In the lush Scandinavian forests, we find the Norwegian or Norwegian Forest Cat or Norsk Skogkatt, whose appearance resembles that of a small lynx. But make no mistake. Even with this wild appearance, we are faced with an incredibly affectionate and sociable cat.
His story is amazing and fascinating, full of Viking magic and mysticism. He is one of the cats that is not afraid of water, being an excellent fisherman. Don't be fooled by its robust physique either, as it is a surprisingly agile animal that can become an acrobat worthy of the greatest.For all these reasons, read and learn more about the characteristics of the Norwegian or Norwegian forest cat, its care and its curiosities at PlanèteAnimal.
Origin
- Europe
- Norway
FIFe Rating
- Category II
Physical Characteristics
- Thick Tail
- Big ears
- Strong
Size
- Large
Average Weight
- 8-10
Life expectancy
- 15-18
Character
- Active
- Affectionate
- Smart
- Curious
- Calm
Climate
- Temperate
Hair type
- Medium
- Long
Norwegian origin
Although the Norwegian was recognized in 1930 and its standards were officially established in the 1970s by the International Feline Federation, these cats were already listed in Norse myths and legends. One such legend from Scandinavian mythology says that it was these cats who pulled the carriage of the goddess Freya, when even Thor could not cope with this task. On the other hand, some documents register it as one of the three types of Norwegian lynx, such as the one written in 1599 by a Danish monk named Peter Friis, which explains why it is now cataloged as one of the 10 oldest cat breeds in the world.
The truth is that it is very plausible that it was the Vikings who caused the expansion of the race on the continent, since they were transported on their boats due to the great skill of hunting rodents that owned the Norwegian. The Vikings were innate travelers and thus the race arrived in several countries.
This breed was not well known, but when King Olaf V of Norway named it as his national mascot, this breed of cat gained sudden popularity, which it still maintains today. There is also a theory that they are the ancestors of today's Maine Coon, as it is believed that these Viking cats were crossed with American wildcats, but this has not yet been confirmed.
Physical characteristics of the Norwegian
We are facing a large cat that can weigh up to 9 kg. Usually, the weight oscillates between 3 and 5 kilos in females and 4 to 6 in males.The Norwegian has a muscular body, a long tail and ear hair that resembles a lynx. Its head is triangular, long and straight in profile. Its hindquarters are large and its claws are large and strong, which makes the Norwegian cat a magnificent climber.
Its coat is long and has two layers, one dense and woolly close to the body, isolating it from the environment, waterproofing and maintaining body heat, and another longer and silkier, especially in tail, neck, back and flanks. The Norwegian removes his hair once a year, varying the length depending on the season.
As for the colors of the Norwegian, black, blue, red, cream, silver, gold, chinchilla red, tortoiseshell, cream blue and brown are recognized. Likewise, the coat can be either uniform, of a single color, called uni or tabby; The latter can be of different types, such as tabby blotched or classic, with designs reminiscent of butterfly wings on the sides, tabby mackerel, which would have the same pattern as that of a tiger, spotted, with moles of sizes different, or with ticks a dotted blur.It can also have more than one color. If it is two-tone, it can be strict two-tone, with 25% to 50% white surface, 75% of another color (the rest of the layer can be any color and will be distributed between the ears and the tail), or harlequin coat, when 50-75% of its coat will be white, the other color will simply form spots or small shades. If they are tricolors, they are likely to be females, as the genetic variation that causes them is extremely rare in males. Within the tricolor are the black tortie, the blue tortie, and the calico. If you want more information on this subject, we invite you to consult the article why tricolor cats are always female.
Character of Norwegian
The Norwegian is an attentive and affectionate cat with his guardians, which makes him an ideal companion for families as he gets along well with the little ones in the house.He will take care of the house as a guardian, as he is very territorial. In addition, his wild origins make his hunting instinct very awake, so he will enjoy playing with his toys.
It is true that they love to climb, so it is advisable to provide them with scratching posts at several levels or heights for your Norwegian's unparalleled pleasure. This will prevent them from climbing on your furniture.
As we said, the temperament of the Norwegian is characterized by his patience and his intelligence. In this way we can try to teach them little tricks. His emotional maturation is slow, up to 5 years. So we have time to train him properly and teach him the rules to follow at home.
Norwegian Care
As a long-haired cat, brushing is a common part of basic Norwegian cat care. Additionally, using m alt to prevent hairballs that can cause digestive upset of various types can be beneficial.This care must be more rigorous during the moulting season, normally in the spring and later in the fall, which is when the temperature changes occur during the transition from one season to another.
On the other hand, and continuing with the care of the Norwegian cat, constant bathing is not recommended, because we will remove the protective layer that insulates the animal from cold and humidity. The ideal is to wash it when it is really dirty or to go to a feline hairdresser.
As with all other breeds of cats, it is important to monitor the diet and opt for a quality model that also maintains its shiny coat and an optimal energy percentage in order to be able to maintain its level of activity, which in turn will be the one that will determine the energy needs of our cat. Likewise, it will be necessary to review and maintain his ears, mouth, teeth and nails. Remember that scratching posts and various toys will encourage mental stimulation in the Norwegian Forest Cat.
Norwegian's he alth
Norwegians are he althy and strong cats, but that cannot be an excuse for neglecting or forgetting frequent visits to the vet to prevent and detect possible pathologies that will have a better prognosis the sooner they are diagnosed. Some of these are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which consists of a thickening of the heart muscle or hip dysplasia, very common in cats that, like the Norwegian, have a large size. You must ensure that your pet stays within an adequate weight range, as excess pounds will negatively affect their joints.
The Norwegian can be predisposed to suffer from retinal alterations and glycogenosis type IV, which consist of a generally very serious enzyme deficiency. Fortunately, this happens very rarely.
You can regularly check your pet at home to detect any alterations that should be reviewed by your veterinarian. It is strongly recommended to follow the vaccination schedule and to have frequent examinations with the specialist.
Pictures of Norwegian
