What is a polecat?
A polecat is not a cat, or a pole. It is a nocturnal European weasel.
“The Persian was the most popular pedigreed cat in the CFA rankings for decades before other breeds, starting with the Exotic, finally knocked it off the top spot in the 2010s.”
Reference: Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA)
More cat facts.
More cat facts
Where did Persian cats come from?
Persian cats are named after Persia, modern-day Iran. Longhaired cats from the region were brought to Europe in the 1600s, where breeders gradually shaped them into the modern Persian.
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.