In today’s article we are going to look at the question ‘can Bengal cats be black?’
Since their inception (read our guide here to the history of Bengal cats) Bengals have fascinated people the world over with their striking appearance and stunning good looks.
Most of us are probably familiar with the “common” Bengal cat colouring:
But there are also now Bengal cats in a variety of colours including snow, silver, charcoal and even blue.
But can Bengal cats be black?
Yes, they can. Black Bengal cats – also known as melaninstic Bengal cats – look like miniature panthers! They are a relatively new type of Bengal cat, and demand for them is growing due to their truly unique and striking appearance:
Black Bengal cats can still have spots, stripes and marbling like normal Bengal cats, but it may be more difficult to discern these markings due to the dark nature of the coats (and the fact that the markings are also dark in color).
The markings on black/melanistic Bengal cats are sometimes referred to as ‘ghost markings’ because they can be difficult to make out in all but direct light.
One of the more interesting facts about black Bengal cats is that they are relatively hard to come by from breeders. Why? Because black Bengals are generally not accepted by breed associations for showing purposes. Therefore, although there is demand from the end customer/owner side, there is relatively little supply because of the peculiarities of how black Bengals are treated by breed associations worldwide.
To conclude; yes, Bengal cats can be black. While black Bengal cats are not particularly common, they are an increasingly popular choice for anyone who is basically looking for a mini black panther at home. They are beautiful creatures for sure! However, you may struggle to find a black Bengal cat of your own due to the fact that they are not generally accepted by associations in charge of setting and monitoring breed standards.
