Norwegian Forest Cat

At a glance

Weight

12–20 lb

Height

9–12 in

Lifespan

12–16 years

Exercise / day

30–45 min

Energy

moderate

Shedding

high

Temperament

calm, independent, sociable, climbing-oriented

With kids

yes

Common health predispositions

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Pedigree analysis across a large population of Norwegian Forest Cats supports a familial cardiomyopathy in the breed, with the myocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis typical of HCM. There is no breed-specific DNA test, so screening means echocardiography of breeding cats.
• Glycogen storage disease type IV. An inherited branching enzyme deficiency found in the breed, causing progressive muscle, heart and nervous system degeneration in affected kittens. It is DNA testable, it is recessive, and a clear result from both parents removes it entirely.
• Pyruvate kinase deficiency. An inherited haemolytic anaemia from a PKLR mutation, documented across several breeds including Norwegian Forest Cats. DNA testable, and testing of breeding cats is recommended.
• Hip dysplasia. Large, heavy-boned cats are over-represented. Signs are subtle in cats, usually a reluctance to jump rather than a limp, so a cat that stops using high perches deserves an orthopaedic assessment.

Gear and diet implications

• Best grooming for a Norwegian Forest Cat. A long metal comb plus an undercoat rake, weekly year-round and more often through the spring moult. The dense woolly undercoat mats close to the skin where a surface brush never reaches, particularly on the britches and behind the ears.
• Best litter box for a Norwegian Forest Cat. A jumbo box, ideally a storage tub, at least one and a half times the cat's body length. Standard boxes are simply too small for an adult of this size and cramped boxes are a common cause of eliminating just outside them.
• Best scratcher for a Norwegian Forest Cat. Tall, heavy and sisal-covered, with climbing routes at height. This is a breed that genuinely wants to be above everything, and a post shorter than a full adult stretch will be ignored in favour of furniture.
• Best bowl for a Norwegian Forest Cat. Wide, shallow and stable, sized for a large-headed cat, with water stations sited away from food.

Size, and the four-year growth curve

Norwegian Forest Cats mature slowly, typically reaching full size somewhere between four and five years rather than the twelve to eighteen months most cats take. Two consequences follow. Kitten behaviour lasts longer than new owners expect, and it is genuinely difficult to tell a still-growing cat from one that is becoming overweight.

Use body condition scoring by feel throughout that period rather than judging against a weight chart. You should be able to feel ribs under a light covering without pressing, and see a waist from above through the coat by parting it with your hands.

The coat is a two-layer problem

The breed carries a water-resistant outer coat over a dense woolly undercoat, which is what makes it look magnificent and what makes it mat. Mats form in the undercoat against the skin, so a cat can look perfectly groomed on the surface while carrying tight, painful mats underneath.

• Work with a long metal comb that reaches the skin, and an undercoat rake through the moult. A slicker alone skims the top layer.
• Concentrate on the armpits, behind the ears, the britches and around the base of the tail, which is where mats start.
• Spring moult is dramatic and brief. Daily sessions for a few weeks are easier than fighting the consequences.
• Never cut a mat out with scissors. Cat skin tents up into the mat and is cut alarmingly easily.
• Build the habit in kittenhood with food and short sessions, because a 20 lb adult that objects to grooming is not something you can simply overpower.

What to look for in a breeder or rescue

• GSD IV DNA results for both parents. This is a severe disease with a definitive test and no excuse for skipping it.
• Pyruvate kinase deficiency DNA results.
• Recent echocardiogram reports from a cardiologist, given the familial cardiomyopathy in the breed.
• Kittens staying with the litter until at least 12 weeks, and already used to combing.
• Ask about adult size in the line, and be realistic about whether your litter box, carrier and cat tree are sized for a cat at the top of the range.
• Rescue placements happen, frequently when owners underestimated the coat. An adult arrives with its temperament and its grooming tolerance already known.