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Where does the Norwegian Forest Cat come from, and is it rare in Norway?

Origin, recognition and registration numbers in Norway.

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Short answer

The Norwegian Forest Cat was bred from Norway's long-haired house cats and approved as a breed by NRR in 1972, and 211 were registered in Norway in 2024. That is down from 388 in 2019, and the breed club says it is worried about falling numbers. It is a domestic cat breed.

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Why

  1. Store norske leksikon says the breed was bred pure from long-haired house cats that have been known in Norway for many hundreds of years.
  2. NRR approved the Norwegian Forest Cat as a breed in Norway in 1972, and the international federation FIFe followed in 1977.
  3. Registrations in Norway fell from 388 in 2019 to 211 in 2024, including 22 imported cats, according to the breed description from Norsk Skogkattring.

Details

The cat has a double coat, with a layer of woolly undercoat under a water-repellent top coat, and it is large, long and muscular. Store norske leksikon describes it as a house cat type that enjoys human company and says the breed is now popular on every continent. The breed club calls it one of the world's few completely natural cat breeds.

Tip

If you are buying a kitten sold as a Norwegian Forest Cat in Norway, ask whether it is registered with NRR, the federation that approved the breed.

Common misconception

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a wild cat from the forest.

What actually happens

It is a domestic breed bred from long-haired house cats, and Store norske leksikon describes it as a cat that enjoys the company of people.

People also ask

  • Are Norwegian Forest Cats rare?
  • Where are Norwegian Forest Cats from?
  • Are Norwegian Forest Cats domesticated?

Sources

Information checked on 20 October 2026.

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