be confident, alert, curious and friendly cats
• Coat : a mousy undercoat should not be penalized

Faults

• Head : Oriental type of head
• Coat :much darker point color (compared to color of body markings) on Snow Bengals, Seal Sepia and Seal Mink Bengals ; spots on body running together vertically forming a mackerel tabby pattern • circular bull’s eye pattern on marbles ; long or coarse coat

Disqualification

• Belly : not spotted
• Paw pads : not all of the same color ; not consistent with their color group description
• Tail : tail tip not black for color varieties n 22/24 ; tail tip not dark seal to sable brown for colour varieties 31/32/33Recognized Color Varieties

Eye color :

• Ben 22/24 – green, brown, gold
• Ben 22/24 31 – blue-green, aquamarine, green, gold
• Ben 22/24 32 –  blue-green, aquamarine, green, gold
• Ben 22/24 33 – blue

Pattern Marbled General Description of Coat Color

• Ben 22 : markings, while derived from the classic tabby gene, shall be uniquely different with as little “bull’s eye” similarity as possible pattern shall, instead, be random, giving the impression of marble,
  preferably with a horizontal flow when the cat is stretched vertical striped mackerel influence is undesirable preference should be given to cats with 3 or more shades: i.e. ground color, markings and dark outlining of those markings contrast with ground color must be extreme, with distinct shapes and sharp edges belly must be spotted
• Ben 22 31/32/33 :there should be little or no difference between the color of body markings and the point color

Pattern Spotted General Description of Coat Color : for the description of the pattern refer to the General Part spots shall be random or aligned horizontally rosettes formed by a part circle of spots around a distinct redder centre are preferable to single spotting, but not required vertical stripes are undesirable blotchy horizontal shoulder streaks are desirable

• Ben 24 : Contrast with ground color must be extreme, with distinct shapes and sharp edges. Strong bold chin strap and mascara markings are desirable. Belly must be spotted.
• Ben 24 31/32/33 : There should be little or no difference between the colour of markings on the body and color of the points.