THE NORWEGIAN FOREST CAT STANDARD

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a sturdy cat with a distinguishing double coat and easily recognizable body shape. It is a slow maturing breed, attaining full growth at approximately five years of age.

HEAD: Equilateral 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. The neck is short and heavily muscled.
EARS: 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. The outsides of the ears follow the lines from the side of the head down to the chin. The ears are heavily furnished. Lynx tips are desirable but not required.
EYES: Large, almond shaped, well-opened and expressive, set a slight angle with the outer corner higher than the inner corner.
NOSE: Straight from the brow ridge to the tip of the nose without a break in the line. The flat forehead continues into a gentle curved skull and neck.
JAWS: Part of the straight line extending from the muzzle toward the base of ear without pronounced whisker pads and without pinch.
CHIN: Firm and in line with the front of the nose. It is gently rounded in profile.
BODY: Solidly muscled and well-balanced, moderate in length, substantial bone structure, with powerful appearance showing a broad chest and considerable girth without being fat. Flank has great depth. Males should be large and imposing; females may be more refined and may be smaller.
LEGS: Medium with hind legs longer than front legs, making the rump higher than the shoulders. Thighs are heavily muscled; lower part of the legs are substantial. When viewed from the rear, back legs are straight.
PAWS: Large round and firm with heavy tufting between toes.
TAIL: Long and bushy. Broader at the base. Desirable length is equal to the body from the base of tail to the base of neck. Guard hairs desirable.
COAT: Distinguishing double coat, consisting of a dense undercoat, covered by long, glossy and smooth water-resistant guard hairs hanging down the sides. The bib consists of three separate sections; short collar at neck, side mutton chops and frontal ruff. Britches are full on the hind legs. The coat may be fuller in the winter than the summer because the dense undercoat has its full development in the winter. Softer coats are permitted in shaded, solid and bicolour cats. Type and quality of coat is of primary importance; colour and pattern are secondary.

Head (including muzzle, ears, neck, chin and nose profile)	40
Eyes (including shape and set)	10
Body (including legs, feet, bone, and length of tail)	30
Balance	5
Coat, colour, length, texture and overall condition	15
TOTAL	100

FAULTS: REFER TO GENERAL LIST FOR ALL BREEDS PLUS:

WITHHOLD:
Severe break in nose
Square muzzle
Whisker pinch
Long rectangular body
Cobby body
Delicate bone structure
Cats showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colours chocolate, lilac and the Himilayan pattern.

NORWEGIAN FOREST CAT COLOUR STANDARD

COLOUR & PATTERN: Any colour or combination of colour except Chocolate, Lilac and the Himalayan pattern. The colour and pattern should be clear and distinct. In the case of the classic, mackerel and spotted tabbies the pattern should be well-marked and even.

Buttons and Lockets allowable on any colour and/or pattern. Cats with no more than two white spots, whether buttons or lockets, shall be judges as the colour of their basic colour/pattern. Cats with more than two white spots, whether buttons or lockets, shall be judged as a bicolour or parti-colour.
EYE COLOUR: Eye colour should be shades of green, gold or green-gold. White cats may also have blue or odd-eyes.
NOSE LEATHER: Plain or mottled.
PADS: Plain or mottled.

Return to Home Page Index