All About Norwegian Forest Cats
The Norwegian Forest Cat (Wegie) is very unique in many ways, but it does have significant similarities to other breeds (most notably the Maine Coon). These similarities can be confusing for those who are not expert cat fanciers or breeders. There are however subtle characteristics that, once learned, can help you to immediately identify a Wegie.
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.