Norwegian Forest Cat

No one knows exactly where the breed came from. It's thought to have emerged from the forest some 4,000 years ago, then become a working farm cat and mouser ^[1]. Norse mythology makes it the favourite of the goddess Freya ^[1]. Vikings may have taken Forest Cats aboard to control rodents, so the cats could have reached North America's east coast in the late 900s ^[1]. The breed was nearly lost to crossbreeding with shorthaired strays. In the mid-1970s Norway's first breed club began a breeding programme from carefully selected cats ^[1]. King Olaf named it Norway's official cat in the 1970s ^[1]. The first breeding pair reached the US in 1979, and CFA granted championship status in 1993 ^[1].

• Body: large and sturdy ^[1].
• Head: an equilateral triangle with a straight profile from brow to nose tip; large almond-shaped eyes ^[1].
• Coat: thick double coat with a silky, water-repellent topcoat and a ruff on the neck and chest ^[1].
• Weatherproofing: heavily furnished ears, tufted paws and a long bushy tail deflect wind and snow ^[1].
• Weight: males about 12–16 lb, females 9–12 lb, reached after up to five years of growth ^[1].

Wegies are independent and intelligent, in keeping with their self-sufficient past ^[1]. They're not clingy, but they'll seek company if left alone too long ^[1]. They can be lap cats, on their own terms ^[1]. Moderately active, they have random bursts of energy and like to chase, hide and ambush their toys ^[1]. Their voices range from a soft purr to bird-like chirps when excited ^[1]. They get along with other cats, dogs and children ^[1].

• Combing: the coat tangles less than most longhairs; comb regularly with a stainless-steel comb ^[1]. Spring, when the winter coat sheds, needs more attention ^[1].
• Bathing: ask your breeder about products and technique; the water-repellent coat is slow to wet and slower to dry ^[1].
• Heights: provide tall scratching posts or cat trees ^[1].

• HCM and GSD: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and glycogen storage disease have occurred in the breed. Breeders now test routinely and are removing carriers from the gene pool ^[1].
• Slow maturity: full growth can take up to five years ^[1].
• Lifespan: GCCF estimates 14–16 years ^[3]. We found no breed-specific longevity study.

Ask the breeder about the parents' test results, and talk to your vet about any specific concern.

Don't confuse with…

• Maine Coon: rectangular head, square muzzle ^[4].
• Siberian: rounded contours, full rounded muzzle, almost round eyes ^[5].

• In Norse myth, Freya's chariot was drawn by two giant "Skogkatts" ^[1].
• King Olaf made it Norway's official cat ^[1].
• The water-repellent coat is slow to wet and even slower to dry ^[1].