With it's thick shaggy fur and almond shaped eyes, the Norwegian Forest Cat is an absolutely beautiful breed.
Also known as 'Wegie', the Norwegian Forest Cat is relatively new to America, but has a long history in Europe. It is believed that may have travelled with the Vikings for the purpose of keeping rodents under control.
This post will teach you everything you need to know on the Norwegian Forest Cat to see if this breed is right for you.
This includes the history of the breed, characteristics, grooming & care, diet, plus all of your popular questions answered.
Norwegian Forest Cat
WEIGHT: 13-22 pounds
LENGTH: 12 - 18 inches
COAT: Solid Colour, Tortoiseshell, Bicolour, Tricolour/Calico, Tabby, Ticking, Smoke, Shaded
COAT COLORS: White, Black, Blue, Red, Cream, Silver, Golden, Red, Cameo, Tortoiseshell, Bluecream, Brown
EYE COLOR: Blue, Green, Gold, Odd-eyed
LIFE EXPECTANCY: 12 to 16 years
The breed has triangular shaped head, pointed at the chin, with large, almond-shaped eyes and medium to large ears.
When it comes to the body, it is long with a broad chest with powerful thighs. They also have large round paws and a bushy tail that is as long as their body.
Apart from it's large size, one of the mos noticeable features of the Norwegian Forest cat is it's thick, long double coat that is waterproof and varies in length.
The coat comes in almost every pattern and color, and appears even thicker during the winter months.
Characteristics
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Children and Other Pets
If you have children, then you need not worry about getting a Norwegian Forest Cat, as they are extremely laid back and friendly.
When it comes to other pets, they are more than happy to live with both other cats and dogs as they are sociable creatures. You will still have to introduce them to other pets in a slow manner under controlled circumstances.
Temperament /Living With
Like most cats, they are territorial, love their own space and can be quite independent. For this reason it is important to provide plenty of cat towers, beds, hideouts, and other cat furniture.
That being said, they are also very sociable and are often described as having a dog-like personality. This means they are great with the entire family, including children and other pets.
It's important to provide a large selection of toys and interactive toys due to them being very playful and intelligent creatures. This will help to stimulate them both physically and mentally.
Don't be shocked to see them dipping their paws in water looking for food. If you have a pond or a fish tank then be aware. As well as the outdoors, the Norwegian Forest Cat also love spending time indoors.
They love to climb and explore, so cat trees and towers around your home are an essential.
History
Native to Norway, the history of the Norwegian Forest Cat goes back hundreds, and potentially thousands of years.
It remains a bit of a mystery on how this breed originated, but they have been popular in many legends and fairy tails such as the Norse goddess Freya's chariot pulled by six large cats.
They were popular amongst farmers, housewives, and European sailors back in the day due to their excellent mousing skills. Plans to further develop them as a breed were put on hold due to World War II after they were exhibited at a show in Oslo in 1938 .
Fortunately, they barely survived the war but very little growth or development happened for many decades. The Norwegian Forest Cat were close to being wiped out due to this.
This changed in 1977 when Europe's' Federation Internationale Feline (Europe's equivalent to the Cat Fancier's Association) registered them as an official breed.
Two years later in 1979, the first Norwegian Forest Cats arrived in the United States. They were officially accepted by the Cat Fancier's Association in 1987 and later received "full championship status" in 1993 from the organization.
Grooming And Care
Due to their coat being thick and long, you may think it will be very difficult to look after but it isn't too bad. Simply brush twice a week to remove knots and tangles. This can be increased to three to four times per week during the shedding period to help avoid matting.
The best tools to use are:
- Bristle brush
- Wire slicker brush
- Stainless steel comb
It's always a good idea to have one of each to tackle different kinds of matts and tangles. It's rarely necessary to give them a bath, which is good because most cats hate having a bath.
As with other cat breeds, dental hygiene is extremely important. Weekly brushing is the minimum requirement but brushing daily is better.
Remove discharge from the corners of their eyes with a damp cloth on a daily basis. The ears should also be checked on a weekly basis by wiping out any dirt with a cotton ball or soft damp cloth. Never use cotton swabs as this can damage the interior of the ear.
Like most other breeds, the Norwegian Forest Cat are very particular when it comes to litter boxes and bathroom hygiene. Make sure to clean the litter box on a regular basis. It may even worth be investing in an a self-cleaning automatic litter box.
As they are built to withstand Norwegian winters, they can struggle a bit during the summer months. It's important to provide shade, plenty of fresh water, and cooling mats.
Although they are built for the outdoors, it's also best to keep them as an indoor cat. Outdoor cats have a drastically lower lifespan than indoor cats due to all of the dangers such as disease, attacks from other animals, being stolen, and being hit by cars.
Being in the outdoors provides great mental stimulation, so the way around this is to leash train them, or build a large outdoor enclosure if you have a big enough garden.
Common Health Problems
Norwegian Forest Cats are generally healthy, but there are some health concerns that have been found in the breed:
- Glycogen Storage Disease IV: Effects the metabolism of glucose and is heritable but rare. In most cases, kittens are stillborn or die within an hour or two after birth. On rare occasions, a kitten can sometimes show no signs until around 5 months of age. You can identify carrier cats by using a DNA test.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A form of heart disease. Although this disease is inherited in certain breeds such as the Maine Coon, this has not been proven as yet with the Norwegian Forest Cat.
- Polycystic kidney disease: This is a genetic condition that destroys the kidneys and can be detected via ultrasound.
- Retinal dysplasia: Spots on a cats retina.
Diet and Nutrition
Cats are obligate carnivores who require a high protein diet and consume 41 specific nutrients. Norwegian Forest Cats are no different and do not require any special diet in comparison to other breeds.
They will even be picky like other cat breeds and have their own unique likes and dislikes with certain brands and/or flavours.
Where to Adopt or Buy a Norwegian Forest Cat
For a list of Norwegian Forest Cat breeders in the USA, check this resource here.
If you live in the UK, check this resource here.
For the whole world including US, UK, Europe, Australia, and South Africa, check this resource here.
How much do Norwegian Forest cats cost?
The cost can range from $800 to $1,500 depending on location, pedigree, age, plus other factors.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
Norwegian Forest Cat Facts
- They are called "skogcatts" in Norway which means "forest cat".
- The nickname for the Norwegian Forest Cat is "Wegie".
- This breed appears in a Norwegian fairy tale - Norse goddess Freya's chariot was pulled by these six giant cats.
- They love to climb and explore.
- They are Norway's national cat which was designated by King Olaf V.
- Descendants of long-haired cats that Crusaders brought to Scandinavia.
- The Norwegian Forest Cat were saved by a breeding program after nearly becoming extinct.
- Ancestors to Maine Coons.
Popular Questions
Which is bigger Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest cat?
Although the Norwegian is a large breed, the Maine Coon is still the bigger one out of the two. Let's take a look at the two side-by-side:
Maine Coon: Males (15-26 lb) | Females (11-18 lb).
Norwegian Forest cat: Males (13-20 lb) | Females (9-13lb).
Are Norwegian Forest cats good pets?
Norwegian Forest cats have a very gentle, friendly nature and make excellent pets who will get along with the entire family, including children and other pets. Although they are very loving, sociable creatures, they are also very independent which means they do not crave too much attention.
Due to their energetic and playful nature, they do not make the best lap cat. If you are looking for a lap cat then you may want to consider another breed.
Are Norwegian Forest Cats aggressive?
Norwegian Forest cats are far from aggressive. They have a very loving and gentle nature and can even be trusted around young children, providing you teach them how to pet and respect the cat correctly.
As they can be independent and like their own space, it's important to allow them this space and not annoy them.
Are Norwegian Forest Cats lap cats?
Although Norwegian Forest Cats are very affe
Norwegian Forest Cats generally are friendly, highly intelligent, and alert. ... Not being lap cats does not mean they do not interact. They will demand petting, head bumps, and chin scratches. Most will follow their "special people" around the house as they move from room to room.
How do you tell if my cat is Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest cat?
What's the difference between a Maine Coon and a Norwegian Forest Cat? The Norwegian has a triangular-shaped skull with a straight nose and flattened forehead. The Maine Coon is larger and has a wider muzzle.
Do Norwegian Forest cats like to play in water?
Similar to Bengals and other playful cat breeds, the Norwegian Forest cat will love playing in water. So if you have young children and paddling pools, they can all play together.
Can Norwegian forest cat live in hot weather?
With their thick long coat, this particular breed was built for cold climate and may find it challenging during the hot summer months. It's important to provide shaded areas as well as plenty of clean fresh water.
Are Norwegian Forest cats hypoallergenic?
Norwegian Forest cats appear to be related to Siberian cats who may produce less Fel d 1 than other breeds. But the truth is, individuals with allergies may react to any breed as no breed of cat is truly hypoallergenic.
Conclusion
If you have any questions that we haven't covered, drop them in the comments section below and we will update this article by answering your questions.
Do you own a Norwegian Forest cats? If you do then we would love to hear from you. Send us all of your pics and videos and we can include them in the post, as well as future videos on YouTube.
