Spots are one of the most distinct features of bengal cats.
All bengals have some sort of marking or assortment of spots on them.
Bengal kittens are born with spots, however the pattern of these spots may change as they grow.
Their coats will become more unique, differently colored, and shinier as they grow through their first year.
Are Bengal Kittens Born With Spots?
All bengal kittens are born with spotted or marbled coats.
When kittens are first born, their coats are less shiny and not as vivid as when they’re fully grown.
This is because bengal kittens are born with a coat that can blend into their environment more, in order to be less notable to predators since they are the most vulnerable during the first year of their life.
As the bengal kittens develop, they will shed, and their coats will become lighter with more striking patterns.
The spots that bengal kittens are born with are not necessarily going to be the spots they have as adults.
The initial pattern that bengal kittens have will change and become sharper as new spots fill in and their color changes from dark to more light.
It is difficult to predict the final pattern of bengal cats based off how they look as kittens.
When Do Bengal Cats’ Coats Stop Changing?
Bengal cats’ coats stop changing after around 1 year.
Their coats may still change with the seasons as they get their winter coats during the colder months of the year.
Bengal cats’ winter coats are thicker, lighter, and longer than the coat they have during the summer and the colors and spots tend to be less bold.
As the season changes from winter to spring, the bengal cat will shed its coat, and get a shinier, darker one for the summer.
These changes in color are normal and help the bengal cat adjust to the changes in temperature and weather that happen year round.
Besides bengal cats’ adaptations to the seasons, their coats do not change in pattern once they’re fully developed after a year.
Until that point, they will change in color and pattern as they mature from kittens.
Do Bengal Cats’ Spots Get Bigger As They Grow?
The spots on bengal kittens change as they grow and can become rosettes as the bengal kitten grows into an adult bengal.
Rosettes are different than spots and look more like donuts. They are large spots with a differently colored inside.
The inside of a rosette is lighter than the exterior and is common in the coats of leopards, ocelots, and jaguars.
These rosettes are used for camouflage and help cats blend in with foliage in wooded areas where these wild cats naturally live.
Since bengal cats have genetic similarities with the Asian leopard cat, they also have these rosettes, which is what creates the appeal for bengals.
As a bengal kitten grows, their spots may become rosettes or simply be replaced with different patterns entirely.
The spots they keep will grow bigger as the bengal kitten grows as well.
