  We present the analysis of the polarimetric and spectral data obtained for
the dynamically new comet C/2012\,J1 (Catalina) when it was at a distance of
3.17~AU from the Sun. The observations were made at the prime focus of the 6-m
BTA telescope using the SCORPIO-2 focal reducer. The map of the distribution of
linear polarization in the cometary coma was constructed. The calculated value
of linear polarization was on average about $-2\%$. Spectral analysis of the
cometary coma allowed us to detect the emission of the CN molecule in the
(0--0) band. The gas production rate was derived using the Haser model and
amounted to $3.7\times10^{23}$~molecules per second.
