Norwegian Forest Cat: all about the cat, photo, description of the breed, character, price

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a wonderful new breed of cat, registered in 1979. In Norway they claim that the Varangians brought the ancestors of this breed either from Scotland, or from Ireland, or even from the Middle East. And they argue about the time of taming.

Some say that this is how they have lived since the Vikings. Others claim that less than a hundred years have passed since the Norwegian Forest Cat was taken from the forest. Well, if so, then they quickly became completely domesticated.

It is difficult to find a more devoted, intelligent and patient companion. Precisely a companion, because he will follow you and tell you something.

Coat type and color

The breed standards define strict requirements for the shape of the head and body, but they are quite loyal to coloration. The only colors that are characteristic of hybrids are not allowed: brown, chocolate, lavender. It can be with white, it can be without.

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There are different colors:

plain: gray, red, black, white;
combination of black or red with white;
smoky;
tabby;
marble

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In Russia, the most common red Norwegian forest cat is found, perhaps because our gray and tabi Siberians are no worse in appearance.

How to choose a kitten

Since the Norwegian breed can be confused with the Siberian and Coons, you need to choose kittens especially carefully. It is better to choose reliable nurseries that value their reputation and name. The risk of getting an individual with a cross is minimal. When choosing a kitten, you should follow some recommendations:

availability of genetic tests for the presence of hereditary diseases;
small kittens should be active, play with each other, and make good contact with humans;
gums should be pink;
the eyes have no clouding or discharge;
the tail is straight, without creases or bends;

Many people choose a pet based on its color. The cost of the animal largely depends on this factor.

What is the price

The price of a cat depends on the reputation of the cattery, color, pedigree and other factors. The average cost of a kitten is 35-45 thousand rubles. Show-class individuals can cost up to 150,000 rubles.

How to name a kitten

The name for a kitten of the Norwegian breed is often chosen from the mythology of the ancient Vikings. The most common nicknames include the following:

Table of popular names for cats and cats.

Breeding Features

This breed appeared in our country relatively recently. In many ways, this is why kittens are expensive. Finding a good, reliable nursery, especially in some cities, will be problematic.

Breeding these animals does not have any special difficulties or difficulties. The most important issue is finding a mating partner.

Character and characteristics of habits

It is difficult to find a cat with a more flexible character. They are very calm and peaceful, even towards dogs. They get along well with children and tolerate their inept treatment. They love to welcome guests, but are distrustful of strangers. They rarely sit on their knees and only for a short time, but lying next to them and allowing themselves to be caressed is always welcome.

Their favorite pastime is to lie next to their owner or mistress, but they can even take a walk in the forest, just walking next to them. But since this cat is literally a treasure, it is better to accustom it to a harness. In nature, they are playful, easily climb trees, descending from them like a squirrel head down. Excellent mousecatchers.

From an early age they are distinguished by their intelligence. They learn everything easily and quickly, and listen sensitively to intonations. They rarely bully, they don’t mark them.

Very freedom-loving. Requires a lot of space. They do not scratch chairs and sofas, if there is a scratching post, they are clean. They love water, and after bathing they love to be combed. They tolerate frost easily, only in the heat they suffer greatly and hide in the shade. They are clean and quickly get used to the litter box.

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Irusan, the king of cats, and other Irish cats

Name : Irusan Country of origin : Ireland Color : black

They say that domestic cats were brought to Britain, and then to Ireland, by the conquerors - the Romans. Even then, the attitude towards the enemy’s favorites was ambivalent; later this ambivalence was consolidated by the medieval church persecution of cats. Therefore, in Celtic legends, cats still appear as pets and scary magical creatures at the same time.

For example, the following story (common to Ireland and Britain) is very indicative: A certain farmer was returning home from the field and saw a strange picture: a funeral procession of cats was walking past, six large cats carried a coffin on their shoulders and cried: “ The cat king is dead .” The surprised peasant hurried home to his wife and told her what he had seen. At that very second, their pet cat jumped up from his seat and shouted in a human voice: “Is the old king dead? So now I’m the new King of Cats!” and disappeared.

In another legend, a certain one-eyed man asked the gods to heal him, and they replaced his blind eye with a cat's eye. He did not suffer for long and soon returned, begging for everything to be returned as it was. “Every rustle, every mouse squeak or flying bird,” he said, “at night the eye reacts to everything and does not let me sleep! And during the day, in the middle of the battle, he doesn’t want to wake up!”

Well, the most famous of the Celtic cat kings is, of course, Irusan . In fairy tales, this is a black cat the size of a bull and not without magical abilities (who would doubt it?). By the way, it is worth noting that, unlike continental Europe, in Britain and Ireland black cats are considered a good omen!

The most interesting story about Irusan is the story about the confrontation between the king of cats and the bard Seanchan Torpeist . The bard, famous not only for his songs, but also for his ability to kill mice on the spot with his irony, was invited to a festive feast by the Irish king. Whether due to bad character or impolite treatment, the bard criticized all the food served and refused to eat anything at this feast. After much persuasion (we'll omit it for brevity), Thorpeist agreed to eat one egg... which, unfortunately, was carried away by rats. The wounded bard announced that in his next work he would ridicule the entire cat family, and at the same time the king of cats personally, for not protecting food from rodents.

I think you guessed that this was a big mistake. In a rage, the king of cats rushed to the court , scattered the army defending the castle, grabbed Senhan and dragged him to his cave with the most vengeful intentions. No persuasion, no entreaties, no flattery - nothing helped. And so the luminary of Irish poetry would have disappeared if it had not been for Saint Kieran, who stopped Irusan (here the sources differ - he simply stopped him, or killed him on the spot with a red-hot poker) and saved the bard. “I would rather die eaten by a cat than go back to the king and eat his disgusting food,” he said in parting.

Care and hygiene

Caring for a Norwegian Forest Cat is the same as for all long-haired cats. The main thing is to brush regularly, at least once every 2 weeks, and daily during the shedding period. Swimming if you have returned from a dirty street. Cleaning ears and eyes as needed. That's all, actually.

Norwegian forest cats love to walk and simply thrive in nature.

Diseases and health problems

Evolution and natural selection in conditions of constant frost have formed good immunity in the Norwegian breed. Human intervention in this process made its own adjustments. These cats are prone to a number of diseases:

Restructive cardiomyopathy. Deterioration in the elasticity of the muscle tissue of the heart, as a result of which heart failure develops, which can cause the death of the animal.
Diabetes and other endocrine system disorders.
Arthrosis of the hip bones.
Retinal dysplasia. It is an abnormal formation of the structure of the layers of the retina, which occurs in the prenatal period.
Chronic renal failure.
Glycogenosis. The disease disrupts metabolic processes in the liver. Typically, kittens with this disease are born dead or nonviable. Some individuals can live up to 4-6 months.
Purivate kinase deficiency. A decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood and the development of anemia.

The last two diseases are rare. Professional breeders, in order to avoid such consequences, conduct special blood tests, and are also picky about the choice of partners for mating.

If an animal receives proper nutrition and timely vaccination, the average life expectancy of an animal approaches 15-17 years.

Feed

They are undemanding when it comes to food. It is better to feed him good food, including dry food, if you want to achieve lush hair. It is advisable to give natural products to cats that are being prepared for exhibitions.