What is a polecat?
A polecat is not a cat, or a pole. It is a nocturnal European weasel.
“The Cat Fanciers' Association officially recognized the Exotic in 1967.”
Reference: Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA)
More facts about cats.
More cat facts
How was the Exotic cat breed created?
The Exotic was created in the 1950s and 1960s by crossing Persians with American Shorthairs and other shorthaired breeds, which produced a cat with a Persian's face and a much shorter coat.
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.