Wegies (as Norwegian Forest Cats are affectionately known) arrived in the United States in 1980. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the cat fans in Norway began working to preserve the Norwegian Forest Cat. However, after World War II, the breed came close to extinction. The first efforts to have the Forest Cat recognized as a distinct breed began in the 1930s. ![]() Over the centuries of prowling the Norwegian forests, they developed long, dense, water-resistant coats, hardy constitutions, quick wits, and well-honed survival instincts. Northern Norway, where the sun never sets from May 12 to August 1, and where the winter nights are correspondingly long and dark, proved a harsh test for these cats. ![]() The cats survived and in time adapted to the severe climate. When cats arrived in the northern countries, most likely with human settlers, traders, or crusaders, the breed’s ancestors were probably shorthaired, since the cats transported by the Romans came from Egypt (generally) and were shorthaired varieties. Whether the cats portrayed in the myths are Forest Cats is subject to debate. These myths suggest that domestic cats have been in Norway for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years. Most Norse myths were passed down by oral tradition and were finally recorded in what was called the Edda poems, written sometime between 800 c.e. Estimates of when these cat tales were written vary greatly. It is supposed that the Norwegian Forest Cat has existed for a long time, since several mentions of large, longhaired cats exist in Norse mythology. Forest Cats probably arrived in Norway from Europe, descendants of domestic cats introduced to northern Europe by the Romans. The Norwegian Forest Cat, called the skogkatt (forest cat) in Norway, is a natural breed and despite a feral appearance is not a descendant or a hybrid of any wild cat species. In the case of the classic, mackerel, and spotted tabbies the pattern should be well-marked and even. Color and pattern is often clear and distinct. ColorĮvery color and pattern is possible with the exception of those showing hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, sable, lavender, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, point-restricted (Himalayan type markings), or these colors with white. Softer coats may be found in shaded, solid, and bi-color cats. The coat may be fuller in the winter than the summer because the dense undercoat has its full development in the winter. The bib consists of three separate sections: short collar at neck, side mutton chops, and frontal ruff. Coatĭistinguishing double coat, consisting of a dense undercoat, covered by long, glossy, and smooth water-resistant guard hairs hanging down the sides. The length is usually equal to the body from the base of tail to the base of neck. When viewed from the front the paws appear to be “toe out.” Large round, firm paws with heavy tufting between toes. When viewed from the rear, back legs are straight. Thighs are heavily muscled lower legs are substantial. Medium, with hind legs longer than front legs, making the rump higher than the shoulders. White cats and cats with white may have blue or odd eyes. Eye color is typically shades of green, gold, green-gold, or copper. Large, almond shaped, well-opened, and expressive, set at a slight angle with the outer corner higher than the inner corner. The outsides of the ears follow the lines from the side of the head down to the chin. Medium to large, rounded at the tip, broad at base, set as much on the side of the head as on top of the head, alert, with the cup of the ear pointing a bit sideways. ![]() Muzzle is part of the straight line extending toward the base of ear without pronounced whisker pads and without pinch. Chin is firm and should be in line with the front of the nose. The flat forehead continues into a gentle curved skull and neck. Nose is straight from the brow ridge to the tip of the nose without a break in the line. HeadĮquilateral triangle, where all sides are of equal length as measured from the outside of the base of the ear to the point of the chin. Males may be large and imposing females may be more refined and smaller. Solidly muscled and well-balanced, moderate in length, substantial bone structure, with powerful appearance showing a broad chest and considerable girth without being fat.
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