Cat Breed: Norwegian Forest Cat

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Norwegian Forest - wildcat. True or myth.

What does this wildly narrowing squint of the eye carry?

Norwegian Forest Cat Nursery Furry-Neko

The notorious "wildness" and "evil" of the Norwegian Forest Cats at the moment is a myth of days gone by. Norway is first and foremost a pedigree cat! People bred this breed for hundreds of years, selecting animals first for hunting qualities and then for beauty and pleasant temperament. Agree to still live next to this predator is difficult, even if this predator is not very large and incredibly beautiful.

The first mention of the Norwegian Forest cats was officially recorded in 1599, which means that even then these charming animals lived next to a man. In 1977, this breed was officially registered by the International Federation of Cat Lovers, at the same time the official standard of this breed was approved.

Norwegian Forest Cats attract our eyes with their amazing beauty and grace. Its brilliant wool, which can have a wide variety of colors: white, wild (black marble, black tabby), bicolor (two colored or spotted colors), bright red or pale peach, solid colors (black, blue) - all these colors can be with white or without white ... A huge variety of colors!

Norwegian Forest Kitten Furry-Neko Kennel

But, in my opinion, the main advantage of the breed is the Norwegian Forest Cats in their extraordinary character. These are very human and sociable cats. But you will never call Norweg obsessive. They so subtly capture the mood of the Boss that they never interfere, but always stay close. Warm and very curious creations are ready to do any homework with you. Watch TV or sit at the computer. The Norwegian Forest Cats are absolutely not aggressive and the Boss is allowed to do with himself everything he pleases, from claw cutting to medical procedures. The new ones are not afraid of water, of course, not all of them love the bathing procedure, but it doesn’t cause panic to them.

Norwegian Forest Cats love to play, and are active throughout their life.

Norwegian Forest Cat Nursery Furry-Neko

In the games, their “Forest” character is manifested. These cats love to climb, jump and move easily, not only on horizontal surfaces, but also vertically. So the owners and future owners of these wonderful cats should seriously think about the place for such games. Any cat complex with columns and platforms for jumps will do.

Norwegian Forest Cat Nursery Furry-Neko

Norway always clearly knows the limits of what is permitted and is easily brought up. They know when to go and do their feline chores and not interfere with the person. They are not whimsical in food, but not properly balanced diet quickly reflects on the state of their wool.

Although, in general, these cats have excellent health. They are not afraid of winter cold, because for the winter of their "fur coat" envy any fur animal. In addition to a thick undercoat, the wool of the Norwegian Forest Cat has thick and long topcoat, which is covered with a fat film and protects the cat from moisture and wind. This is the so-called “cloak” of the Norwegian Forest Cat, it is longer than the undercoat and gives the cat's appearance its Norwegian flavor.

Not terrible Norwegian Forest and summer heat, because For the summer season, these cats have a special short “fur coat” without undercoat. In the summer, Norway looks like a short-haired cat.

The Norwegian Forest Cat has a huge amount of merit and this is one of the most wonderful cat breeds that I have met in my life. Therefore, I am extremely sad that in Russia this breed is currently not as widespread as in Europe, where all cat shows are full of the diversity of beauty of the Norwegian Forest Cat. We have nurseries involved in the Norwegian Forest Cat, can be counted on the fingers. Mainly manufacturers in them are imported cats from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Germany and other countries. Therefore, kittens of this breed can not have a low price, and certainly the Norwegian Forest Cat will not be found in the neighboring yard and you will not pick up in the garbage. Kittens of this breed are not thrown under the door at the entrance and do not sell on the "bird". Although, of course, like all aboriginal cats, they have common external features with our rubbish "Murkas", which most often end in similarity of colors.

Be careful when buying a Norwegian Forest Cat kitten. Buy a kitten in the kennel, where you can see his parents and their documents of origin. Even if you are not going to breed this cat and do not plan to attend exhibitions, you want to buy a breed cat with a certain set of characteristics and with good health, so do not let yourself be deceived. You have to live with your pet next for many years and a balanced character, and the beauty of the animal should please you.

Choosing Norway you will never regret it!

Sincerely, Svetlana.

Nursery "Furry-Neko"

The origin of the breed

There are a lot of origin versions of the Norwegian forest breed.. One of the most reliable versions is that Angora cats were brought to Norway by Vikings. Caught in the harsh climatic conditions of Scandinavia, such animals naturally bred with aboriginal short-haired cats.

It is interesting! The process of adaptation to cold and bad weather was accompanied by the appearance of a very thick undercoat, strength and flexibility, dexterity and endurance. Among other things, adverse external factors also affected the size of the Norwegian cats.

Another version, according to which the Norwegian Forest was the result of the crossing of a lynx and a domestic cat, was also not less widespread. Such an original history of origin is partly “confirmed” by the adaptation of the animal, very cleverly and easily climbing high trees, as well as the presence of characteristic “tassels” on the ears and powerful, well-developed carnivorous claws.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the result of active cross-breeding with many other breeds was the almost complete degeneration of the Norwegian forest cat. It was only by imposing a ban on interbreeding to correct this deplorable situation.

In the last century, the Norwegian Forest Breed was registered as official, and was recognized by FIFE as experimental. From that moment on, the process of breeding purebred Norwegian cats began in the historic homeland and in many other countries. Currently, the breed is recognized by almost all felinological organizations of the world.

Description of the Norwegian Forest Cat

The Norwegian forest cats with all their appearance demonstrate simply a surprisingly harmonious combination of tenderness and strength of a pet with the grace and endurance of the Scandinavian predator. This incredibly beautiful and graceful animal due to its original exterior data has long and very firmly occupied high positions among many other famous and widespread domestic cat breeds.

Breed standards

In accordance with the established standards, the Norwegian Forest Cat has the following fixed breed characteristics:

the head of an animal with the shape of an equilateral triangle, on a short neck with well-developed muscles,
straight in the direction from the eyebrows to the tip of the nose, the profile does not have a break, and the frontal plane has a smooth curve to the skull and neck,
a strong and sufficiently developed chin forms a single line with the nose and is distinguished by smooth profile rounding,
the muzzle is characterized by a single-plane arrangement with a line extending from the ear base to the chin zone, but does not have strongly pronounced pads with a mustache and a pinch,
with a high and wide fit, medium-sized ears have rounded tips, and also feature a watchful appearance and easy unfolding to the sides. The ears have good pubescence, and the lynx brushes are not always present,
eyes of large size, almond-shaped, well open and with sufficient expressiveness,
with sufficient density, a muscular and well-balanced body of medium size has strong bones,
the appearance is powerful, broad-breasted, large in girth, but strong, with the absence of very pronounced fat deposits,
seen from the side, the stomach is well visible,
the legs are of medium size, and the hind ones are noticeably longer than the front ones, due to which the croup is slightly higher than the shoulder area
the thigh part has well developed muscles and strong shins,
feet with large, round, strong pads, having wool in the space between the fingers,
long and fairly fluffy tail with a thickening at the base, often with the presence of protective hair.

It is interesting! For cats of the Norwegian Forest Breed, a rather slow maturing is typical, therefore the achievement of full development is noted at about the age of five years.

The animal has a sufficiently strong and well-developed composition, and also has a very characteristic double wool and an easily recognizable form of a massive body.

Type of coat and color

A characteristic feature of the Norwegian forest breed is the presence of the so-called "multi-layered" basic wool and thick, well-retaining heat undercoat. The animal has rather long topcoat hair, which is located along the ridge and in the tail area. This coat has a pronounced water-repellent properties. Breast hair is represented by three main separate sections:

short "neck area" in the neck,
wavy "sideburns" on the sides and wavy hair bib front,
fluffy or "breeches", located in the hind legs.

In winter, the coat may be more dense than in the warm season. Also with the onset of winter, a noticeable undercoat compaction occurs. A softer coat is permissible in animals with shaded and solid colors, as well as in bicolors. It should be noted that the type and quality indicators of wool in the expert assessment are the most important characteristics, compared with the type of color and pattern.

The color of the Norwegian forest can be very different, but only necessarily without the presence of point marks in the paws, tail, ears and muzzle. The figure of the taba is characterized by clarity and full expression. In accordance with currently established FIFE standards, the color of the Norwegian Forest allows us to distinguish four main groups:

with the presence of agouti factor,
with the lack of aguchi factor,
with the presence of agouti-factor and white color,
with the absence of aguti-factor and white color.

In accordance with the standards, hybridization is unacceptable in the color - chocolate, sable, lavender and purple, as well as cinnamon and fawn, or their combination with white.

It is important to remember that the color of the eye of the breed animal must be fully consistent with the color of fur. In animals with agouti factor, the nasal lobe should have a border.

The nature of the Norwegian Forest

Despite the fact that the Norwegian Forest Cat is characterized by a fairly large size and a strong build, such a homely "giant" has a gentle disposition and good manners. The original in appearance pet successfully combines in its character love, respect and tolerance not only for its owner, but even for disobedient children and other pets.

It is interesting! The ability to perfectly adapt and survive in almost any situation is one of the main features that make Norwegian forest cats excellent companions for humans.

The Norwegian Forest is a gentle, friendly and very quickly attached to the people of the breed, which belongs to the category of intelligent, but very playful cats, able to entertain themselves, if necessary, on their own. Such a pet is able to show playfulness and cheerful disposition throughout its life. The Norwegian Forest has strong hunting instincts that have been preserved by the pet from its wild predecessors.

Lifespan

The Norwegian Forest is the oldest breed of cats on our planet, which came to our country from the territory of Northern Europe. The average life expectancy of such a pet is about 15-18 years, but there are cases when the animal lived up to 20-22 years if the rules of care were followed.

Content Norwegian Forest Cat

Affectionate, loyal and very gentle Norwegian forest cats absolutely do not need to provide them with any particularly difficult or professional care. Particular attention should be paid to the hygiene of such a pet, as well as high-quality diet.

Norwegian Forest Cats are excellent family men, friends for children, companions for the elderly and devoted allies of all households. They are easily adaptable and well adapted for practicing cat agility.

Care and hygiene

Wool does not require special care, but at the stage of active moulting, it is desirable to comb the coat rather often. To maintain the undercoat in good condition, the animal is given special vitamin-mineral complexes. Water treatments are mandatory before the show.

It is interesting! The main condition for proper maintenance is not the acquisition of expensive bedding and expensive feeds of promoted brands, but the attention, caress and care of the owners.

In order to prevent the development of otitis media, bacterial and fungal infections, routine prophylactic examinations and cleaning of the ear sockets are performed using typed lotions, creams and sprays.

If necessary, sharp claws are clipped with scissors claws. Require special attention walks, which are very important for maintaining the health of animals of this breed.

What to feed the forest cat

To feed large-sized Norwegian forest cats need to be correct. The best option would be to use for this purpose already fully prepared rations intended for feeding cats that are not very active in life or light-weight foods that have a reduced calorie content. When choosing a method of feeding natural products, you need to pay attention to the fact that the diet should include:

lean meats,
fillet boneless sea fish,
low-fat dairy and fermented milk products,
vegetables and greens.

The diet is enriched with vitamins and essential minerals, as well as feline grass. About once every three months the animal is dewormed.

Diseases and breed defects

Possible hereditary diseases characteristic of some lines include diseases represented by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and glycogenosis. With severe disorders in the work of the heart muscle, sudden death, as well as pulmonary edema and other severe pathologies can be observed.

The enzymatic deficiency that accompanies glycogenosis causes the accumulation of glycogen and provokes disturbances in the functioning of all organs and systems in the animal's body. Effective treatment of such pathologies at the moment does not exist.

Disqualified animals possessing:

a strong nose break,
square in shape,
pinch on the pads with a mustache,
long and rectangular body
Cobby physique
wrong number of toes,
cross-eyed
kinks and other tail defects,
insufficiently strong bones,
overshot or undershot jaw
hybridization in coat coat color.

It is important to remember that in our country the standard allows all colors, with the exception of Siamese, chocolate and purple.

Buy Norwegian Forest Cat

To find and purchase a purebred kitten of the Norwegian Forest breed is now quite difficult. Even despite the high demand, not many domestic nurseries are able to offer animals in a wide choice. In the opinion of breeders and specialists, the Moscow Nursery MachiMur, which is engaged in breeding the Norwegian forest nursery, and the North Silvеr nursery in St. Petersburg are well recommended.

What to look for

If there is a desire to buy a purebred animal that can be used in breeding and show on exhibition shows, then you only need to buy a kitten in nurseries. The acquired animal must be active and mobile, with a good appetite, not beefy and not exhausted. The coat must meet breed standards for color and length. A healthy animal has a clear look, clean eyes and ears, shiny, without hair patches.

Important! When choosing, you need to pay attention to the conditions of all animals, as well as their daily diet.

In responsible and well-established nurseries, Norwegian forest breed babies are realized only after reaching three months of age. Котёнок должен обязательно иметь все необходимые сопроводительные документы, включая ветеринарное паспортное свидетельство и родословную, а также договор купли-продажи.

Цена норвежской лесной кошки

A relatively trouble-free Norwegian forest cat can be acquired in nurseries that are located in fairly large cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. At present, the average cost of a pedigree kitten with good exterior data varies between 10-50 thousand rubles.

The price of the animal depends on the level of prestige of the nursery, as well as on the classiness and rarity of the coat color of the kitten. If the breeding of the Norwegian Forestry is not planned, and sterilization or castration of the acquired pet is also assumed in the future, then its cost cannot be too high.

Owner reviews

The owners of the Norwegian Forest Cat are united in their opinion, and characterize the breed as the most successful for the maintenance of the house. Such a pet is unpretentious and perfectly adapted to life, not only in the apartment, but also in private household.

In order to maintain the health and appearance of the Norwegian forest in a constant tone, special attention needs to be paid to timely preventive procedures, including insecticide-acaric treatment, as well as de-worming and annual vaccination against the most common cat diseases.

It is interesting! Long wool can cause some problems during the annual molting period, but if you comb out a pet a couple of times a week, there are no difficulties, and mats are not formed.

It is equally important to monitor the nutrition of the Norwegian Forest. The daily diet should be balanced as well as beneficial to the cat. It is categorically impossible to feed a pet from the common table, as well as to use in the diet fatty, fried, spicy, sweet or pickled foods.

As practice shows, the Norwegian Forest Cat needs to ensure sufficiently intensive, regular intellectual and physical activity, which is due to the well-developed mental abilities and endurance of such a breed. Pets respond very well to walking on a harness with a leash. To grind down the claws at home, a scratching post is installed, since in its absence the pet can ruin the furniture and interior items.

Breed standard

Characteristics of the breed of the Norwegian Forest Cat will be as follows:

the body is large, long and flexible, the backbone is massive,
the limbs are long and muscular; the hind ones are somewhat longer than the front,
paws are round and wide, tufts of hair are visible between the fingers,
the tail is very long, evenly pubescent, the undercoat is abundant,
triangular head,
nose is long and straight
the chin is strong, strong, well developed,
the ears are large, pointed, preferably with tassels, set wide apart and slightly bent forward,
the eyes are large, oval, wide open, can have any shade, but at the same time it must fully match the color,
the color of the nose mirror and the paw pads always matches the coat color.

One of the defining characteristics of the breed is wool, which is presented in the form of a two-layer “fur coat”, which practically does not let water through. The undercoat is soft and very thick, the top layer of the pile is shiny, harder and harder. The outer coat covers the sides, back and upper part of the tail, absent on the abdomen and limbs.

Another characteristic feature of the breed is the luxurious "collar" around the neck. The hair on this area is long, very soft, has the shape of a triangle and always starts from the cheeks.

And the last distinguishing feature is the “pants” on the hind limbs, which give completeness to the look of a Norwegian forest cat; all the above defining features can be seen in the following photo.

Types of colors

If the quality and type of wool play a fundamental role, then the color and pattern will be just the subordinate signs of the breed. Inadmissible colors are:

color point,
cinnamon,
acromelanic,
chocolate,
purple,
faun,
and similar weakened variations.

All other types of colors are allowed.

Characteristics and behavior

The Norwegian Forest Cat has a soft character, and it is quite difficult to provoke him to aggression. These animals are distinguished by good manners and always show incredible tolerance for both small children and other pets living with them.

On a note! Norwegians will get along well with dogs and the most naughty babies!

Norwegian cats get attached to their owner pretty quickly, they are friendly and loving. All they need is to stay near the owner as often as possible and purr while he strokes it. But while these pets do not like to sit on their hands, they prefer to lie side by side, curled up. At the first communication, they make it clear that kisses and hugs are not for them. But gentle stroking - just what you need.

Cats of the Norwegian Forest Breed are very playful, while when the owner is not there, they are quite capable of entertaining themselves when leaving, leave them some soft mice or balls, and the pet will not be bored all day. And the Norwegians keep such a cheerful spirit throughout their lives, and even as adults, they will also defiantly run around the rooms and catch up with their favorite ball.

These cats are very brave, and a strong hunting instinct does not allow them to sit still. They will constantly inspect the highest places in your house, climbing cabinets and upper shelves.

Recommendation! If in your apartment there are flower pots or expensive vases on the windowsills, then these items should be removed to an inaccessible place for the animal.

Norwegians are very restrained with strangers, but in relation to family members they are always very gentle and friendly. And as soon as the pet feels sincere care and love on your part, it will immediately become incredibly loyal and loving.

These animals are quite intelligent and sociable, so they love very much when the owner talks to them and understands everything.

In normal mode, these pets are quite unpretentious in the care - their wool is enough to comb once a week. But during the period of molting, this procedure should be carried out more often, preferably daily, as they molt very strongly. And careful care during this period will help the animal to get rid of dead wool, and the owner will be free from problems with cleaning.

Standard, description of Norwegian Forest Breed

Norwegian cats have impressive size, but their body weight is small. An adult male can weigh from 7 to 9 kilograms, cats weigh less - 5-7 kg. Such a strange ratio of weight and height is due to the thick fluffy hair and dense undercoat, which give weight and visually create the illusion of large sizes.

The thick undercoat of the Norwegian Forest is unique - it has oily, water-repellent hairs. If the cat has been exposed to rain or snow, then within 10 minutes her fur coat will completely dry naturally.

Norwegian Forest Cats, breed standard:

The body is massive, strong, flexible, long.
The backbone is heavy.
Limbs strong, heavy, hind legs longer than the front.
Paws are large, wide, between Maltsy - tufts of wool.
The coat is long, shiny, silky, soft. Around the neck - a rich soft "collar" ("bryzh"). Abundant fur is located on the back, sides and upper part of the tail. On the limbs of the coat almost none.
The undercoat feels like cotton wool.
The tail is fluffy, long (equal to the length of the body), lowered low.
Head in the form of a regular triangle.
Muzzle with clearly defined cheekbones.
The nose is straight, wide, elongated.
Chin powerful, strong.
Mustache long, sticking out in different directions.
The eyes are large, oval, widely set. Color must be in harmony with wool.
The ears are large, broad at the base, set high, with a pointed form, and inside are long, hairy tassels like a lynx.

The breed Norwegian Forest Cat is divided into two types:

Classic, obtained as a result of natural selection.
Extreme, derived during breeding experiments.

The second type is recognized by European felinologists, the first by American scientists.

Americans criticize the extreme selection, citing the deterioration of the standard, the aesthetic drawbacks of the breed, which, in their opinion, are an extended body, too big ears and an elongated chin, as well as the occurrence of hereditary diseases.

The color table of Norwegian forest cats includes the following shades: white, black, red, red, gray, smoky, blue. On the coat may be various patterns - tabby, marble, stripes. At the same time, in animals with a tabby pattern, the wool is denser and thicker than in cats with a single-color or two-color coat.

It is noteworthy that this or that color of wool was in harmony with the natural environment, masking the furry hunter among the rocky fjords, valleys, stones and forests, and corresponded to a certain Norwegian habitat. So, red and tortoise Norwegian forest cats lived in the south of Scandinavia, marble and striped - in the eastern and central parts of the peninsula.

There are certain requirements for coloring: a solid color should be solid across the entire surface of the coat - from the roots to the tips of the hairs. Two-colored, spotted, striped, tortoise should have a clear pattern and clear boundaries between shades.

The following types of colors are not allowed: Siamese color point, chocolate, weak tabby, fawn, cinnamon.

Care and maintenance of Norwegian Forest cats

The necessary hygiene procedures are reduced to weekly combing of the wool cover with the help of a special comb with rare teeth, cleaning the ears and teeth, wiping the eyes. Wash pets need as needed.

As for nutrition, experienced breeders recommend feeding the cat with special super premium or holistic class feeds, which contain all the necessary nutrients. If you decide to castrate the animal, feeding should be appropriate so that the castrated cat receives only low-calorie food.

How much is a Norwegian Forest kitten

You can buy a Norwegian Forest Cat in nurseries located in large cities, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg. The cost of a kitten can vary from 10 to 50 thousand rubles. The price depends on the prestige of the nursery, the classiness, the color of the coat. If you do not plan to engage in breeding, and your pet will continue to be castrated or sterilized, then it will be inexpensive.

You can buy a baby and advertisements on the Internet, it will cost several times cheaper, but there is a risk to buy an unblooded or sick animal, a half-breed, a representative of another breed, for example, Maine Coon, or even an ordinary yard kitten.

In the nursery, the baby will provide all the necessary documents - vetpasport, pedigree, and the breeder will provide information about the parents of the baby, answer all questions relating to care and maintenance. A kitten can only be picked up from the nursery until it reaches three months of age.