Coat, or the nature and quality of a show animal's fur, is an important conformation point in the hobby of animal fancy.

Some considerations in judging the quality of an animal's coat:

• Colour (coat colour other than those allowed in the Breed standard results in disqualification)
• Markings (distribution of colour, spots and patches; for example the spotted coat of a Dalmation and the merle coat of an Australian Cattle Dog are distinctive, the markings of a terrier vary.)
• Pattern (specific, predictable markings; tabby, for example is a common pattern in cats)
• Texture of hair (smooth, rough, curly, straight, broken)
• Number of coats (is the animal single-coated or does it have an undercoat and an overcoat or guard hairs?)
• Length of hair