The animal on the cover of Tidy First? is a Maine Coon (Felis catus), the official state cat of Maine and one of the largest and oldest domesticated cat breeds.
Maine Coons are known for their impressive size and fluffy fur; males typically weigh between 13 and 18 pounds, while females range from 8 to 12 pounds. They have a robust and muscular body with their characteristic long, bushy tail and tufted lynx-like ears. Maine Coons have striking gold, green, or copper eyes.
Their fur is dense, water-resistant, and comes in a wide range of colors and patterns such as black, white, cream, and various shades of brown, with tabby or tortoiseshell designs. Due to their thick fur, Maine Coons require regular grooming, especially during shedding seasons, to prevent matting.
These cats are renowned for their affectionate and sociable nature. They are known to be good with children and other cats and dogs, making them excellent family companions. Their playful and intelligent nature makes them quick learners and they can be taught tricks and games. They have a fondness for interactive toys and enjoy activities that stimulate their minds.
Many of the animals on O’Reilly covers are endangered; all of them are important to the world.
The cover illustration is by Karen Montgomery, based on an antique line engraving from Dover’s Animals. The cover fonts are Gilroy Semibold and Guardian Sans. The text font is Adobe Minion Pro; the heading font is Adobe Myriad Condensed; and the code font is Dalton Maag’s Ubuntu Mono.