History | Temperament | Care | Physical Characteristics | Special Points

History

It is agreed that the origin of long-haired cats is to be found in Southern Russia, Turkey and Iran (formerly Persia). In the past, all the cats found outside these areas were short-haired. The ancestors of the Norwegian Forest Cat must therefore have arrived in Norway as a result of man's intervention. It is assumed that the seafaring Vikings took long-haired cats they found in Turkey and elsewhere back to Scandinavia with them in about the ninth century. Their reason for doing this had nothing to do with any particular admiration for these cats' looks, it was a purely pragmatic desire to keep the vermin under control on board their ships on their long sea voyages.

In the light of the numerous references to long-haired cats with plumed tails - Huldrekatten - in the old Norse legends, it is thought that the forefathers of the present day Norwegian Forest Cat have lived in the forests of Norway for many centuries. In winter when the cats had difficulty finding enough food, they would seek human company. They made themselves extremely useful in and around the houses and farms by destroying vermin, and were consequently highly valued by the people.

A Norwegian Forest Cat was shown as a pedigree cat for the first time in 1912, but was not officially recognised by the international cat associations until 1977. Nowadays, the Norwegian Forest Cat is a familiar sight at shows all over the world, but back in the vast Norwegian forests and in the countryside there are still plenty of Norwegian Forest Cats living in the wild.


Temperament


The Norwegian Forest Cat has an easy-going, tolerant, sociable nature. They are placid, equable cats, but nonetheless fairly active. Although the name may suggest otherwise, this is not a wild, outdoor cat. For centuries many of its ancestors have been cherished pets in the farming communities of Norway.

There are many Norwegian Forest Cats that enjoy a happy life as indoor cats, although it is obviously great for any cat to be able to enjoy itself in a large outdoor run. However, if these cats are kept indoors from birth they really do not miss being able to roam since they have never known anything else. This is not to imply that the Norwegian is an indolent animal, they are in fact active and playful and must be given the opportunity to work off their energy.

Norwegian Forest Cats can climb very well and love to demonstrate their prowess, which means a good scratching and climbing post is absolutely essential! They also really enjoy toys such as fur mice and ping pong balls. These intelligent cats are extremely friendly to adults and children. They like to be stroked and petted, although they will certainly let it be known if there is anything they do not like. Norwegian Forest Cats have a tendency to become attached to one person.

There are seldom problems with dogs - in fact there are plenty of instances of lifelong friendships between dogs and Norwegian Forest Cats.

Norwegian Forest Cats have a very strong sense of territory, so toms are unlikely to get on well together. Neutered males will usually live together without to many problems. Females, whether they are neutered or not, generally get on well together, provided each animal has enough space. Above all the Norwegian Forest Cat is inquisitive: he wants to know what is going on around him and will subject everything that comes into the house - from a bag of groceries to a visitor - to a thorough inspection.

The Norwegian Forest Cat's water-repellent, insulating fur is extremely well adapted to a harsh, wet climate, they can be kept in an outdoor run summer and winter alike provided they are given enough attention. Most Norwegian Forest Cats will remain playful until they are quite old.


Care

The greasy, water-repellent coat so typical of the breed means that it does not need extensive grooming. Like other semi-longhair breeds, Norwegian Forest Cats need little coat care. Outside the moulting season, all you need do is tidy the coat every now and then with a wide-toothed comb or a brush, taking great care not to pull too much of the undercoat out.

The Norwegian Forest Cat undergoes a relatively short but heavy moult, leaving it looking like a short-haired cat with a long plumed tail. You will find loose hairs all over the house, but the dead undercoat hair can also become trapped in the coarser guard hairs of the top coat, where it can cause matting and tangles that are difficult to get out. The cat will also swallow a great deal of hair during its own grooming sessions. It is therefore well worth while to brush and comb the coat daily during spring. Although it is customary to bathe many of the longhair and semi-longhair breeds before a show, this highly inadvisable with the Norwegian Forest Cat. Washing makes the coat softer and silkier, ruining the desirable rugged, greasy coat, typical of the breed for a very long time. The cat will also get dirty quicker because the shampoo removes the dirt-repellent layer.

Only clean the ears when necessary. Use a special ear cleaner for cats, which you massage gently into the ear and then dab off with a tissue.


Physical Characteristics

Body
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a fairly large, sturdy cat with a strong bone structure and a long body. It is a tall cat, with hind legs that are longer than the forelegs, so that the back slopes up slightly towards the tail. The paws are large, round and strong, with tufts of hair between the toes.The hind legs are completely straight and should never be cow-hocked, but the front paws do turn out slightly. When the tail is laid along the back it should reach to the hollow between the shoulder blades. Characteristics that will be considered as faults at shows include a frame that is too small, too lean or too long, a short tail or short legs. Males should be somewhat larger and stockier than females.

Head
Viewed face on, the head forms an equilateral triangle. The nose is straight and there should be no stop. The chin is strong. The almond-shaped eyes are expressive and slightly slanted. In young cats the eyes may still be quite round. The ears are fairly broad at the base and sit high on the head; they taper to a point. Looked at from the front, the outer edges of the ears are in line with the shape of the skull, so that the ears and the face form a triangle. There are lynx tufts on the tips of the ears and tufts of longer hair inside the ears, curling slightly backwards. The lynx tufts are not compulsory.

Coat
The quality of the coat is of the utmost importance in the Norwegian Forest Cat. It is semi-long with a dense, woolly undercoat. The smooth shining guard hairs have a water-repellent texture that protects the cat from the weather. Except in the summer, the cat should have a luxuriant ruff and bib, and it should always have a long plumed tail. Obviously cats that spend a lot of time outdoors will have a thicker, denser coat than those who stay indoors, and males have a thicker coat than females. A dry or felty coat is regarded as a fault at shows.

Colours
The Norwegian Forest cat is only recognised in natural colours, which means they have to be the colours found in ordinary domestic cats. The Himalayan pattern found in Siamese and Birmans is not permitted, nor are non-natural colours like lilac, cinnamon, fawn and chocolate. In contrast to breeds such as the persian, little importance is attached to the distribution of the colour on the Norwegian Forest Cat's body. Because the distribution of the colour and the colours themselves are of secondary interest in the Norwegian Forest Cat, breeders can concentrate on preserving a healthy cat of an attractive type. Black Classic Tabby and Black Mackerel Tabby with and without White are the most usual colours. The Norwegian Forest Cat's eyes may be of any colour, ranging from green and yellow to copper and blue. Odd-eyed Norwegian Forest Cats do occur, but they are rare.


Special Points

The kittens are recognisable as semi-longhairs at an early age, but their coat will be nothing like as luxuriant as their parents'. It can take two years or more for the Norwegian Forest Cat to develop its full coat, and it may be as long as three years or more before it reaches its ultimate size.


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