Norwegian Forest cats are dignified and elegant cats known for their thick, full coat. While they are fantastic cats well-loved by the people who keep them, their thick coats can be a surprise for people who aren’t used to this coat.
Bringing home a Norwegian Forest cat requires a commitment to providing thorough and routine grooming, and here are some of the best tips to help you keep your cat’s coat healthy.
The 4 Norwegian Forest Cat Grooming Tips
1. Frequent Brushing
The Norwegian Forest cat benefits from daily brushing. This ensures all dead and loose hairs and skin cells are removed, which helps reduce the chance of mats and skin infections. Brushing also helps distribute the oils that naturally occur on your cat’s skin. When these oils are distributed, they help to keep the skin and coat healthy and shiny. It also helps reduce oiliness from building up in areas that your cat grooms the least, which can occur if your cat is overweight, has medical conditions, is becoming lazy, or is elderly.
Daily brushing is a big commitment, and it isn’t an absolute necessity to maintain the health of your Norwegian Forest cat’s coat, although it’s beneficial. However, a commitment to brushing your cat at least two or three times a week is necessary for maintaining the health of your cat’s skin and coat.
- Supports the health of your cat’s skin and coat
- Reduces the risk of matting
- Helps your cat stay cleaner
- Requires time and effort multiple times per week
2. Use the Right Brush
The right brush makes all the difference in maintaining the health of your cat’s coat. Some brushes may snag and pull hairs, while others may not be able to get through the thick coat of a Norwegian Forest cat and remove loose skin cells and fur. A wire-bristle brush or a metal comb are the best types of brushes to brush this type of coat with. These brushes are able to grab loose hairs and remove them, but they are unlikely to snag on the healthy parts of the coat.
Deshedding brushes for longhaired cats and dogs are also effective tools to use, but these brushes are often quite sharp and should be used with caution to prevent injury to your cat or irritation to their skin.
- Correct tools support healthy skin and coat
- Correctly used tools will encourage your cat to cooperate for future brushing
- Won’t damage your cat’s coat or skin
- Some brushes can cause injury if used incorrectly
3. Talk to a Groomer
If you’re struggling with the upkeep of your cat’s coat, talk to a professional groomer in your area. Shaving these cats is not ideal, but some cats may need little trims on occasion. Older cats and those with poor grooming habits may need to have specific areas shaved for hygiene purposes, like the bottom of the feet and the “potty trail” area around the rectum and genitals. For many people, these delicate tasks are outside their knowledge and comfort level. A professional groomer is well equipped to handle these types of trims.
Regular grooming visits can also help maintain your cat’s coat, especially if you are not able to keep up with the maintenance of the coat. A groomer that specializes in grooming cats or that uses a fear-free approach is a great option for ensuring your Norwegian Forest cat’s coat stays healthy and maintained.
- Helps fill in for home grooming you’ve missed
- Improves cleanliness and hygiene
- Supports skin and coat health
- Can be costly
4. Choose High-Quality Nutrition
High-quality nutrition is important for a variety of reasons for your cat, and their skin and coat health is one of those reasons. High-quality food can decrease shedding and enhance the overall health of your cat’s skin and coat. If your cat is on a low-quality food, it may have a dull coat or excessive shedding.
Healthier foods support healthy levels of oil production in the skin, which keeps the coat shiny and the skin moisturized. Moisturized skin has a lower likelihood of becoming flaky and irritated, and improved skin health reduces the risk of skin infections and irritations. Your cat’s vet is a great resource to help you determine what type of food your Norwegian Forest cat would benefit from.
- Improves skin and coat health
- Enhances shiny coat
- Reduces shedding and skin irritation
- May cost more
Conclusion
Caring for the coat of a Norwegian Forest cat is surprisingly straightforward, but you should understand the needs of this type of thick coat before bringing one of these cats home. With a proper commitment to maintaining the coat, these cats have a fantastic and eye-catching coat that’s hard to miss. It is one of the defining characteristics of the breed, and it’s important to maintain the coat for the health and wellbeing of your cat.
Featured Image Credit: Elisa Putti, Shutterstock
