One in Six Thousand.
The genetics, the math, and the traits that make Onyx extraordinarily rare.
What is a Seal Mink Bengal?
Bengal cats come in many colors and patterns, but the Snow varieties are among the rarest. Within the Snow category, there are three types — Seal Lynx Point, Seal Mink, and Seal Sepia — each determined by the combination of color-point alleles they carry.
Onyx is a Seal Mink, meaning he carries one copy of the Siamese gene (cs) and one copy of the Burmese gene (cb). This heterozygous combination produces the most coveted traits: warm ivory/cream base coat, aqua eyes (neither blue nor gold), and rich chocolate rosettes.
Aqua Eyes
cs/cb heterozygous
Warm Base Coat
Ivory to cream
Chocolate Rosettes
Dark pattern contrast
Glitter Gene
Light-refracting coat
The Rarity Pyramid
Each tier narrows the probability. Onyx sits at the very top.
Snow Bengal Types
Seal Lynx Point
- Genotype
- cs/cs
- Eye Color
- Blue
- Coat
- Lightest — near-white base
- Rarity
- Most common Snow
Seal Mink
- Genotype
- cs/cb
- Eye Color
- Aqua
- Coat
- Medium — warm ivory/cream base
- Rarity
- Rarest Snow type
← This is Onyx
Seal Sepia
- Genotype
- cb/cb
- Eye Color
- Gold / Green
- Coat
- Darkest — warm tan/caramel base
- Rarity
- Uncommon
The Genetics
A Punnett square showing how Leva (brown Bengal, snow carrier) and Monica (Snow Mink) produced Onyx's cs/cb genotype.
Meet the Parents
Onyx's rare combination comes from the precise pairing of his father Leva and mother Monica.
Leva
Father — Brown Bengal
Genotype: Cs/cs (snow carrier)
Contributes: cs allele
Onyx
Seal Mink Bengal
Genotype: cs/cb (Seal Mink)
The rare combination
Monica
Mother — Snow Mink Bengal
Genotype: cs/cb (Snow Mink)
Contributes: cb allele
The Math
When you multiply the probability of each independent trait, the numbers get very small, very fast.
Combined probability
0.015%
1 in 6,000
Traits Up Close
Aqua Eyes
The hallmark of a Seal Mink — neither the blue of a Lynx nor the gold of a Sepia. A unique aqua-green produced by the cs/cb genotype.
Rosette Pattern
Large, well-defined two-toned rosettes with dark chocolate outlines and lighter centers — reminiscent of his wild ancestors.
Glitter Gene
A rare trait that creates a sparkling, light-refracting effect across the fur — most visible in direct sunlight.
Seal Mink Base
A warm ivory-to-cream base coat that darkens at the extremities, providing the perfect canvas for high-contrast rosettes.