The Abyssinian cat breed is especially associated with a ticked coat pattern.
In a ticked coat, individual hairs contain alternating bands of lighter and darker color. This creates a finely stippled or “agouti” appearance rather than the obvious stripes seen on a classic tabby. The effect is particularly clear along the Abyssinian’s back, sides, and tail.
Abyssinians may show darker markings on the face, legs, and spine, but their bodies usually lack the broad, continuous tabby stripes many people expect. Their coat colors include ruddy, red, blue, and fawn in commonly recognized standards.
The breed’s name links it to the former name of Ethiopia, although genetic and historical evidence does not establish a simple modern breed lineage from ancient Ethiopia. The recognizable Abyssinian breed was developed through cat breeding in Britain and elsewhere.