What is a polecat?
A polecat is not a cat, or a pole. It is a nocturnal European weasel.
“The American Shorthair was originally called the Domestic Shorthair and was renamed in 1966 to set the pedigreed breed apart from ordinary mixed-breed cats.”
Reference: Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA)
More cat facts.
More cat facts
How did the American Shorthair's ancestors arrive in North America?
The American Shorthair's ancestors are believed to have arrived with early European settlers, who brought cats on their ships to protect food supplies from rats and mice.
Did the Maine Coon almost disappear?
After Persians arrived in the US in the early 1900s, the Maine Coon lost popularity so badly that it was nearly written off by the mid-1900s. Dedicated breed clubs revived it, and it's now the most popular pedigreed cat in the CFA rankings.