I have one from the American strain that was brought over in I think the 20's. She's beautiful. Her fur is extremely soft but is actually in two layers. Together they form a water resistant layer that sheds liquids and provides insulation from snow. Mine used to lay in my bathroom sink and would just drink when I turned on the faucet. You can literally see the water run off the fur.
They're also fairly large cats, about as big as maine coons