Norwegian forest cat
The Norwegian forest cat, or skogkatt, is a natural landrace from Norway, shaped by centuries of Scandinavian winters rather than by breeders.
It appears in Norse folklore and is thought to have travelled on Viking ships. Formal breeding began only in the 1930s and was interrupted by the war.
It is a large, sturdy, slow-maturing cat with a double coat built for weather: a woolly undercoat beneath a glossy water-resistant outer layer, a full ruff, and heavily tufted ears and toes. Forest cats are climbers of unusual ability and famously calm — friendly without being needy, and content to observe.
- Origin
- Norway
- Size
- 4–9 kg; males much larger
- Lifespan
- 14–16 years
- Coat
- Woolly undercoat with a water-resistant outer coat
- Temperament
- Calm, friendly, independent, strong climber
- Grooming
- Twice weekly; daily in the spring moult
3 norwegian forest cat photos, newest first
Living with a norwegian forest cat
The coat looks like more work than it is for most of the year — twice weekly is fine — but the spring moult is dramatic and needs daily combing for several weeks.
They need height. This is a cat that climbs trees head-first downward and will use whatever the room offers, so sturdy tall furniture is a kindness.
Slow to mature, often five years to full size. The breed carries glycogen storage disease type IV, which has a DNA test and should be cleared, plus hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hip dysplasia.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual cats vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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