🐆 Understanding Bengal Cat Colours: A Guide to Colour Genetics

majesticmeowsuk
Jul 31
2 min read

Bengal cats are famous for their wild appearance and luxurious coats — but beneath those beautiful markings lies a complex world of genetics. Whether you're a new breeder or a curious owner, understanding Bengal colour genetics can help you predict kitten outcomes and appreciate the diversity within the breed.

🔬 How Bengal Coat Colour Genetics Work

A Bengal cat’s colour and pattern are determined by multiple genes, inherited from both parents. Some are dominant, meaning only one copy is needed to express the trait, while others are recessive, requiring two copies (one from each parent).

The most important genes that determine colour in Bengals include:

Agouti (A) – controls the tabby pattern (Bengals must have this).
Melanistic/Non-agouti (a/a) – solid black, often called “ghost” Bengals when used in charcoal or smoke.
Colour base genes – determine whether the coat is brown, silver, blue, or snow.
Inhibitor (I) – controls silver.
Dilute (d) – creates blue.
Colorpoint genes (cs, cb, c) – create snow Bengals.
Charcoal trait (Apb) – a unique expression of the Asian Leopard Cat gene.

🎨 Common Bengal Coat Colours

1. Brown Spotted/Rosetted

The most common and genetically dominant colour.
Coat ranges from gold and caramel to deep red.
Black or dark brown rosettes/spots.

2. Snow Bengals

These are all recessive and require both parents to carry the colourpoint gene.

Seal Lynx Point (cs/cs): Born white with blue eyes. Spots darken over time.
Seal Mink (cs/cb): Creamy beige coat with aqua or green eyes.
Seal Sepia (cb/cb): Warmer tones with green or gold eyes, darker from birth.

3. Silver Bengals (I/i or I/I)

Inhibitor gene turns warm tones into cool silver/white with black markings.
Must be free of rufous (warm) tones for a crisp look.
Can occur in silver snow, silver charcoal, and silver blue combinations.

4. Charcoal Bengals (Apb/a or Apb/Apb)

Carry a copy of the Asian Leopard Cat agouti gene.
Display a dark face mask and cape; comes in brown, silver, snow, and blue.
Not a colour, but a pattern modifier.

5. Blue Bengals (d/d)

A recessive dilute gene.
Soft grey-blue base with bluish rosettes.
Cannot be registered in all associations but still popular in some countries.

6. Melanistic Bengals (a/a)

All-black Bengals with ghost markings.
Often called “panther” or “black” Bengals.
Only visible in bright light due to subtle rosettes.

🧬 Genetic Combinations

To get a certain colour, kittens must inherit specific genes from both parents. Here’s a breakdown:

Kitten Colour	What’s Needed
Snow Lynx	Both parents carry cs
Snow Mink	One cs, one cb
Snow Sepia	Both carry cb
Silver	At least one parent must carry the I gene
Blue	Both parents must carry d
Charcoal	One or two copies of Apb
Melanistic	Both parents carry a