Norwegian Forest Cat | breed profile

Introduction

The Norwegian Forest cat’s ancestors are thought to have been brought to Norway on Viking ships over a thousand years ago. They likely served to keep ship rats at bay.

Like many breeds of cat, numbers of Norwegian Forest Cats (locally known as Skogkatt) became dangerously low during World War II. Thankfully they were recovered, and the beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat is a popular companion once again, especially in Northern Europe.

Appearance and Personality

The Norwegian Forest Cat is quite a large cat and can grow up to 40 cm tall and weigh up to 8kgs. They come in a wide array of typical cat colours including brown tabby, black and white, tortoiseshell, and ginger. With medium to long hair with a woolly undercoat, brushing daily or every second day helps keep the coat tangle free as well as helps remove loose hair as the Norwegian Forest Cat does shed.

Norwegian Forest Cats are said to be a gentle cat that enjoys company but who retain an independent streak. They aren’t typically lap cats. They are playful and enjoy climbing and jumping, so keep plenty of toys and scratchers available and be ready to enjoy playtime with a Norwegian Forest Cat. They are well suited to apartment living if they have plenty to keep them occupied. Keeping your Norwegian Forest Cat indoors or in a cat friendly enclosure helps keep them safe from roads, other cats, snakes as well as helps to keep wildlife safe from your feline friend.

Common Health Concerns

With sensitive stomachs and urinary tracts, nutrition as noted above is very important in the Norwegian Forest Cat. Skin problems were also observed in the top five reasons why they visited the vet across 2019 and 2020, according to PetSure claims data.

According to PetSure claims data across 2019 and 2020, the five most common reasons for a Norwegian Forest Cat to visit the vet (excluding for routine visits like vaccinations) were:

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider.

For the same period (2019 to 2020), the top five highest single vet treatments (or highest pet insurance claims) for Norwegian Forest Cats from PetSure data were:

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider.

Most popular Norwegian Forest Cat names according to PetSure data from 2016-2020:

Most popular names

1. Freya
2. Loki
3. Cat
4. Pablo
5. Missy
6. Albert
7. Asha
8. Bella
9. Bowie
10. Dante

Most popular female names 

1. Freya
2. Missy
3. Asha
4. Bella
5. Bowie
6. Ivy
7. Lexie
8. Luna
9. Matilda
10. Meow

Most popular male names:

1. Loki
2. Cat
3. Pablo
4. Albert
5. Dante
6. Frank
7. Jaxon
8. Leo
9. Louie
10. Louis

Did you know?

The Norwegian Forest cat is the national cat of Norway.

References

1.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Forest_cat
2. Cat Fanciers Association, The Norwegian Forest Cat, Accessed on 02/03/2021 available at: https://cfa.org/norwegian-forest-cat/