It should be resilient and snap back into place when stroked back on the sides and back. It must be in condition and have a healthy sheen. A shining, clean, sparkling coat combined with really good color is awe-inspiring. A dirty, out of condition coat is a definite turn-off. Condition is the name of the game in all breeds.
Cleanliness is so important.
Proper conditioning starts from the inside out, resulting in gleaming coats and bright, clear eyes. I check the coat length when I m checking out its resilience. I also like to feel some nice, solid muscle tone underneath the coat. Good grooming, to me, enhances the cat no matter what the breed. When the eye is drawn to one feature of the cat that it normally shouldn t be, then I term that as poor grooming.