My eight-year-old niece has been in love with cheetahs for a few years now. So, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised when my brother told me that her feline adoration had evolved into more domestic spheres. She wanted a cat.

But, what kind of cat would appeal to a child whose notion of “cool” is informed by a cheetah? Turns out that my brother had an idea. The Maine Coon cat.

If you are not familiar with this cat, but are considering adding a feline Floofin to your brood, here’s what I found out about them.

According to The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) website, the Maine Coon cat is America’s first indigenous show cat. It is noted in the program of an 1878 show in Boston. While that is a fascinating piece of trivia, I wanted to know a bit more about the breed in terms of its level of acclimation into a home with a child and two working parents.

The CFA provides a description of the breed’s characteristics that include:

gentle
loyal
gets along with children and dogs
social

The CFA also reports that the Maine Coon cat can be larger than some small breeds of dogs. These cats are vocal and use trills and chirps in addition to meows to communicate. And you may find one in your lap as you read or work the crossword puzzle.

While my niece doesn’t have her cat (yet), I hope that the family does their research and adopts from a shelter. No matter the breed preference, having a rescue in your home is always a win in my book.