Norwegian Forest Cat

_In collaboration with Natalie from @nalaandfrieda and Laura from @norwegiancatfamily

Natalie:

We decided in favour of this breed because they are very open-minded, affectionate and cuddly. They are very curious and courageous. They approach strangers without hesitation. They are the perfect cat breed for families, as they are also very calm and relaxed around children. To encourage their intelligence, I make sure that they don't get bored. We use cat intelligence toys such as an activity board. This keeps them occupied for a while. They are also quite uncomplicated during car journeys and visits to the vet. We would choose a Norwegian Forest cat again and again. Laura:

We live in the countryside near Düsseldorf. When we say "in the country", we really mean it. Our little family consists of five members. Firstly the two proud cat parents Laura (25) & Sebastian (26) and the three fur noses Ginny, Molly and Charly. Any Harry Potter fan will probably be listening attentively now, as the three names all come from the Weasly family. All three come from the same kennel. Our happiness began with the two girls. Living together with us worked out really well. As we had a very friendly relationship with our breeder, we were always up to date. On 01 October 2021, a new litter was born, but unfortunately one of the babies was born with only 3 legs. Many people are now asking themselves how this can happen in a good breeding programme. It was nature. A few days after the birth, we realised that we wanted to give the little three-legged cat a home.

After Charly moved in with us, it took a few days for all three cats to get used to each other. But from the moment the ice was broken between them, they have been inseparable. They wrestle, cuddle, groom and play. Molly and Charly are absolutely open-minded and love visitors. Ginny always wants to be there too, but always needs half an hour to get used to the new situation. They are all really people orientated and active. We will try meeting dogs in the future. They got to know Sebastian's parents' cat. They didn't hide, but communicated clearly. Otherwise, such encounters are rather rare, as our cats are purely house cats. We do go on little trips on the lead from time to time, but that's not the rule. Living together is wonderful!

Not much is known about the specific origins of the breed, as it developed naturally and was not deliberately bred. It is assumed that Norwegians with a short coat migrated from Central Europe to the northern regions. The cold and harsh weather certainly contributed to the fact that the hair of these cats became longer and thicker due to evolution.

As the Norwegian Forest Cat increasingly mated with short-haired domestic cats, some Norwegian breeders began to preserve its genes in the 1930s. Shortly afterwards, it appeared at a show for the first time. The first male was recognised by the international breeding association FIFe in 1977. Since then, Norwegian Forest Cats have also been called Skogatt. Even today, representatives of the breed still live free and independent of humans in Norway's forests.

As this breed has developed naturally, it is very robust. Hereditary diseases, which occur more frequently in other breeds, are therefore rather rare. However, there is the breed-specific disease IV glycogonese. The disease is incurable and can be fatal. This disease can be avoided by having both parents tested for the disease when mating. Symptoms:

- High mortality among newborn kittens
- Kittens older than 7 months: chills, high fever, muscle cramps and progressive muscle wasting, followed by signs of paralysis and death at the age of 10 to 14 months.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)

Hip joint dysplasia

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a very affectionate and cuddly cat breed. They are very playful and need to be kept busy. They build a strong bond with people and are the perfect family cat. They have an incredibly strong character and are very independent. Despite their wildcat-like appearance, they are great family members in families with children as they are very gentle, peaceful and intelligent. They love to be stroked and played with. Their intelligence should be encouraged as they are very curious and open-minded.

The Norwegian Forest Cat has semi-long coat with woolly undercoat and water-repellent outer coat on back and flanks. All colours except Lilac, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Fawn (forbidden) are possible.

The Norwegian Forest Cat can be kept as an indoor cat. A large scratching post would be perfect for them to climb. It is recommended to keep at least two cats, otherwise one cat will demand constant attention. The two most important things are: sufficient space and company. They demand lots of time to cuddle and play. They also need to be challenged mentally. With scratching furniture, you must always make sure that it is suitable for such large and heavy cats. They prefer very high scratching posts. On the whole, they are rather easy to care for. As they have very thick fur, I recommend combing them once or twice a week. This breed does not necessarily need to be kept outside. They are quite uncomplicated. It is not averse to a trip into the countryside. They should be offered sufficient exercise and variety.

Honestly? We didn't even know the breed at first. We were visiting friends who had two Norwegians living with them and fell head over heels in love with this natural breed. The three fluffy dogs all have different but very distinctive characters. They all have many of the aforementioned characteristics that are typical of this breed, follow us everywhere we go and want to cuddle almost all day long. Ginny (the red cat) is very talkative and enjoys chatting with us for hours. What we have noticed most is their empathy towards us and their devotion to each other. They complement our little family perfectly. We regularly do clicker training with them and all 3 of them have already learnt a few tricks.