All About Norwegian Forest Cats
Fully mature adult Norwegian Forest Cats usually weigh between 12 to 16 pounds (males) and 9 to 12 pounds (females). These sturdy cats descended from rugged ancestors on Viking ships are well-muscled, large pets who need a high proportion of protein and fat to stay happy and healthy.
Norwegian Forest Cats and Maine Coons are thought to have a distant common ancestor and share many characteristics, but they do have several key differences. Norwegian Forest Cats are also known as Skogkatt (or Skaukatt in Norway), and are also fondly referred to as Wegie. Maine Coons are sometimes referred to as Coon Cat or Maine Cat, Snowshoe Cat or Maine Shag, American Longhair and Gentle Giants. As their names imply, Norwegian Forest Cats hail from Norway while Maine Coons call the northeastern United States their home.
Norwegian Forest cats come in a myriad of colors. In addition to color variations, they can have numerous coat patterns. Most colors and patterns of Norwegian Forest Cats are widely accepted by fanciers, so unlike other breeds, you don’t need to worry too much about a particular color or pattern signaling impurity with the exception of a handful of colors we will discuss shortly. In fact, patterns are not even documented at the time of breed registration because of the countless possibilities and variations.