Embossed Bengal Pattern

The embossed Bengal pattern is a little startling to people outside the cat fancy. The marble pattern on a Bengal cat can be "raised" up from the background fur. Breeders call it an embossed pattern. So not only is the fur that produces the pattern darker and of a high contrast (to the background color) it is also of a different length. I have never felt this pattern but I suspect that the pattern part of the fur also feels different. Here is a picture:


Embossed coat Bengal cat - From Roman Bengals. I have given a link to their website in exchange for use of the picture. Roman Bengals is owned by Steven J. Garrett. They have a really nice website. The embossing on this kitten is amazing. It is very pronounced and the hair looks finer in the raised areas and longer in the center of the embossed area. It is like a mountain range! The spots are raised too. The dark area of the spots is also raised more in the middle of the spot. There would seem to be two types of fur in place here. A cat has three types of fur maximum (some have a single coat). The three "layers" are guard, awn and down (the last being the undercoat). It looks to me as if the down hairs are coming through to the surface as it seems that the darker hairs are finer but I could well be wrong. Perhaps someone could make a comment?

If I am being picky this is not true embossing as the fur is raised. When something is embossed the embossed area is depressed. It is "reverse embossing". But that is beside the point. It is very attractive and no doubt desirable as is a high contrast and a good pattern.



Embossed Bengal Pattern to Home Bengal cat SUNDOG (he has an embossed Bengal pattern too).