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Norwegian Forest Cat vs Ragdoll
Two large, quiet, long-coated cats; the Norwegian Forest Cat climbs and copes alone, the Ragdoll stays close and goes limp in your arms.
Verdict
Size, voice and coat are similar, so the thing that decides it is how the cat relates to you. The Ragdoll is a placid, very affectionate indoor cat that wants to be near its people and scores 5 with children and other pets. The Norwegian Forest Cat is friendly but self-possessed, climbs tall furniture and copes with a workday alone. Choose the Ragdoll for a lap cat and a quieter, smaller-home life. Choose the Norwegian Forest Cat for a steady climber that does not cling.
Choose the Norwegian Forest Cat if
- You are away for a workday; it scores 4 for independence against 2.
- You have tall climbing space and a home large enough for a big cat.
- You want a cat with a little more energy, scoring 3 against 2.
- You will comb a water-resistant coat through a heavy spring moult.
Choose the Ragdoll if
- You want the most affectionate of the two, scoring 5 against 3.
- You have young children or other pets; it scores 5 for both.
- You live in a smaller home; it scores 4 for apartments against 2.
- You want a silky coat that needs combing about twice a week.
Where they are alike
Both are large, quiet, long-coated cats weighing up to about 16 to 20 lb, and each is a CFA championship breed. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is on both watch-lists, so ask your vet about screening for either.
Side by side
| Norwegian Forest Cat | Ragdoll | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Longhair and semi-longhair | Longhair and semi-longhair |
| Origin | Norway | Riverside, California, United States |
| Size | Large | Large |
| Typical weight | 9-16 lb (4-7.3 kg); males are larger | Females 8-15 lb (3.6-6.8 kg); males 12-20 lb (5.4-9.1 kg) or more |
| Lifespan | Commonly reported as 15 years or more | Recent UK data put the median near 12 to 13 years |
| Coat length | Long | Long |
| Coat | Long, glossy, water-repellent topcoat over a dense woolly undercoat, with a full ruff and bushy tail | Soft, silky, semi-long coat made mostly of guard hairs, with little undercoat |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 1993 | Championship breed since 2000 |
| How common | Uncommon | Very common |
| Affection | 3 | 5 |
| Energy | 3 | 2 |
| Playfulness | 3 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 2 | 1 |
| Grooming needed | 3 | 3 |
| Shedding | 4 | 3 |
| Good with children | 4 | 5 |
| Good with other pets | 4 | 5 |
| Happy alone | 4 | 2 |
| Trainability | 4 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 2 | 4 |
| Allergies | No breed is hypoallergenic. The Norwegian Forest Cat sheds heavily each spring, and people who react to cats usually react to it too. | No breed is hypoallergenic. The Ragdoll's coat has little undercoat and sheds moderately, but people who react to cats usually react to this breed too. |
| Suits | A home with space and tall climbing that wants a friendly, steady, self-possessed cat and will comb it through the spring moult. | A family or a household with other pets that wants a large, placid, affectionate indoor cat and will comb the coat twice a week. |
| Less suited to | A small flat with little height to climb, or anyone who wants a clinging lap cat. | Anyone who wants an active, climbing cat, a cat that copes with long hours alone, or a breed with no known heart risk. |
| Registries that recognise it |
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| Health conditions to watch |
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Facts come from each breed's profile. Scores run from 1 (low) to 5 (high) and describe a breed in general. Every cat is an individual, so meet the cat before you decide.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026