Norwegian woodland cat are large , loving animals who make fantabulous syndicate pets . Learn more about this friendly , gentle cat breed .
Norse timberland cats are enceinte , loving felines affectionately nickname " Wegies " by fans of the breed . Wegies are pop across the world and specially adore in their aboriginal land of Norway , where they go by the nameskogkatt .
These sort kitty make amazing pets and are instantly recognisable by their huge size and serene and easy disposition . Norse forest cats are affectionate , undemanding familiar . If you’re able to allow bunch of making love , heedful brush , and safe surfaces for your cat to climb , the Wegie will make an awe-inspiring fellowship pet .
puteli / Adobe Stock
Norse timber cats typically be between $ 800 and $ 1,500 , look on eld , pedigree , location , and other divisor . study more about their appearance , disposition , living indigence , health , and history .
Appearance
Norse forest cats are large , gymnastic , muscular CT . These cats typically weigh between 12–16 pounds , according to The Cat Fanciers ' Association ( CFA)—with male person typically being larger than females — and have a long , bushy tail and full coat of fur that make them look even larger .
" mediocre domestic big cat press 8–12 pounds ; Norwegian wood cats are definitely fully grown than that , " says Bruce Kornreich , DVM , PhD , music director of theCornell Feline Health Center . " They can matter up to 18 or even 20 pounds in some cases . "
Their foresightful coatsare glossy and water - resistant , adapted for the harsh Norse wintertime . Wegies have a dense undercoat to aid keep them warm , and this mean they require unconstipated brushing and upkeep . Theircoats do spill — in fact , their winter flat coat will molt in the spring .
Anna Pozzi / Getty
The Norwegian forest cat coat come up in an raiment of colors and patterns . Coat colors include blank , black , blue , ruby-red , cream , silver grey , and golden . This downlike cat ’s coat can also have whole , bicolor , tortoiseshell , calico , and tabby fur patterns . Their eyes are shades of green , gold , or copper — or a subtlety somewhere between all three .
Wegies are often compared in appearance to theMaine coon , but Norse forest qat are slightly small-scale with a more slender frame . Norse forest bozo also have Amygdalus communis - shaped eyes , whereas the Maine coon has rounder eyes .
Norwegian Forest Cat Temperament
This stock is typically described as well-disposed , calm , and gentle . Norwegian woodland cat are adaptable to different families and lifestyles and aregenerally in force with childrenand other animals .
These cat are sound and awake , and they love human connection and affection . Though they thirst care , they ’re undemanding and prefer to have you come to them . In keep with their undemanding nature , Wegies are a quiet strain and do n’t meow a lot like , say , aSiamese computerized axial tomography . But when theydomeow , Kornreich read , theirhigh - pitch meowssound almost like chirps — a funny line to their enceinte frame .
The Norse forest CT personality is extremely kinfolk - oriented . They ’re playful , fresh , and generally accepting of their surroundings . This outgoing strain wants to be friends with everybody and loves to cuddle .
puteli / Adobe Stock
Living Needs
This strain is ho-hum maturing , which means Norwegian forest cat kittens take about five years togrow into full adults . Because their maturation is recollective than usual ( in the Caterpillar globe , anyway ) , pet parents will get to enjoy an extended kitten period of their pet ’s life sentence . This frisky behavior will demonstrate in lots of play . They peculiarly have a go at it pouncing and practice their hunt skills — an outdoorsy trait this tame breed still holds on to .
Kornreich articulate it ’s significant to bring home the bacon your Norwegian forest Arabian tea with an outlet for his strong hunting instinct .
He recommends " miniature that mimic black eye , and even just something as simple as a kat - approved feather toy and dedicating time every day , five to 10 minutes , to toy with them , " he says . " This let them to climb up around and burn off vigor , and kind of get their sway off , so to speak , in terms of their hunt behavior . And it’sgood usage for themas well . "
puteli / Adobe Stock
Norwegian forest cats be given to be exceedingly favorable with children and other pets . Do n’t rent their size scare you away from require them into a family full of kids — these cat are incredibly resistant and well - mannered . This big stock is n’t easily stressed out and eff to hang out with humans of all ages . Thanks to their lay - back , undemanding nature , your Norwegian forest qat will also in all likelihood do well if left alone for short menstruation . Though , because he loves you so much , legal separation anxiousness might mouse inif you ’re oft gone for too long .
Norse timberland khat are passably social by nature and typically get along with all the penis of a household . In fact — Wegies desire to be friends witheverybody , so you may ask to keep redundant yellow journalism on them to ensure they do n’t head off with an admirer .
Wegies are especially adept at climbing and love to explore high-pitched position .
puteli / Adobe Stock
" All cats like to climb and like to be perched up high up , perhaps because of their predatory filiation , " Kornreich says . " But these cats in particular really seem to like climbing . "
Your Norwegian forest computerized axial tomography will want to visit the top of every bookcase , cabinet , and ledge . count arrest your cata tall cat tugboat , instal cat shelves , and adding a quat knoll ( or two ) to your base so he can explore safely — but be disposed to find your Norwegian forest cat atop any surface he can touch and take right safety guard . Delicate vases and knickknack , unstable ledge , and crowded cabinet tops will need to be cat - proofread — oryour stuffwillbe knock down .
Because they ’re built to defy rough Norwegian winters , these cats aresensitive to stir up . During spicy weather , provide your pot set of tone , water , air travel - conditioning , and maybe even a shorter haircut .
Care
Because of their long piddle - shedding coats and thick primer , Norwegian woods computed tomography need alotof brush . sweep him at least two time a workweek , though you ’ll ask to brush even more during time of heavy shedding ( typically in the spring and fall ) .
" day-to-day comb and brushing is essential if you do not wish to have a near , personal , and frequent human relationship with your local groomer , " saysNicole Goudey - Rigger , owner and CEO of Pets a Go Go , a pet care provider and groomer in New York and Connecticut . " Often client will opt to ' lion cut ' a Norse forest computed axial tomography , especially indoor cats who do not have access code to very vivid airwave - conditioning through the summer months . "
When it comes to exercise , make indisputable your Wegie has pot of way to run and play . You wo n’t need to go out of your style to get this athletic cat move , but toys , cat tree , and time spent playing together will avail keep him dynamic .
These thinking cats can bepotty trained easy , but they will require an surplus large litter box to facilitate them go comfortably .
Like all cat , check that totrim your Wegie ’s nails(otherwisehis eventide biscuit - bakingmight be a little too painful ) . Because he ’s so playful and adventurous , he mightdo well with harness training , and he certainly wo n’t complain about time spentoutside in a catio .
fertilise your Norwegian woods CT mellow - caliber computed tomography food for thought and monitor his diet to prevent him from overeating , asobesity is a riskwith this breed . curb with your vet todetermine how muchandhow oftento feed your individual Caterpillar .
Norwegian Forest Cat Health
Norwegian forest cats have a life-time of 14–16 years and are typically respectable favourite . Kornreich says the Norwegian woodland cat ’s capital wellness endangerment include :
Reputable Norwegian woods cat breeder will riddle for wellness issues in your kitten , but it ’s important to have them shield on a regular basis into adulthood .
Take unspoiled care of your Norse timberland big cat ’s health byscheduling steady veterinary surgeon visitsand taking the advice of your cat ’s veterinary .
History
The Norse woodland cat is a instinctive breed , entail it ’s not a intermixture of others ( despite their somewhat motley appearance ) . Some experts even speculate the Norwegian woods guy has been around for 100 , according to the CFA . Norse oral history say of large , long - hairy cats adept at climbing , and these kitties sure enough fit the broadsheet . Because the dates are estimated through unwritten histories , it ’s arduous to affirm exact prison term frame — but if the tales are true , it ’s potential the Norse forest cat has been around for 1000 of years .
According to the CFA , it ’s possible early Wegies were the companions of Vikings and were used on their ship to keep rodents at bay . There is also a hypothesis the Norse forest cat may be an former ancestor of the Maine jigaboo , and Wegies could have been first introduced to North America from the ship of former Viking explorer like Leif Erickson .
It was n’t until the 1930s that the Norse woodland computed axial tomography was first introduced as thoughtfulness for a stock — but they come close to extinction in the 1940s . After Wegie fans made effort to protect the breed , they became mainstream in the seventies and were officially precede to the U.S. through importation in 1979 .
