Norwegian Forest Cat
cat Breed Profile
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.
In this article
Size
Weight
large: >12 lbs.
large: >12 lbs.
Coat
Length
Long
Color
White, Black, Blue, Red, Cream, Silver, Golden, Red, Cameo, Tortoiseshell, Bluecream, Brown
Less Allergenic
No
Care
Longevity
8-14 yrs.
Needs
High
Traits
Grooming Needs
High
Social Needs
High
Eye Color
Blue, Green, Gold, Odd-eyed
Club recognition
Associations
CFA, ACFA , FIFe, TICA
Prevalence
Rare
The Norwegian is a large breed and an abundance of fur makes her look even bigger.
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.
- FORM -
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.
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.
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.
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