Let me explain the differences between the qualities of cat:

 

First let me explain top show quality:

 

These are RARELY born and when they are, they are highly prized.  A breeder may work their entire breeding career trying to produce one of these cats.  These cats match in every way the Bengal Standard and will easily get to a Quad Grand or Supreme Grand Champion title when shown.   Many breeders go for years or decades and never produce one of these cats.  So, if they are born, they stay in our breeding program or go to another breeder to be shown.  This validates our breeding program to the entire bengal breeder community.  This cat also has traits that need to be propagated into the Bengal breed. I am currently looking for this quality of male cat as my next stud.  I can tell you just how rare they are.  I will be waiting for probably a year from the national pool of breeders to find one born and available.  I am on a number of waiting lists. These kittens are rarely sold, but when they are, they are in the $3500 price range. 

 

 

Second is show quality:

 

These kittens also are not born in every litter.  Depending on the breeding program, it may mean many years of work.  These kittens, although not top show quality, should get to their championship.  If we are lucky, they may go farther to their Grand, Double Grand, or Triple Grand Championship.  Again, these kittens put breeders "on the map" and validate all of our hard work.  These kittens adhere closely to the Bengal Standard but may have a quality or two that although they are "within" standard guidelines, are not considered exceptionally good.  These kittens are also not sold often, they remain in a breeders program or go to another breeder for their program.  These kittens are priced from $2000-$3000.

 

 

Third is breeder quality:

 

Breeder quality is slightly less than show quality. It may mean that the kitten has a SLIGHT fault according to the standard such as large ears or an "off" eye color or a marble belly instead of spots or pink paw pads instead of all black or they are structurally a good cat, but just aren't "flashy" enough for the show ring.  At a show, there will be anywhere from 30-75 Bengals entered.  To get any points, you must beat them all AND be considered one of the top ten cats at the entire show.  So, they may be a really nice cat, but just not as nice as others.  These are the cats that fall into Breeder Quality.  They still have many nice traits that could and probably should be passed on.  We like to see these kittens in breeding programs but are willing to place them into loving pet homes if the right one comes available.  These kittens are $1,750-$2,250 depending on the number of qualities they have that are exceptional vs. the number that are acceptable.

 

 

Fourth is pet quality:

 

In this category there is a wide range of quality.  It may mean that the kitten just has a tail fault.  This is a condition where if you feel it VERY closely you can tell that the bones don't align themselves exactly or that there is a very slight calcification on one side or the other.  It took me months to get to the point, that I could actually feel one.  They are that hard to feel.  Usually you can't see them at all.  It may mean that the kitten has a locket (a teeny white patch) on it belly or groin area.  Or that its spots are aligned vertically rather than horizontally or that it has smaller rosettes rather than larger ones or spotting rather than rosetting or a thin tail vs. a thick tail or a longer tail vs. a shorter tail or lack of depth of chin (which also took me quite a while to be able to see).    These kittens are wide range of pricing because the quality in this category is wide ranging.   In my case, they are priced from $700-$1100.

 

Many people on the internet and in general will categorize kittens in one category or another (show vs. breeder vs. pet).  Another breeder may look at that same kitten and think they are crazy for thinking it is a show quality kitten or a breeder quality kitten.  That is the reason we stay in the show realm.  It helps us to keep our categories accurate and if we classify a kitten a show quality kitten it means you can take it to a show and it will win its championship.  What is the purpose of taking a kitten to a show only to have it constantly beaten by the competition?  Many breeders do haul totally average kittens to the show and wonder why they aren't winning.  So, you must consider whose word you are taking for the quality of a kitten as classed by the breeder. 

 

I look at litters announced on the internet all the time as show quality or show/breeder quality.  I wouldn't pay you a dime for them or even consider breeding or showing them. 

 

Chances are that there are kittens that may be place in pet or breeder quality vs. show quality due to traits that you or your acquaintances would never be able to see.  But you need to consider exactly what you are comfortable spending and what quality you feel you need to have to be satisfied.