Norwegian Forest Cat

The Wegies large sturdy stature and slightly wild looking appearance belie the true nature of this breed. One of the most attractive traits of the Wegie is his temperament. He really is a very friendly, gentle family orientated cat always willing to supply large doses of affection to his family. That family can even include other animals, and he is generally fairly tolerant of those noisy, messy human kittens too.

You could say he is something approaching the perfect family pet as he is loving and loyal to the whole family, not just one family member. You will need to gain his trust though, which is only fair considering what he is prepared to give in return. Although he does enjoy human company he can be a little on the reserved side when it comes to strangers which no doubt is due to his strong survival instincts.

Wegies may be affectionate but they are not necessarily an over demanding breed always seeking attention. He will find ways to keep himself occupied and amused if you have other things to do or if no one is home. However, if they want your attention they will let you know with their generally quiet low chirping sound but if you don’t get the message then they can certainly step this up a notch or two if required.

Wedgies are definitely not lap cats which, to be honest, is probably a bit of relief considering their size and weight. They would much rather sit and curl up next to you. They will make it very clear that they do not like to be held, cuddled or restrained as it makes them feel out of control, which to be honest is common to most cats if only their owners would recognise it.He would much prefer laying beside you having a scratch behind the ears or under the chin whilst rewarding you with his deep rumbling purr.

Not surprising because of their large, strong muscular athletic physics the wedgie is an excellent climber and they must be given the opportunity to express this natural instinct. So a tall strong cat tree or appropriate platforms or shelving are a must. if you don’t, Watch out! because he will find the highest spots in your home on his own irrespective of your wishes. He definitely wants a high vantage point to survey and keep an eye on his territory.

The Wedgie because of his well-honed hunting instincts are enthusiastic and persistent hunters and would love the outdoors life but he also has the capacity to adapt to his environment and live quietly within a suitably equipped home setting. So if you keep him indoors or within a protected enclosure ( a wise call in most areas) you will need to satisfy his need to hunt, by providing appropriate toys and activity.

Head

When viewed from the front the outside bottom of the years to the chin form the shape of an equilateral triangle. The forehead is slightly rounded.When viewed from the side the head has a long straight profile. The neck is short and muscular.

Eyes

The large expressive eyes are almond shaped set at an oblique angle. Eye colour range from emerald green through a range of golds and sometimes blue.

Ears

Large with a broad base. They have Lynx like tufts and long hairs growing out of the ears sometimes upto 3 inches (7.5 cm) long.

Body

The Norwegian Forest cat has a large Deep chested muscular body with solid bone structure But well-balanced males are large and imposing while females are usually small and slightly more refined.

Legs & Paws

Walks high on legs with back legs longer than the front. Legs are strong and muscular with large round paws with thick tufts of hair between the toes. Perfect for the snowy terraine of it’s native homeland.

Tail

Long and bushy reaches along the length of the body up to the shoulders

Coat

One of the distinguishing features of this breed is the thick double coat, consisting of a thick woolly undercoat covered by long, smooth, and glossy water-resistant overcoat guard hairs to protect it throughout the winter months.

This slow maturing breed builds up this amazing coat over a period of 5 years it takes to reach maturity.The mature NFC also has a thick ruff about its neck. All in all this combination is perfect protection against the often harsh Scandinavian winters.

During the warmer months they loose this thick undercoat and some of the guard hairs although the coat will maintain most of it’s length.

Colour

All colours are possible in this breed although some countries breed governing bodies may not accept colours that are the result of hybridization such as chocolate, sabel, lilac, cinnamon or fawn.

The Norwegian Forest cat (NFC), unlike many pedigree breeds, is an ancient natural breed which has evolved in the cold harsh climate of Norway. The exact origins of this breed will never truly be determined but one suggestion is that their ancestors were probably a mix of short-hairs from northern Europe and long-haired cats from Byzantium brought back to Scandinavia by the vikings and traders.

They probably spent a lot of their time around the Norwegian costal towns and villages but were driven into the forest by the advancement of the plague into Norway in the middle of the 1300’s. The development of their strong bodies,thick woolly undercoat and long waterproof overcoat a necessity for surviving the harsh environment of the Norwegian Winter.

These resourceful animals soon became companions of isolated farmers and homesteads in a mutually beneficial relationship which has survived over hundreds of years. These Forest cats have been tolerated and even welcomed for much longer in Scandinavia than cats have generally in other parts of northern Europe. This long standing relationship may form the origins of why this breed enjoys human company today.

The Norwegian Forest cat is found in Norwegian folklore, referred to as “huldrekatter” or “trollkatter” which is often translated as fairy cats in English but Nymph cats as in Wood or Water Nymph might be more accurate.The tales tell of them catching fish in lakes and climbing steep rocky cliffs. The NFC has very strong claws and is quite an accomplished climber so this does have a ring of truth about it. The NFC as been mentioned in both Norwegian and Swedish literature many times over the years since the 16th century.

At the start of the 20th century the NFC was becoming a bit of a rarity so plans were put in place to ensure the future of this national breed. In Oslo in the late 1930’s the first organisation devoted to the breed “The Norwegian Forest Cat Club” was formed.Then came World War 2 which disrupted their work and further risks of extinction came from cross-breeding with free-roaming domestic cats.  The Norwegian Forest Cat Club developed an official breeding program which helped the breed make a comeback.

The Forest cat received royal recognition when the late King Olav V declared it the National Cat of Norway.

The Forest Cat was not exported from Norway until the late 1970’s but has become popular all over Europe and the first breeding pair were imported into the US in 1979.

Grooming

The Norwegian Forest cat, as a natural breed, is fairly low-maintenance requiring minimal grooming as their natural coats are largely self-maintaining.

In the winter months the coat while long and thick does not require the same daily care as other long or semi-long haired breeds however, in late spring for a short period of time things change.

The thick woolly winter coat is subject to a major moult and the whole undercoat comes out within 2 to 3 weeks so a little extra combing might be useful at this time to make housekeeping a little easier if nothing else. This undercoat comes out in little clumps so at least it is much easier to remove from the home furnishings than single hairs.

After this moulting period the overcoat (guard hairs) lie closer to the body making the cat look a lot leaner and the coat thus appears shorter.