Go, Cat, Go!

A folded-paper Maine Coon illustration shared by the six book covers.

Fold 1, ages 4 to 6FOLD1AGES 4–6Fold 1 · First Reader
Ages 4–6

Go, Cat, Go!

Start reading

Words to know

fur
cat coat
tail
cat's back end
toes
paw parts
chirp
cat sound
A representative folded-paper brown-tabby Maine Coon model.

Here is a big cat.

A folded-paper Maine Coon beside a small paper dog of about the same size.A folded-paper Maine Coon beside a small paper dog of about the same size.A folded-paper Maine Coon beside a small paper dog of about the same size.

Cats can be as big as pups!

A folded-paper Maine Coon beside a small paper dog of about the same size.A folded-paper Maine Coon beside a small paper dog of about the same size.A folded-paper Maine Coon beside a small paper dog of about the same size.

Who is big? The cat!

A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.

It sits in the frost.

A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.

A cat has lots of fur.

A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.A folded-paper Maine Coon sitting in paper snow, its long belly fur brushing the drifts.

Its legs have fur pants!

A folded-paper Maine Coon asleep with its bushy tail wrapped around itself.A folded-paper Maine Coon asleep with its bushy tail wrapped around itself.A folded-paper Maine Coon asleep with its bushy tail wrapped around itself.

A cat can nap in its tail.

A folded-paper Maine Coon asleep with its bushy tail wrapped around itself.A folded-paper Maine Coon asleep with its bushy tail wrapped around itself.A folded-paper Maine Coon asleep with its bushy tail wrapped around itself.

Its tail is a snug rug.

A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.

Up! Go, cat, go!

A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.

Some cats have six toes!

A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.A folded-paper Maine Coon with an extra toe on each wide front paw.

Six toes! Big, fat pads!

A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.

Drip, drip, drip!

A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.

A cat can tap a drip. Tap!

A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.A folded-paper Maine Coon batting at drops from a dripping tap.

Wet! It is glad.

A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.

It is dusk.

A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.

A cat can chirp. Chirp, chirp!

A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.A folded-paper Maine Coon chirping on a porch at sunset.

Sit and let it come to you.

A representative folded-paper brown-tabby Maine Coon model.

Go, cat, go!

The end

Go, Cat, Go!

See the printed pages
Front cover of Hello, Maine Coon!, Fold 2The next fold upHello, Maine Coon!Fold 2 · Read Together · Ages 6–8 All six books

For grown-ups

The cat in this book is a Maine Coon, the big, shaggy farm cat of Maine. Its breed name is not yet decodable for a beginning reader, so the text calls it the cat; say the name Maine Coon together as you read. Teach the four Story Words with their pictures first: fur, tail, toes and chirp. Every other word on the reading pages uses sounds taught through UFLI Lesson 41 or a Heart Word. The notes at the back name the breed and say what a Maine Coon can do and what only some have. The last pages model a kind hello: sit still and let a cat come to you.

About the big cat

The cat in this book is a Maine Coon, a breed of domestic cat from the snowy farms of Maine. Its name is not yet decodable for a first reader, so the text says cat.

A Maine Coon can be as big as a small dog, as the picture shows. Cats vary, and females are generally smaller than males.

Maine Coons have fur that forms a shaggy coat, longer on some parts of the body than others; the long fur on the legs is the fur pants of page 9. The pictures show snow; the text says frost because snow is not yet decodable.

When it curls up to sleep, a Maine Coon can wrap its long, bushy tail around itself, like a warm scarf. That is the nap in its tail.

Toes, drips and chirps

Most cats have five toes on each front paw. Some Maine Coons are born with extra toes, so a front paw can have six or more and look like a mitten.

A Maine Coon can play with dripping water: the breed is known for watching a dripping tap and dunking toys. The cat chooses this itself; never put a cat into water.

A Maine Coon can chirp and trill as well as meow. If one talks to you, answer softly, sit still and let it come to you; ask a grown-up before touching any cat.

Sources: The Cat Fanciers' Association, Maine Coon Cat breed profile and Show Standard; Maine Secretary of State, State Cat: Maine Coon Cat; Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, Standard of Points: Maine Coon.

Sound out a first cat story with pictured Story Words.

Ages
4–6
Trim
6 × 9 in
Pages
24
Words
109
Reading grade
-2.5
See the printed pages

From the maine coon facts episode of our video series. All six books tell this fact too.