When the classic tabby pattern combines with the leopard cat's tendency toward horizontal alignment, it produces a very beautiful horizontally flowing pattern that is unlike that of any other domestic cat. It is called the marble pattern, after the wild species Marbled cat which it resembles. 

There are large swirled patches or horizontal streaks or brown, black and cream on the body. The three colors within the Marbles pattern is not associated with the three colored tortishell gene. Instead, it seems to be related to the presence of rosettes, which may appear on the shoulders and on the rear quarters of well marked marble. Descendant s of unrosetted leopard cats are two-shaded in both spotted and marbled patterns. 

The typical "bulls-eye" pattern seen on the sides of the classic tabby is undesirable in a marble Bengal. Traditionally, breeding two classic tabbies will result in the circular bulls-eye as seen on the American Shorthair. However, with the Bengal having the horizontal influence from the pattern of the Leopard Cat, we hope to avoid the circular tendency. Preferred marbles also lack heavy vertical rib markings, as they would tend to carry over to the spotted pattern. 

The use of a marble in the spotted Bengal breeding program will result in offspring with more random spotting rather than mackerel. Additionally, it tends to have dramatic impact on the clarity and definition of pattern on the resulting leopard spotted kittens. 

The Marble kitten is born displaying two basic colors, usually black and gold, or brown and orange. As it matures, the third color emerges within the swirls of the pattern, giving it a very distinctive and captivating image.