🐾 Norwegian Forest Cat

Norwegian Forest Cat

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Who it is

• Scientific name: Felis catus
• Family & relatives: A breed of domestic cat, related to all other house cats and, far back, to wild cats.
• How to spot it: A big, strong cat with a long thick double coat, a fluffy ruff around its neck, tufted ears, and a bushy tail.

Its body & abilities

• Size: A large breed, often about 23 to 30 cm tall and long-bodied.
• Weight: Usually about 4 to 8 kg (9 to 18 lb), with males larger than females.
• Body & adaptations: Its warm woolly undercoat and glossy water-shedding topcoat protect it from cold and snow.
• Top speed: Agile and quick, it can dash and pounce in fast bursts when it plays or explores.
• Strength: Strong and sure-footed, it is an excellent climber that can even scramble down trees head first.
• Senses: It has keen night vision, sharp hearing, and long whiskers to sense its surroundings.
• Growing up: Kittens are born tiny and blind, open their eyes in about a week, and grow to full size over about four to five years.

Where it lives

• Habitat: Family homes and farms, comfortable both indoors and exploring a safe yard.
• Where in the world: Kept as a pet around the world; it comes from the cold forests and farms of Norway.
• Territory: It enjoys roaming its home and yard and likes to climb up high to watch over its area.

What it eats

• Diet: A carnivore that eats balanced cat food and always needs fresh water nearby.
• Favorite foods: Good-quality cat food made mostly of meat or fish, plus healthy treats.
• How it hunts: Long ago it kept barns and ships free of mice; today it plays out that instinct by chasing toys.

How it behaves

• How it moves: It walks, runs, and climbs with ease, and is known for being especially good at coming down trees.
• When it is active: Playful and curious by day, it also loves long, cozy naps in a warm spot.
• Family life: Calm and friendly, it bonds closely with its family and gets along with children and other pets.
• How it talks: It meows softly, chirps, and purrs, and shows love by following its people around the house.
• Babies: After about two months a mother cat has a litter of around four kittens, which she nurses and keeps warm.

Its place in nature

• Role in nature: A gentle and loyal companion, treasured for its beauty and its calm, loving personality.
• Conservation: Domestic breed.
• Dangers: With good food, play, and regular vet care, most Norwegian Forest Cats live long and happy lives.

Life & legacy

• How long it lives: Usually about 12 to 16 years.
• In our culture: A treasure of Norway that appears in old Norse folk tales, sometimes as the fairy cat that pulled a goddess's chariot.
• Where to see it: In homes, at cat shows, and with breeders and shelters caring for cats.
• Fun fact: This cat is such a good climber that it can walk down a tree head first, gripping the bark with its strong claws.