Norwegian Forest Cat: Cat Food and a Portrait of the Breed
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a cat breed from Norway. Its typical distinguishing features include its stately size and its bushy, semi-long coat.
The Norwegian Forest Cat is characterized by a very high urge to move and is also considered an exceptionally skilled climber. In recent years this impressive breed has also become increasingly popular and can therefore be found in more and more households.
History of the Norwegian Forest Cat
The exact origins of the Norwegian Forest Cat cannot be traced today. However, it’s conceivable that the Norwegian Forest Cat's ancestors originated from crosses between Persian cats brought by sailors and domestic cats. It’s also possible that natural biological mutations have led to the development of the Norwegian Forest Cat.
Norway began to breed the Forest Cat in the 1930s. In 1938 she was presented for the first time at an exhibition in Oslo.
Due to the Second World War the breeding of the Norwegian Forest Cat came to a standstill in the meantime, so that the breed lost massively in importance. Only in the 1970s the breeding efforts were intensified again. In 1972 she finally received her preliminary breed standard and was recognized as an independent breed, at least in her homeland.
The recognition by the FiFé took place in 1977 and in the following years the Norsk Skogkatt, as the Norwegian Forest Cat is called in its home country, also aroused increasing interest in other European countries. Meanwhile the Norwegian has also developed into a popular domestic cat in Germany.
Appearance of the Norwegian Forest Cat
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a true giant among the domestic cats. It can reach a body length of up to 130 centimetres and a shoulder height of 40 to 45 centimetres. Males can weigh up to 9.5 kilograms. Female Norwegian Forest Cats are usually somewhat lighter, weighing seven kilos.
The build of the Norwegian Forest Cat is robust and muscular. It has an elongated body as well as strong, long legs and large paws, which are ideal for running in deep snow thanks to the particularly pronounced tufts of hair between the pads.
The face of the Norwegian is triangular. It has a straight, elongated profile with a strikingly strong chin and very long whiskers. The ears of the Norwegian Forest Cat are set high. Apart from dense tufts of hair inside the auricles, brushes of hair occasionally grow on their tips, which can sometimes make them look like a lynx.
The coat of the Norwegian Forest Cat
Apart from the stately body size, it is above all the luxuriant, two-layered coat that contributes to the characteristic appearance of the Norwegian. The undercoat is very dense and the top coat is water repellent. Besides a bushy tail the Norwegian Forest Cat also has a distinct ruff.
The breed standard allows almost all coat colours. Apart from point markings only the colours Fawn, Chocolate, Cinnamon and Lilac are not desired.
Due to its length the coat of the Norwegian Forest Cat is quite high maintenance. Furthermore the coat change is especially pronounced in cats which are not neutered, so that owners of Norwegian Forest Cats have to be prepared for a lot of loose hairs in their homes in spring and autumn.
To avoid matting, the coat of the Norwegian Forest Cat should be brushed regularly.
Character of the Norwegian Forest Cat
The Norwegian Forest Cat is characterized by a gentle and good-natured nature. She loves to play and usually appreciates the company of other cats.
Furthermore Norwegian Forest Cats are exceptionally intelligent. With a little bit of practice, the willing to learn quadrupeds can for example open doors without problems.
Provided they receive enough attention, Norwegian Forest Cats also develop a very close relationship with their owners and prove to be a loyal companion.
Keeping and care of the Norwegian Forest Cat
If you are interested in buying a Norwegian Forest Cat and maybe even already looking for a breeder, you should be aware of the special requirements for keeping it.
Due to their size and weight Norwegians need comparatively much space and robust climbing facilities. Apart from that it should be considered that Norwegian Forest Cats are only conditionally suitable for single keeping and should therefore ideally be kept together with a conspecific.
A keeping as a pure residential cat is possible if there is enough space and sufficient employment offers. However, a Norwegian Forest Cat feels much more comfortable with outdoor living. Ideally, it should therefore be offered appropriate possibilities for excursions.
Norwegian Forest Cat diseases
The Norwegian Forest Cat has been able to develop over a long period of time without human intervention. This fact pays off today with a generally good health. Nevertheless, there are some diseases for which the Norwegian Forest Cat is at increased risk due to its genetic predisposition. One reason for this is probably inbreeding.
Norwegian Forest Cats are particularly prone to the following breed-typical diseases:
- Pyruvate kinase deficiency (hereditary glycolysis disorder)
- Deafness (in completely white Norwegians)
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Apart from this, Norwegian Forest Cats can of course also suffer from common cat diseases, such as diabetes, arthrosis or cat sniffles.
We recommend that you contact a reputable breeder when buying a Norwegian Forest Cat. In this way you can be sure that the health of the cats is also given the necessary attention and that appropriate veterinary examinations have been carried out.
The life expectancy of the Norwegian Forest Cat
The life expectancy of the Norwegian Forest Cat is 12 to 15 years. Diseases or poor cat nutrition can also reduce the life expectancy of the Norwegian Forest Cat.
The right food for the Norwegian Forest Cat
The Norwegian Forest Cat is relatively undemanding with regard to its food. However, the big cats tend to have food allergies quite often. For this reason it’s advisable to use a high-quality hypoallergenic cat food in their diet.
We recommend our insect-based food for your Norwegian Forest Cat. This is available both as wet food and as dry food and it provides your Norwegian Forest Cat with particularly easily digestible insect protein.
A food supplement with the following products from our range is useful:
- Joint & Bone Capsules to support joint health
- Dental powder for the daily dental care of your Norwegian Forest Cat
- Shiimun Skin with valuable nutrients for a thick and shiny coat
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