Glossary

Ticked coat

A coat in which each hair has several bands of colour, giving a soft, shimmering look with few or no stripes on the body.

Also called: ticked tabby, agouti coat, Abyssinian tabby, ticking

A ticked coat is one where each hair is banded with alternating light and dark colour, like the fur of a wild rabbit. The effect is called ticking or agouti. A ticked cat has a warm, glowing coat and no clear stripes on the body, though it may keep faint markings on the legs, tail and face, and the usual M-shaped mark on the forehead.

Ticked tabby is one of the tabby types. The Abyssinian is the classic example, and the Somali and the Singapura are also ticked. The pattern is controlled by a specific gene, and it appears in mixed-breed cats too.

Registries set standards for how much ticking is required, how many bands per hair, and whether stripes are allowed, so a show judge looks closely at the legs and chest. Two cats with similar colour can look very different, depending on band width. Grooming needs are light for short ticked coats. A ticked coat has no known link to personality or health.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Tabby A coat pattern of stripes, swirls or spots with a dark M-shaped mark on the forehead, found in many breeds and in mixed-breed cats. Rex coat A curly or wavy coat caused by an inherited mutation, seen in breeds such as the Cornish Rex, Devon Rex, Selkirk Rex and LaPerm. Domestic shorthair The everyday short-coated cat of no particular breed, the most common type of pet cat in the world and in shelters. Breed standard The written description of the ideal cat of a breed, covering head, body, coat, colour and temperament, used by judges and breeders. Cat show An event where cats are judged against the written standard for their breed or, in a household pet class, on condition and temperament.