Large feet featuring tufts of fur between its toes is another very common trait for both purebred and mixed Wegies. The coat consists of a long, glossy, thick and water-repellent top layer and a woolly undercoat and is thickest at the legs, chest and head. A tabby cat may be an Abyssinian, an American shorthair, a Maine coon, a Manx or a Norwegian forest cat. Norwegian Forest Cats are exceptionally friendly creatures. Some believe Turkish traders brought their favorite cat up north with them when they came to trade, while others believe the cat was one of the many treasures brought back during the Crusades. During World War II, the breed became nearly extinct until efforts by the Norwegian Forest Cat Club helped the breed by creating an official breeding program. 12 pounds equals 5.443 kilograms Owing to cross-breeding with free-ranging domestic cats during the war, the Norwegian Forest cat became endangered and nearly extinct until the Norwegian Forest Cat Club helped the breed make a comeback by developing an official breeding program. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. [16] Since the cat did not leave Norway until the 1970s, it was not registered as a breed in the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe), the pan-European federation of cat registries, until Carl-Fredrik Nordane, a Norwegian cat fancier, took notice of the breed, and made efforts to register it. Although, this may be one of the few times you will hear from your wegie, as they do not vocalize as often as other cats. It is both independent and an affectionate member of the family that loves attention but does not demand it. He has the classic pointy face and large ears. They particularly seem to like lights, like laser pointers. [31], A pedigree with 871 Norwegian Forest cats show that familial cardiomyopathy in this breed. Can Norwegian Forest cats be indoor cats? The breed has also been known to suffer from hip dysplasia,[29] which is a rare, partially hereditary disease of the hip joint. This article has been viewed 25,423 times. [10] Their water-resistant coat with a dense undercoat developed to help the cat survive in the harsh Scandinavian climate. Reputable breeders should also be able to provide pedigree papers for the parent cats, which prove that they are purebred Norwegian Forest cats. Start by checking cat breed websites, such as The Cat Fanciers' Association. A Norwegian Forest cat is a loving feline that likes to spend time with its human family, but remains independent, meaning it chooses when and how to get affection. [2][3] Its ancestors may include black and white shorthair cats brought to Norway from Great Britain some time after 1000 AD by the Vikings, and longhaired cats brought to Norway by Crusaders. The Norwegian forest cat is a natural breed and does not exhibit the health problems that sometimes pop up in mixed breeds. Growing up we had a lot of cats, rabbits and chickens. Maine Coons are fluffier than most cats, and are generally quite friendly. Some examples of the breed can tip the scales at 20 lbs or more, but this is more of an exception than the rule. [24] The eyes are almond shaped and oblique, and may be of any colour. Specifically in this breed, complex rearrangements of glycogen branching enzyme (GBE1) can cause a perinatal hypoglycaemic collapse and a late-juvenile-onset neuromuscular degeneration in glycogen storage disease type IV. Even though it’s become domesticated, the Norwegian Forest cat still possesses its primal instinct to hunt. Although this is uncertain, the breed's ancestors may have been a landrace of short-haired cats brought to Norway by the Vikings around 1000 AD, who may also have brought with them long-haired cats, like those ancestral to the modern Siberian and Turkish Angora. [23], Kidney and heart diseases have been reported in the breed. By using our site, you agree to our, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Identify-a-Norwegian-Forest-Cat-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Identify-a-Norwegian-Forest-Cat-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Identify-a-Norwegian-Forest-Cat-Step-1.jpg\/aid8661027-v4-728px-Identify-a-Norwegian-Forest-Cat-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"