#this has been your entirely unsolicited brief explanation of bengal cat genetics

[mozart-the-meerkitten]

This baby looks just like my cat Diamond did at that age! Diamond was a melanistic Bengal, and like black leopards/panthers they are black with black spots. This little baby's spots likely disappeared as it got older and darker- but the spots are still there! You just can only see them in the right light. Very beautiful little baby!

(If you're curious, the difference between melanistic Bengal cats and charcoal Bengal cats- which are what my babies are- it's that charcoals have white "glasses" or a "Zorro" mask around their eyes and a black "cape" along their backs that melanistics don't have. But! a Bengal cat MUST have a melanistic gene to make a charcoal kitten, so they're very closely related! Maraly did have three melanistic kittens and they are all very beautiful.)