A strong, muscular cat, the Norwegian Forest Cat is also a loving companion and appreciates the praise of parents.
The Norwegian is a large breed and an abundance of fur makes her look even bigger.
Weight range:
Male: large: >12 lbs.
Female: large: >12 lbs.
Eye color:
Blue, Green, Gold, Odd-eyed
Expectations:
Longevity Range: 8-14 yrs.
Social/Attention Needs: High
Tendency to Shed: High
Coat:
Length: Long
Characteristics: Straight
Colors: White, Black, Blue, Red, Cream, Silver, Golden, Red, Cameo, Tortoiseshell, Bluecream, Brown
Pattern: Solid Color, Tortoiseshell, Bicolor, Tricolor/Calico, Tabby, Ticking, Smoke, Shaded
Less Allergenic: No
Overall Grooming Needs: High
Club recognition:
Cat Association Recognition:
CFA, ACFA , FIFe, TICA
Prevalence: Rare
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a large, heavily boned, heavily coated cat. She is a muscular and looks like the hunter she used to be.
She has a triangular head, set on a thick, muscular neck. The ears are medium sized and the chin is strong, but slightly rounded. The hind legs of the Norwegian are slightly higher than the front legs. The legs are heavily muscled. The paws look a bit oversized; they are big and round, and have fur between the toes.
The abundance of fur makes the Norwegian look even bigger than she is. The coat is both thick and long. This coat provided natural protection for the breed when she was actually living in the forest. The coat has a silky feeling and the length of the coat varies widely with the season. The fur on the tail is also long and bushy in appearance.
Personality:
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a sweet, loving cat. She appreciates praise and loves to interact with her parent. She makes a loving companion and bonds with her parents once she accepts them for her own.
The Norwegian has never forgotten her heritage. She is still a hunter at heart. She loves to chase toys as if they are real. She is territorial and patrols several times each day to make certain that all is fine.
Living With:
The Norwegian Forest Cat tends to control her nutrition well, increasing her exercise and cutting down on intake when she feels it necessary. If provided with adequate play times and room to run and roam, she will not usually need to be kept on a nutrition plan.
Being territorial, the Norwegian likes room to make her own. She enjoys running, hiding and ambushing her toys. Perches and room to run should be provided.
The Norwegian must be groomed daily to keep the coat free from knots and tangles, especially during shedding season. This grooming can be incorporated into play time, but generally she enjoys being groomed. As with all thick coated cats, a hairball remedy may need to be given when regular shedding is occurring.
History:
In legend, a cat weaves her way in and out of the trees in the forest, appearing and disappearing like magic. Sometimes all that can be seen is the long, thick furry tail of this magical cat. She knows what is happening when man does not. She even knows what is in the heart of a man. This beautiful cat with the lovely, unusual tail is the Norwegian Forest Cat.
With a legend as beautiful as the breed itself, the breeders in Norway began to develop their magical forest cat into a breed that would be accepted for the show bench. The Norwegian Forest Cat was first exhibited at a cat show in Norway before World War II.
It took a while for the Norwegian Forest Cat to make her way to the United States where the Maine Coon, the United States' native forest cat, already held the country entranced. With a group of breeders dedicated to keeping the Norwegian Forest Cat in the show hall, this breed became well known in the United States where it has a devoted following.