Cat World 1999
Tails from the Norwegian Forest
From the still of the night, in the middle of the forest a slow rumble could be heard. Louder and louder the noise built, then suddenly breaking through the forest clearing a chariot of gold broke its grip with the frosty floor and Freya's chariot was flying. At its head with coats still gleaming with haw frost and tails flowing was a team of forest cats ....................................
Abruptly awakened I decided to investigate further; the rumble of chariot wheels must have been the tin collection rolling from the top of the kitchen units, the noise of the flying chariot must have been the back issues of Cat World flying from the bookcase. But, there in the middle of all the chaos stood my team of Norwegian Forest Cats with coats gleaming.
These cats wise enough to tame the Vikings and navigate their ships have found a place in my heart. My name is Vanda Clunas, and I show and breed Norwegian Forest Cats under the Klatringkatt prefix. If you are now saying "What is a Norwegian Forest Cat ?", this article will hopefully answer your question.
History of the breed
Norwegian Forest Cats (NFC's) have been around for over 400 years, but were never labelled as such until the early 1900's. Legend would have us believe that they were the family pets of the Vikings. Indeed the mythical cats that pulled the Norse Goddess Freya's chariot, fit the description of a NFC. But we will never really ever know their exact origins.
Major interest was shown in the cats in the 1930's, but war broke out, and this interest was put on hold. It was not until many years after the war that interest in NFC's was once again resurrected. Then a group of cat enthusiasts in Norway decided to start an active breeding programme for these special cats, before they disappeared. This group formed the Norsk Skogkattring, the first ever Norwegian Forest Cat Club. They also decided that these cats were very special indeed, and therefore decided to try and get them recognised as a Championship breed by FiFE. (FiFE is the main governing body for the Cat Fancy in Europe.) FiFE decided to recognise the breed as a Championship breed in 1977. From there on the breed grew from strength to strength, with norwegian NFC's being exported all over the world.
NFC's in the UK
The first NFC's to come to the UK arrived in 1986. Indeed NFC's are still being imported from many different Scandinavian countries, not just Norway. NFC's are now also exported back to Scandinavia as well as to a number of other countries, such as the USA and Australia, Japan, Korea and Greece, to name just a few.
Breed Status/Showing
NFC's were first recognised in this country by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) in 1990, at Preliminary status. It was not until 1997 that the breed finally achieved Championship status with the GCCF. NFC's that are shown with the Cat Association of Great Britain, are covered by FiFE recognition, so they have been at Championship status since they first arrived in the UK. Although Championship status was a long time coming with the GCCF, NFC's are proving that they were indeed worthy of this status. They are now a number of Grand NFC's, and a number on the way. They are holding their own amongst the other semi-longhair breeds very well. The first Grands indeed deserve to be recognised. They are: Grand Premier Maysula Helenya the first one - Maisie was bred by Doreen & Roger Dobson, and is owned by Shirley & Ivan Layzell. Grand Premier Lizarra Bardolph - Wolfie was bred by and is also owned by Ginny Black. There is only one Grand Champion so far. This is a young white female by the name of Grand Champion Kyrrekatt Claire. Claire was bred by and is owned by Eileen & Brian Hancock. There is no male Grand Champion just yet. The only Forest Cat to hold 2 titles to date, is my own home bred white boy Champion and Premier Klatringkatt Merlin.
I believe that there are also a number of titled NFC's within the Cat Association.
Description
So what does this magical cat look like:
* Well it is big, very big to be exact. (Entire males will weigh about 14 - 16 lbs or 7 - 8 kilos, even females can weigh as much as 12 lbs or 6 kilos. Neutered cats tend to weigh even more, say 16 lbs or 8 kilos plus for the males, and 12 lbs or 6 kilos plus for the females.)
* It is a Semi-longhaired cat, with a very distinctive double coat. In a full winter coat a NFC will have a large ruff/mane, full shirt front and shaggy knickerbockers. It also has a long bushy tail, which should ideally reach the back of its neck.
* It has a triangular head shape, with a long straight profile (nose).
* It also should have large, high set ears that have less than the width of an ear between them.
* It should be long in the body and well boned. Another special feature is its legs. The back legs are longer than the front, giving the illusion of a permanently raised bottom. These higher back legs help them when they climb trees. (NFC's come down trees head first, honestly!).
The breed standard also says that it must not be cobby, small or delicate. Must not have a break (stop) in its profile. It head should not be round or square. Its tail must not be short. It must not have small ears. Nor should it have a dry, knotted coat.
Development of a Forest Cat
Norwegian Forest Cats are not physically (size wise) fully mature until they are about 4 years old. However, they may become sexually mature long before this. They go through various stages of development - kitten hood, adolescence and adulthood. The cat will look very different at these different stages. A young kitten for example may look very typy, but as it gets older and its head broadens, its ear set may become too wide, and it may look short and rounder headed than it did. An adolescent may be long and gangly, with not much meat on its bones. An adult meanwhile should be very imposing and well built with a good coat. The size of a kitten depends on its parents, and choosing the right combination of parents to produce an optimum size can be difficult. Type is obviously also important and again the right combination of parents can go a long way. Most kittens tend to be born in the range of 3 - 5 oz. The size of litters can also vary dramatically. Some girls only produce 2 or 3 kittens at a time, others regularly produce 7 and 8's. At birth it is usually possible to tell what sort of boning the kittens have, and hopefully then some sort of indication as to the kittens final size, although this does not always follow. Usually kittens gain about 5 - 8 oz a week, until they are about 5 months old. After this the weight gain then can vary dramatically as to what sort of feeders they are, and what sort of food they eat. Many breeders recommend that kittens stay on kitten food for the first 12 months of their lives. Many also advocate a specialist complete dry food as their preferred choice of feeding. This is seen to be beneficial for a number of reasons; ease of feeding, increased weight gain, less volume and smell of faeces. Advice on feeding is usually provided by the breeder that you buy the kitten from.
There is usually a marked difference in the size between males and females and between entire cats and neutered cats. The age to neuter a kitten is sometimes seen as a big decision, especially in a male. There are 2 main schools of thought, those that neuter as soon as a vet is agreeable to do so, (usually about 6 months) as they believe it makes no difference to their eventual size, and those that believe it is better to wait until the cat is about 12 months old, as early neutering will affect its final size. In Scandinavia breeders usually neuter earlier rather than later. (Some countries advocate even earlier neutering, I believe that in Australia kittens are neutered before they leave home, ie at about 12/14 weeks of age.) This really is very much a personal decision, as there has not been any research to prove or disprove either of the theories.
TEMPERAMENT / LIVING WITH A FOREST CAT
Alert, inquisitive, fearless, courageous, intelligent, friendly, mischievous, strong, friendly, loving, playful and adaptable. These are all terms that are regularly used to describe NFC's, but are they true ? Ask anyone who has lived with a NFC and they will agree that yes a NFC is indeed everyone of these things. (they will probably also give details of other terms that they use, that probably could not be printed here).
NFC's are indeed very friendly and they love their human companions; whatever amount of love you give to your NFC it will come back to you 10 times over. They are inquisitive and very playful and although they ideally like lots of space, they will happily tolerate smaller spaces provided that they have lots to do, things to climb, places to hide. Forest cats make ideal family cats, they are happy to get on with children and animals alike, but beware they will probably want to be number one, and somehow the rest of the household usually lets them.. No matter how happy they are with other animals, they do especially love their human friends; they may even follow you from room to room as you move about your home. These days many cat breeders advise keeping their cats indoors. NFC's will happily live indoors and have their exercise on the end of a harness (Forests cats can indeed be trained to walk on a harness) or if preferred an enclosed run can be built in the garden. Whichever way you choose to keep your NFC they will easily adapt, and even though you may be concerned about keeping them indoors all the time, they will quite happily take to this life. The important thing to remember if you do keep your NFC's indoors, is that they will need to be kept occupied and active. Not only will this benefit your cats, but it will also benefit your furniture. Ideally they should have something to climb up and scratch on, a variety of toys to keep both their minds and bodies agile, (an empty cardboard box is highly regarded), and if possible a perch high up out of the way that they can call their own and feel secure in.
Indeed in Scandinavia many breeders live in large cities, and usually in apartments; it is therefore considered the norm that the cats live indoors. I myself have 6 NFC's who all live indoors together (well most of the time they are together). As both my husband and I work full time, we have provided the cats with a variety of climbing poles and activity centres in different rooms around the house. The cats do however also have access to a small outdoor run that is attached to the house, even then you will often find one or two curled up in their favourite spots indoors. Forest cats are very low maintenance cats, their naturally robust natures tend to make their lives healthy and uncomplicated. Although they do have thick winter coats, these are usually maintained by the cats themselves. The annual moult usually takes place in Spring and at this time the cats will probably appreciate some extra grooming. General grooming is probably only required once or twice a week, but many new owners find that daily grooming of their new kittens is a good way of building up a special relationship with their new arrival, and indeed it is very rewarding to hear the contented purr of a happy cat. Grooming is also a good way of keeping in touch with your cats condition and any changes can then be picked up very quickly.
How to choose a NFC ?
So you have now decided that you want a Forest Cat, how do you choose one. Firstly you need to decide what you want to do with it. Is it to be just a pet, do you want to show or maybe you want to breed. Depending on what you decide may make you more particular in what you are looking for. Also are you looking for a particular colour or a particular sex, do you just want one or maybe two. If you already have cats you may choose to have one kitten, but if you do not have any cats already and are out at work all day, you may choose to have two, so that they can keep each other company. The choice as they say is yours. There are no hard and fast rules about what works and what does not. It is usually best to be guided by the breeder that you are buying the kitten/s from. If you want to buy anything other than a pet let the breeder know what you want. They will guide you to the best show cat or the best cat for breeding. If you wish to breed or show, the kitten should be free from any genetic defects, e.g. tail faults. If you want a particular colour you may have to travel a great distance to track one down. Or indeed there may not be any breeders near to you at all and then you may have to travel anyway. If you decide to buy a cat for breeding, there are actually many considerations to think about before you buy the cat. As there actually are so many things to think about, a separate article is needed to fully look at all the possible implications of your decisions.
Cat Clubs
If you want to know more about NFC's or want to share your interest with like minded others, there are now 2 Clubs for NFC's enthusiasts.
The Norwegian Forest Cat Club was founded in 1986 and is the GCCF affiliated breed club. For membership information contact Neil Stewart on 01903 784235. For general information on the Club and its events contact the Publicity Officer, Mary-Rose Douglas on 01908 310022*.
The Norsk Skogkatt Society is the newest of the 2 clubs, and was founded in 1996. The Society is independent of any governing body, and has members all around the world. For information about the club and how to join, contact Kate Campbell on 01703 465685 or check out its web site at http://hot.virtual-pc.com/skogkatt/.*
Both Clubs hold registers of breeders and kittens available for sale.
It is also worthwhile surfing the World Wide Web generally, as many breeders have their own "Home pages".
Some alternative definitions for NFC -
Natural Furry Climbers
Naughty Feline Companions
Noble Fascinating Cats
* Please note: The Club details are no longer current. See Links page for upto date information.
Cat World 1997
Although the NFC has now been in this country for over 10 years, it is surprising how many people still do not know just exactly what one is, hopefully this article will enlighten a few people and make them as enthusiastic about NFC's as I am. My name is Vanda Clunas and I am currently the Secretary of the Norwegian Forest Cat Club. I hope to give you an insight into the history of the breed, how it came to the UK, what NFC's are really like and lots more besides.
The History of the Breed
The Norwegian Forest Cat is a truly natural breed and it really does originate from Norway. The exact origins of the Forest Cats will never be precisely established, but one thing is certain, the Forest Cats were produced by Mother Nature and no one else.
The earliest tales of what we now recognise as Forest Cats can be found in Norwegian folk lore, where it is said that these cats were the family pets of the Vikings. In 1599 a Danish-born priest called Peter Friis who was living in Norway described and categorised the Norwegian Lynx. The categories were the wolf-lynx, the fox-lynx and the cat-lynx. Some years later it became apparent that what Peter Friis had called the cat-lynx were most likely to be Norwegian Forest Cats. Indeed the similarities between the two make this very possible. Both are large with long legs, have big ruffs,/manes and ear tufts. Both indeed have a particular liking for water, with the ability to catch fish in lakes and streams.
Over the years there have been other references to the Forest Cats. They can be found in the folk tales of Asbjornsen and Moe, where they are referred to as "Huldrekat" which translates as "Fairy Cat". The Cats are actually described as "wood" or "forest" cats with thick bushy tails. Possibly the first documented Forest Cat was in a children's book. The Norwegian author Gabriel Scott wrote a book in 1912 entitled "Solvfaks". The main character in this book is actually a Forest Cat that was called "Solvfaks".
The Norwegian Forest Cat as we know it today has developed through natural selection, as only the toughest cat, with the thickest waterproof coat and other special features would be able to survive in Norway's harsh climate.
It was not until the 1930's that the Forest Cats were looked at with interest. But, with the outbreak of War, this interest was put on the back burner. It was not until the 1970's that the Forest Cats were looked at again. By this stage it had become apparent that the Forest Cats were facing extinction, and that if they were to be saved from disappearing altogether a specialised breeding programme had to be developed. In 1975 enthusiastic Norwegian breeders formed the Norsk Skogkattring (the first Norwegian Forest Cat Club).
In these early years many difficulties arose in establishing a breed standard. Carl Frederick Nordane (Freddy) was a driving force in getting the breed recognised. Freddy (a member of the specially formed Breeder's Committee) saw photographs of a cat called Pans Truls. These photographs made the Breeder's Committee believe that a widely accepted and agreed official standard was achievable. Pans Truls lived with the Nyland Family near Oslo. Freddy and other members of the Breeder's Committee went to see the Nylands and Pans Truls (a brown tabby and white kitten). After seeing Truls in the fur it was soon apparent that Pans Truls was indeed the cat that they were looking for. Pans Truls became the "model" cat and a standard of points was formulated. This standard is still in effect day.
Physical attributes
The best brief description of a Norwegian Forest Cat is a large but elegant semi-longhaired cat, the most important features being type and coat quality. As the breed originated as a natural outdoor working cat on Norwegian farms, the appearance of the Norwegian Forest Cat should reflect this natural heritage. The cat should have an alert expression, be in good general condition and well presented.
The Norwegian Forest Cat matures slowly, and full development of the cat can take upto four years. The cats should be well built, and both the males and females have broad chests. The entire females can weigh between 8 - 12 lbs, and the entire males between 14 - 16 lbs. Neutered cats can weigh a few pounds more. Indeed my first encounter with a Forest Cat was with a huge brown tabby neuter who weighed 2 stones. His owner answered the door to me staggering under the weight of this giant cat. I did not notice much about the gentleman or his hallway as the whole doorway was filled with this cat. Probably one of the NFC's most important features is its distinctive double coat. Without this the cats would not be able to survive the harsh climate of Scandinavia. The Coat colour itself is irrelevant, but NFC's do actually come in a large number of colours - over 64 colours are recognised by the GCCF in this country.
The official standard of points against which the cats are judged is a follows:
Head - This should be triangular. They should have a long straight profile without a break in line and a strong chin.
Ears - They are usually described as high and open, with good width at the base, (width between ears being less than the width of one ear), high set so that the lines of the ears follow the line of the head down to the chin. With lynx-like tufts and long hair out of the ears.
Eyes - Large, well opened, slightly oblique. All colours are allowed, regardless of coat colour.
Body - The body should be big and strongly built, long and muscular with solid bone structure; must not be cobby or delicate.
Legs & Paws - The legs should be long, with the hind legs being longer than front legs. There should be tufts of fur between the toes.
Tail - This should be long and bushy, it should reach at least to the shoulder blades, but preferably to the neck.
Coat - Semi-long. The woolly undercoat is covered by smooth, water repellent overcoat. This glossy hair covers the back and sides. A fully coated cat has a shirtfront, a full ruff and knickerbockers. (During the summer months, the coat is considerably shorter).
Certificates or first prizes in Kitten classes are withheld if any of the following are apparent::
Cobby, small or delicate build, Break (stop) in profile, Round or square head, Short tail (not reaching to back of shoulder blades), Dry, knotted coat, Any defect as listed in the preface to the GCCF's Standard Of Points booklet. Small ears are considered to be a fault.
The Arrival of Norwegian Forest Cats in the UK
It is believed that the first Norwegian Forest Cats were brought into this Country in 1986 and came from Holland. In 1987 further Forest Cats arrived from Norway. These first Cats were the basis of a breeding programme that is still continuing today.
These days Forest Cats are still being brought into this country (to further expand the bloodlines), with many coming from Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Denmark and Sweden. Thanks to an extensive breeding programme, there are now in excess of 1000 Forest Cats in this country. Some of the original importers of Forest Cats are in fact still breeding them. Breeders can now be found all over the UK, although they are still not so great in number outside of the South-East of the Country.
TEMPERAMENT / LIVING WITH A FOREST CAT
Alert, inquisitive, fearless, courageous, intelligent, friendly, mischievous, strong, friendly, loving, playful and adaptable. These are all terms that are regularly used to describe NFC's, but are they true ? Ask anyone who has lived with a NFC and they will agree that yes a NFC is indeed everyone of these things. (they will probably also give details of other terms that they use, that probably could not be printed here).
NFC's are indeed very friendly and they love their human companions; whatever amount of love you give to your NFC it will come back to you 10 times over. They are inquisitive and very playful and although they ideally like lots of space, they will happily tolerate smaller spaces provided that they have lots to do, things to climb, places to hide. Forest cats make ideal family cats, they are happy to get on with children and animals alike, but beware they will probably want to be number one, and somehow the rest of the household usually lets them.. No matter how happy they are with other animals, they do especially love their human friends; they may even follow you from room to room as you move about your home. These days many cat breeders advise keeping their cats indoors. NFC's will happily live indoors and have their exercise on the end of a harness (Forests cats can indeed be trained to walk on a harness) or if preferred an enclosed run can be built in the garden. Whichever way you choose to keep your NFC they will easily adapt, and even though you may be concerned about keeping them indoors all the time, they will quite happily take to this life. The important thing to remember if you do keep your NFC's indoors, is that they will need to be kept occupied and active. Not only will this benefit your cats, but it will also benefit your furniture. Ideally they should have something to climb up and scratch on, a variety of toys to keep both their minds and bodies agile, (an empty cardboard box is highly regarded), and if possible a perch high up out of the way that they can call their own and feel feel secure in. Indeed in Scandinavia many breeders live in large cities, and usually in apartments; it is therefore considered the norm that the cats live indoors. I myself have 6 NFC's (ranging from a 9 month old male to a 3 year old queen and a few neuters, male and female in between) who all live indoors together. As both my husband and I work full time, we have provided the cats with a variety of climbing poles and activity centres in different rooms around the house. When we are at home, the cats also have access to a small outdoor run that is attached to the house, even then you will often find one or two curled up in their favourite spots indoors. Forest cats are very low maintenance cats, their naturally robust natures tend to make their lives healthy and uncomplicated. Although they do have thick winter coats, these are usually maintained by the cats themselves. The annual moult usually takes place in Spring and at this time the cats will probably appreciate some extra grooming. General grooming is probably only required once or twice a week, but many new owners find that daily grooming of their new kittens is a good way of building up a special relationship with their new arrival, and indeed it is very rewarding to hear the contented purr of a happy cat. Grooming is also a good way of keeping in touch with your cats condition and any changes can then be picked up very quickly.
BREED STATUS:
GCCF - In 1990 the GCCF recognised the Norwegian Forest Cat and gave the breed Preliminary Status. This meant that the Forest Cats could attend Shows and be awarded Merit Certificates. (A Merit Certificate is awarded to a cat that conforms to its Standard of Points. The Standard of Points is laid down by the Breed club and agreed by the GCCF). The Cats do not compete against one another for Merit Certificates. The first Norwegian Forest Cats were officially shown at the Supreme Show in 1990 thanks to a special dispensation given by the GCCF.
However it was not until the 1 June 1995 that the Norwegian Forest Cat could compete at Provisional Status. This meant that Norwegian Forest Cats could finally compete against each other. An Intermediate Certificate was now awarded to the best entire and neutered adult cats, both male and female, and a Best of Breed award could also be awarded. At GCCF shows NFC's are not split into colour groups.
The Norwegian Forest Cat finally achieved Championship Status with effect from June 1st 1997. Finally NFC's can become titled cats. The GCCF licenses show across the whole of the UK, and at most shows you should be able to find a Forest Cat or two.
CA - NFC's were recognised at full Championship status by Fife in 1977. Therefore NFC's exhibited with the CA have competed for titles since the CA was founded in 1990. The Cats are divided into 9 colour groups for judging, and unlike GCCF shows, owners can choose to enter their cats in the Open class only if they wish. Miscellaneous classes are available for those who wish to enter them. The CA's shows are mainly in the South of the country with a few in the Midlands. There are only a small number of NFC's currently being shown at CA shows.
The Norwegian Forest Cat Club
The Norwegian Forest Cat Club in the United Kingdom was founded in 1987. Unlike the CA, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) did not recognise the Norwegian Forest Cat straight away. This meant that the NFCC had to set about getting recognition for the Forest Cats with the GCCF. And so, whilst the Club was working towards affiliation with the GCCF, it was also working towards getting the breed officially recognised by the GCCF. This finally happened in 1990. In 1993 the Norwegian Forest Cat Club finally became affiliated to the GCCF. This year sees the Club's 10 th anniversary. (See Catworld July 1997) Membership of the Club is open to anyone with an interest in NFC's. Members receive 3/4 Newsletters each year, can participate in the annual Photo Show / Barbecue and can win annual trophies.
NFC CLUB CONTACTS:
Membership enquiries: Dawn Smith, 15 Arethusa Road, Rochester, Kent, ME1 2TZ.
General Enquiries: Hon Secretary, Vanda Clunas, Whitegates, 31 Shear Bank Road, Blackburn, BB1 8AP*.
Other contacts:
The Skogkatt Society - Contact: Hon. Secretary, Kate Campbell, 14 Megan Road, West End, Southampton, Hants, SO30 3FR.*
Below are a few unexpected bonuses of owing a Norwegian Forest Cat:
Free acupuncture
Free wall to wall carpeting
Guard cat (my own cats growl at strange noises)
Hot water bottle
Paper weight
Fly catcher
Food taster
Alarm Clock
Shelf cleaner or clearer or both
* Please note: The Club details are no longer current. See Links page for upto date information.
The above articles are ALL copyright of Vanda Clunas.
Please do NOT copy them without my express permission.
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