Norwegian Forest Cat - Cats of the World

Norwegian cats haven't been 'bred' to achieve their unique look, they're completely natural cats, designed by Mother Nature herself.

Their beautiful coats come in many colours, from pure white to deepest rich black, with every possible coat pattern and colour combination in between.

Darker-coloured cats require less coat to keep warm since they absorb more heat from the sun and the lighter -coloured cats tend to have fuller coats with more undercoat.

Some cats will have coats in colours which change from light to darker tones with the change of the seasons.

Mother Nature has produced a fine furry cat, perfect for colder climes.

A fascinating side to the Norwegian Cat is the way many of them can differ so greatly in looks from summer to winter.

Some time in the spring they take off their "winter underwear," the downy undercoat that provides warmth, and the long non-tangling outer guardhairs that act as protection from rain and snow. The contrast can be quite extreme.

The inner-ear hair that deflects the wind and snow (and can be three to four inches long, curving out and around the ear like flexible racing stripes) remains all year.

The tail is always magnificent, being as much as twelve inches or more when fanned to its fullest.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the coat is the mane. On a fully mature cat over five years of age and living in adverse cold weather, the mane is nothing less than spectacular. It's long, dense and very, very impressive!

This excellent and almost fearsome mane may disappear in the spring, but it will begin to grow in magnificence again as the days become shorter.

Norwegian Cats are Patient with Children
Norwegian Forest Cats are an intelligent, robust and playful breed. They like the outdoors, are well suited to cold conditions and are great hunters. Despite their great affection for the outdoors, they also enjoy the company of humans and other pets and will sometimes go looking for company if left alone by their owners.

They're not easily stressed and are quite patient, which makes them great for a family with children. They appreciate high vantage points and enjoy climbing trees or, if they are indoor cats, climbing on bookshelves and other high places in the home.

Grooming your Norwegian Forest Cat
No worries about grooming! Norwegian Forest cats are a natural breed and don't need a lot of grooming as do other longhaired cats who have been bred for their looks.

Very little, if any, combing is required, they're low maintenance and need only a brush about once a week.

Forest Cats appear in Scandinavian legend, where they often show a particular liking for water, coupled with the ability to catch fish in lakes and streams.

In some folk tales they are referred to as the "Fairy Cat" - and perhaps they are!