The Charcoal Bengaal:

 

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It is a trait they inherited from the Asian Leopard Cat. (ALC)

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Charcoal is a color/coat pattern that occurs in Bengal. It is a "gene" on the A locus which ensures that the pattern and its visibility are influenced.

 

Charcoal comes in different colors including brown, silver and snow. In addition, charcoals not only come in different colors, they can also have a spotted, pinked or marble pattern, just like with "ordinary" Bengals.

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The characteristics of a Charcoal Bengal:

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A charcoal is often much darker colored than a "regular" Bengal. The coat often has a lot of contrast, the difference between the surface and the pattern is clearly more visible.  

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With a snow charcoal, the development is just a little slower. This is because a snowbengal is often born white or light colored and only later gets a visible pattern. With a snowbengal, the mask will develop first.

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The charocal is often completely dark colored except around the eyes. This is called a mask. This is the most obvious feature in which you can distinguish them.

 

The nose bridge of a charcoal is completely dark colored as well as from the mascara lines to the nose bridge.

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Most charcoals have a "cape" when they are young. This is a dark strip on top of the back. Ghostmarkings are often visible there. With one charcoal the cape disappears completely, the other retains it or partially preserves it.

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Different variations are possible, each of which in its own way influences the external characteristics of the bengali pattern.​

 

When a DNA color test is performed, these are the possible results of the test on the A locus gene:

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• A / A = Agouti, the Bengal has a visible pattern.

• A / a = Carrier of Non – Agouti. This means carrier of a Solid color (snow), Smoke (silver) or Melanistic (black). The Bengal itself has an ordinary visible pattern.

• a / a = Non – Agouti, the Bengal is Solid (snow), Smoke (silver) or Melanistic (black). The Bengal in this case has an almost plain colored coat. ​

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The charcoal gene is referred to as Apb, the ALC gene.
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These are the possible test results:

 

• Apb / Apb = a double charcoal carrier. The cat itself is not a charcoal Bengal but carries 2 x the ALC gene needed to get charcoal Bengals. 

• Apb / a = A charcoal Bengal. The Bengal with this as DNA carries 1 x the ALC gene and 1 x the Non-Agouti gene. (smoke, melanistic or solid)

• Apb / A = A carrier of the charcoal gene (ALC gene).

Below are the possibilities in a diagram.
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