One of the challenges of breeding is balancing health and type, i.e. breeding a cat that represents that breed while ensuring that he is healthy. Most cat breeds originate from a few individuals who set the "look" for that breed. This is normal practice, but the trick is in keeping the "look" that line represents while ensuring that the kittens have a strong immunity system and that is only done by getting an outcross.

Polycoons are a great, mostly untapped source of outcrosses. So I decided to get myself a poly named Pedi!

In November 2000 Furkats P Pedauque aka Pedi was the first polycoon to set foot in South Africa! Many thanks to Janet Marr, Furkats Maine Coons, Kentucky, USA for this unique girl.

Date of birth: 4 July 2000

While looking for the girl that would give us the outcrossed pedigree we were looking for, we stumbled over the polycoons. Polycoons, also known as polydactyl Maine Coons, are part and parcel of the Maine Coon heritage. The New England area from where the Maine Coon originate has an unusually high incidence of polydactyls and it is estimated that up to 40% of Maine Coons were polydactyls. The polydactyl foot (meaning an extra toe) gives cats (and dogs!) extra traction when walking on snow. PS: The great screen goddess Marilyn Monroe was a polydactyl – she had an extra toe on one of her feet!

Pedi, who utterly despises me but adores John, is a classic brown tabby with white socks, blaze and bib. She has a lovely golden brown tabby – a very pretty girl indeed with an amazing long and bushy tail!

She is a shy girl but true to the Maine Coon nature, her devotion to her human is complete.

Show Career – what show career? Pedi cannot be shown as the Maine Coon Standard of Points does not allow for polycoons to be shown so Pedi is instead using all her energy in becoming a gourmet connoisseur – she loves food, all food and any food, especially whatever happens to be in my plate at that time.

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