Norwegian Forest Cat cat breed: facts, temperament and care

About the Norwegian Forest Cat

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a natural breed from Norway, where long-coated cats lived on farms for centuries and caught mice and rats. It may descend from short-haired cats that came with traders and longhaired cats that arrived later from other countries, though the early history is not documented. A breed club formed in Oslo in 1938. Crossbreeding during the Second World War nearly ended the type, and the club's breeding programme brought it back. Norway's king later named it the country's official cat.

It is a tall, solid cat with a triangular head in a straight line from forehead to nose. The coat has two layers: a glossy, water-shedding topcoat and a dense, woolly undercoat, thickest at the ruff, chest and britches. The tail is bushy. The first pair reached the United States in 1979, and the CFA gave the breed championship status in 1993.

Temperament and living with one

Norwegian Forest Cats are friendly, intelligent and calm, with bursts of energy. They enjoy company but are not clingy, and many are content to sit nearby. They seem independent and may seek out family when left alone too long. They are strong climbers with powerful claws, and they like high places, so a tall, stable cat tree matters.

The breed generally gets on with children, dogs and other cats, and it adapts well to family routines. It speaks in soft purrs and chirps rather than loud calls. A bored Wegie can be inventive, so offer puzzle feeders, chase games and a window with a view. Give it space, since a cat of this size does best with room to climb and roam.

Care: coat, food and play

The coat resists tangles better than many longhair coats, but the undercoat sheds in a big way each spring. Comb it two or three times a week and daily when it moults, using a metal comb. Check the britches and the ruff for knots. Bathing is hard because the coat repels water, so ask a groomer for help if the cat gets dirty.

Feed a complete adult diet in measured meals for a large, slow-maturing cat. Full size comes at about five years. Provide a sturdy scratching post, ample climbing space and daily play.

Health

The Norwegian Forest Cat is generally robust, but a few inherited conditions occur. Glycogen storage disease type IV, caused by a known gene change, is rare but can be fatal, and a DNA test exists. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hip dysplasia have also been recorded. Responsible breeders test their cats. Ask the breeder for results, and ask your vet about heart screening and a healthy weight plan.

Is it right for you?

Choose a Norwegian Forest Cat if you want a big, easygoing and sturdy companion and can groom it in the spring. It suits a family home with climbing space. If you want a similar size and coat, look at the Maine Coon, and for another Russian forest breed, the Siberian.