Norwegian Forest Cat

Norwegian Forest Cat is commonly found in the colder countries of the world. They are extremely cool looking cats and, apart from being sweet to look at, they are smart enough to be used as hunter cats. These Norwegian Forest Cats are known by various names at various places. In Norway, they are known as skogkatter or skaukatter which literally means wild cats in the Norwegian dialect.

Norwegian Forest Cats are one of the older generations of the original race of cats that are not the result of mixed breeding. The general traits that are found in Norwegian Forest Cats are due to the natural adaptation to the environment of colder climates. However, although it is domestic cat, it was not recognized to be so until 1930s. Later, they became one of the favorite cat breeds available and at the same time became popular as show cats.

For being an animal of colder region, Norwegian Forest Cats have certain unique features of their own. First, in order to survive in the cold climate they have grown a bushy and thick layer of coat on their bodies. A long bushy tail is one of the primary features of Norwegian Forest Cats that can draw your attention. This tail comes to great service for these cats as this can save them from the severity of winter and also to help them maintain the temperature and balance of their bodies. Another important as well as interesting information about the fur of these cats is that they have water-proof and a double-layered coat.

As far as their size is concerned, this cat is normally a big sized cat with a heavily boned structure. Generally, the adult male cats weigh six to ten kilograms. Most interestingly, female cats of this particular breed weigh only a half of their male counterparts. In fact, the Norwegian Forest Cats are full of interesting uncommon features. For example, their hinder legs are bigger than their fore legs and this peculiar feature makes them look like rabbits.

Notwithstanding their peculiarities, the Norwegian Forest Cats are just as pleasant and playful as most of their other feline counterparts. They love to play and they enjoy human company. Besides, most of the Norwegian Forest Cats are intelligent and they are often used as hunter cats by the farmers having trouble with rodents.

When you hear the name “Wegie”, it mainly indicates the Norwegian Forest Cats. This is in fact their nick name.

Norwegian cats need more care than many other cat breeds. This is so because of the extraordinary length of their hair. You will need to wash and comb the hair of your Norwegian Forest Cats more often. They need special care and attention. If you have a Norwegian Forest Cat at your home then you have to look after the regular grooming of your cat. First, take care to cleanse and comb its hair regularly; otherwise they tend to entangle and at the same time catch dust and ticks. Besides the care of their beautiful fur, owners should also take care for their teeth and gums which often tend to be affected by plaque.