The Norwegian Forest Cat looks like it’s stepped straight out of the pages of a fairy tale. With their lush, bushy coats, it's not hard to imagine them prowling through enchanted forests. These days, Norwegian Forest Cats make beloved family pets - and for good reason. Large cats with large hearts, they’re loving, calm, gentle, affectionate and friendly yet undemanding. Norwegian Forest Cats thrive on human attention and after a busy day together, grooming and playing, they love nothing more than a soft lap to cuddle up in.
Norwegian Forest Cat Facts
Norwegian Forest Cats can be found in Norse mythology, which means they could have been around for thousands of years. Or they may have rid Viking ships of rodents. These fascinating histories and myths help make the Norwegian Forest Cat a true legendary feline.
- Breed: Norwegian Forest Cat
- Height: 22-30cm
- Weight: 5.5-7kg
- Life Span: 14-16 years
- Coat: Long, double
- Colour: Various including white, black, red and blue
What Does a Norwegian Forest Cat Look Like?
Norwegian Forest Cats are large, athletic and muscular cats. Weighing more than the standard cat (and sometimes even more than a small dog), Norwegian Forest Cats have a long bushy tail and dense double coat that makes them look even bigger.
Their beautiful, fluffy coats are water-resistant and include a thick undercoat which is designed to keep them warm through the tough Norwegian winters. There’s no typical Norwegian Forest Cat colouring. Their coats come in a huge range of colours and patterns, including white, black, blue (grey), red (orange), cream, silver and golden. It can be solid, bicolour, tortoiseshell or tabby fur patterns. Their eyes come in different shades of green, gold or copper.
Although Norwegian Forest Cats are said to look like Maine Coon cats, Norwegian Forest Cats are slightly smaller and more slender. Plus, a Norwegian Forest Cat’s eyes are almond-shaped while the Maine Coon’s are rounder.
Norwegian Forest Cats
Norwegian Forest Cat Temperament: Perfect Pet
Norwegian Forest Cats make lovely family pets. They’re gentle, friendly and calm and get along well with children and other animals. They’re also very family-orientated and adapt well to pretty much any situation. Playful and sweet, they’re confident cats who love attention, cuddles and meeting new friends.
Although they crave attention, Norwegian Forest Cats aren’t high needs and aren’t very noisy. When they do miaow, it’s high pitched and chirp-like, which sounds delicate when you consider how big they are. Undemanding, Norwegian Forest Cats are happy to let you come to them for cuddles.
Because they’re so laid back and undemanding, Norwegian Forest Cats are ok being left alone for short periods. But long days at home alone will probably lead to separation anxiety and destructive behaviours. That’s because these intelligent and alert cats thrive on human connection and affection.
Keeping Norwegian Forest Cats Healthy:
4 Issues to Watch Out For
Norwegian Forest Cats have a long expected life span (up to 16 years) but there are still a few health issues to keep an eye on. Preventative care, like regular vet check-ups, dental care and flea and worm control are esentail to keep your Norwegian Forest Cat healthy and happy.
Joint Issues
Like large dogs, Norwegian Forest Cats can be at risk of developing a range of joint issues, including hip dysplasia and patella (kneecap) luxation. Dysplasia happens when the hip’s ball and socket joint don’t form correctly, leading to difficulty moving and pain. Patella luxation causes the knee joint to slip out of its usual position and become loose and unstable. A cat with a luxating kneecap will miss a step or skip, experience lameness, and have difficulty jumping. There can be an increased genetic risk of joint issues so responsible breeders should screen for them.
Heart Conditions
Norwegian Forest Cats can be prone to cardiomyopathy. This heart condition causes the muscular walls of their heart to thicken, which impacts on their heart’s function. A cat with cardiomyopathy might not show any symptoms, or they might have breathing difficulties and be lethargic. There isn’t a cure for cardiomyopathy currently, but it can be managed by medication.
Skin Disease
Eosinophilic granuloma complex is a group of skin diseases that cause various red, raised bumps and lesions on your cat’s skin. It’s normally found on the lower part of their stomach or inner thigh, but sometimes it can appear on their face. It can be treated with medication.
Glycogen Storage Disease Type IV (GSD IV)
GSD IV is a fatal condition which means that glycogen isn’t broken down into glucose, which is used to fuel a lot of a Norwegian Forest Cats normal metabolic processes. Basically, their body has no energy and without energy, their normal bodily functions can’t happen. Most Norwegian Forest Cats with GSD IV sadly die at or soon after birth. But some may appear healthy until about 5 months old. Signs of GSD IV include a persistent fever and muscle tremors. There’s no cure. However, GSD IV is an inherited condition that responsible breeders should ensure their breeding cats are free from.
Caring for Your Norwegian Forest Cat
You won’t need to encourage your Norwegian Forest Cat to exercise, these are naturally active cats. But you will need to spend plenty of time keeping that coat looking beautiful.
Grooming
A Norwegian Forest Cat's long, fluffy, double all-weather coat needs some maintenance. That looks like combing and brushing them at least 2 times a week. You’ll need to comb through that dense undercoat to get rid of any tangles and dirt, before brushing them to help keep their skin and fur healthy. Norwegian Forest Cats shed during the spring and autumn so expect to bump that brushing to daily and a deshedding tool will really help remove that loose fur.
Like all cats, a Norwegian Forest Cat should have their claws trimmed so they can move about comfortably, which is really important for this active cat.
Nutrition
Feed your Norwegian Forest Cat a diet of high quality commercial cat food that’s tailored to their life stage: kitten, adult or senior. Norwegian Forest Cats are prone to becoming overweight. Because they’re already large cats, even a small amount of extra weight can put more stress on their joints and body. Make sure your cat is getting enough exercise, check your portion sizes, and keep an eye on how many treats they’re enjoying. If you’re concerned about your cat’s weight, chat to your vet who can help you decide an appropriate feeding plan.
Exercise & Play Time
It’s always playtime in the Norwegian Forest Cat’s world. Well, for at least the first 5 years anyway. Norwegian Forest Cats are slow maturing and their kitten stage lasts longer than most cats. This means you’ll get to enjoy lots of play with your cat. You’ll see them engaging in outdoorsy behaviour (a throwback to their Norwegian heritage), like pouncing and trying out their hunting skills.
You can encourage these strong hunting instincts by stocking up on plush toys or feather toys and spending 5-10 minutes each day playing with them.
As natural climbers, Norwegian Forest Cats are prone to explore every bookcase, cabinet and shelf. Invest in a cat tower to give them a climbing challenge or treat them to a wall-hung cat hammock so they can enjoy a lofty view.
With their long coats that are designed to cope with harsh Norwegian winters, Norwegian Forest Cats don’t cope well with heat. If they’re playing indoors on hot summer days, they’ll need plenty of water and air conditioning.
Litter Training
As Norwegian Forest Cats are quite trainable, litter tray training should be easy especially and best done with positive reinforcement. Read our blog: Cat litter tips from our cat fanatic for tips and advice on litter and litter training.
Always use a quality litter and keep the litter tray clean. Cats are very particular about bathroom hygiene, and a clean litter tray will help to keep their coat clean as well. Speaking of litter trays, ensure to get a litter tray that fits your cat to ensure they have plenty of room to turn around and squat. That means ensuring that your litter tray is big enough for your lNorwegian Forest Cat.