Marble Development

   When you see a newborn marbled Bengal it is hard to imagine what it will look like once it's pattern has developed.
That plain looking kitten with big blocks of solid markings can develop into a beautiful whirl of complex squiggles and swirls flowing along the length of the body & down the legs with an appearance of liquid fluidity.
 It fascinates me to watch their patterns open up & transform into complex marble masterpieces over the first few months & even beyond.

 To give you an idea, here are a series of photos of a seal lynx snow, a brown & a silver kitten from birth to 5 months of age..

1 day


1 week
 

2 weeks
 

5 weeks
 

At this stage the coat can often go into the fuzzies, where a layer of longer guard hairs develop, obscuring the pattern to some degree. This can go on for several weeks as it did in these kittens but once that starts to clear the detail of the markings is even more evident.

14 weeks
 

20 weeks
 


3-D Embossed Marbling

Another fascinating occurance in some marbles is the 3-D effect. This is where the markings comprise of slightly longer hairs than the background, so when viewed at a particular angle, they appear to be embossed onto the coat.
 It can happen with the spotted / rosetted cats too, but there are less known cases so far, or maybe because the pattern consists of larger areas with the marbles it is easier to notice. It is also more apparent when the cat is alert or excited.
 I was delighted to discover this unusual feature in both Slavess Celisse & Slavess Idol Eyes at around 6 months of age. Their sire, Owlsdene Marbled Montague does appear to have it on close inspection but to a lesser degree.
 These photos were taken after smoothing the coat flat as much as possible.




The Marble Future

As with the spotted / rosetted Bengals, the marbles are still being developed until we achieve consistency in our interpretation of the breed standard. There aren't as many breeders focusing on the marbles as there are the spotteds / rosetteds but their popularity is increasing as the standard improves.
 My personal aim is to have marbled Bengals with more of a connected horizontal flow to the pattern, less remnant of the circular bullseye marking from the domestic classic tabby, more open chaotic markings with tri-colouring & sharp contrast, plenty of acreage between the markings helping them to stand out & to emphasise the embossing. All the while keeping focused on good type & health.
 Rather than trying to replicate wild cats such as the Clouded Leopard, King Cheetah or Marbled Cat, my vision of the marbled domestic Bengal is of something quite unique & instantly recognisable as what it is.
 We have a long way to go but the journey should be fun!

Ren Slaven, Slavess Bengals, 2010.


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