|
|
||||||||
|
|
Breeding under the auspices of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy since 1999. Working for the preservation of the breed and its original qualities using the oldest Scandinavian bloodlines |
 |
||||||
| Who are we? | Studs |
|
||||||
| Buying A Kitten |
Tigra de la Cachouteba with her babies
|
About The Norwegian Forest Cat |
| Our Cats Around The World |
History of the Original Breed Standard of the Norwegian Forest Cat. |
|
| Importing our kittens | ||
| Our Pedigrees | Show Standards | |
| Friends With Kittens | The importance of breeding Forest Cats | |
| Show Reports | ||
| Working with other breeders | Photo Gallery of Novice and early Forest Cats | |
| Previous Litters | White Forest Cats & Deafness | |
| Our Cats in the Snow | ||
| Our Photo Gallery | ||
| Testimonials | ||
| In Memory |
| Gallery from Birth To Adult | Old Type & New Type NFC | Size Versus Type |
Feeding your NFC |
|
Our cats are firstly our pets and companions, any breeding and showing success is a fortunate extra. Our breeding is based on a philosophy of keeping healthy and happy cats first and foremost. We are small
independent and closed Breeders. We breed from our cats with an attitude that
they are our much loved companions - not a commodity in a business venture!
Our cats are very precious to us, no one is more important than the other - they
are all very much cherished members of the family and their happiness and
welfare will always come first. Our Aims In the early days the Norwegian Forest Cat was in a very serious predicament and facing extinction. Norwegian cat fanciers in Norway worked very hard to preserve this breed by introducing a very strict breeding programme. Very proud of their "National Cat" their efforts have been rewarded. Their goal to preserve and promote this natural breed of cat has been attained since the 1970's. Sadly - the breed is changing, the size has been lost in many pedigree lines together with the all important coat texture and length and if this were not bad enough - we have seen the active promotion via some breeders and judges worldwide of the extreme long heads and other " fashionable traits". These cats are not supposed to have long heads at all and in some cases they are starting to resemble an oriental type in appearance - . The breed standard calls for an equilateral triangular head so where does the long extreme heads come from - also a concern is with a long and narrow head what is this actually doing to the inner organs. This is one of the changes that has profoundly upset the pioneers of this breed - and quite rightly so. After seeing a picture of a Black Norwegian Forest cat in a cat magazine Lorraine was almost overwhelmed by its sheer beauty. There is nothing nicer than seeing a mature black forest cat, the blacks tend to have a much wilder look about them which of course is the opposite of their nature. When we first became involved with this breed in 1999 our main priority was to breed from the old bloodlines as close to the original novice stock as possible. We have had the "real honour" of having contact and meeting with some of the original pioneer's (in Norway) of this breed to include Else Nylund of the Pan's Cattery and Helene Nordana a founder promoter of this breed as well as Gill Hart - ( now a great friend ) who actually bred these cats in Norway herself and introduced them to the UK in 1986 when she returned here to live, It has subsequently been confirmed that our initial opinions and reasons for breeding our way is in fact very much, now a need, to try and keep the original type and look of this majestic cat before it is lost completely which will not be very long the way things are going. The true and natural type of the Norwegian Forest Cat is diminishing. It concerns us greatly that in a few years time we may not see the Forest Cat as it should be and considering that the breeding and preservation of this natural cat was a conservation programme we feel that this must continue before they are lost forever and breeders across the world end up breeding semi longhair cats under the umbrella of "The Norwegian Forest Cat" This has happened to other breeds over time. We will not sit back and watch this happen to the forest cats. The true to type forest cat is a large cat with substantial bone, with good length, texture and density of coat. These are two of the main characteristics that have evolved in the forest cat to allow its innate ability to survive the harsh climatic conditions of the Scandinavian forests. Another important characteristic of the Norwegian Forest Cat is the "Wild Expression" this too is becoming far removed and being replaced by the "sweet look". A great many of the forest cats seen today are too small and fine boned, this combined with poor coat quality does not lead one to imagine they would survive well in their natural environment. We import and breed from the older pedigree lines close to the initial foundation breeding stock that originated in Norway. Our aim is to breed cats with more substance, try and get the correct size back into the breed and produce cats with good quality coats along with the all important good temperaments. and not to mention the wild expression that these cats are renown for. 11 years on we have now achieved this - it has taken much effort and planning and now we are embarking on our second stage of the breeding programme. We have bred from our initial imported foundation cats and the time is coming soon to neuter these and continue with the next generation hopefully improving from these too. Breeding is a very exciting hobby especially when there is a long term plan to work to and every day this hobby gets more interesting and joyful and I am more enthusiastic today and more determined than ever to keep these cats true. We have the original breed standard translated and taken from a meeting in Norway in the 1970's to view the original translated article and the cat that set the breed standard click below
Breeding Program In the first instance we do not have any association with other UK breeders that import identical pedigree lines as ours unless they have cats of our breeding. We breed Norwegian Forest Cats for two reasons. Firstly, because of the background history of this breed, being a naturally evolved cat who were so very close to extinction. We take our breeding very seriously and if honest - we are very protective of our cats and kittens. Secondly, because they are such wonderful majestic animals who love to be around people. Making lovely companions, we want to promote the breed, enabling other people to have as much pleasure from owning these cats as we do We breed only from our imported bloodlines. Our breeding programme does contribute in many ways to produce what we believe is a true type Norwegian Forest Cat. However, this breed is still in its infancy and of course will take many years of dedication by breeders worldwide to secure the real type of this cat. We should all be able to work together as an international group to monitor the overall health of the breed in general and it will be some years yet before one can relax in the know that all is well and this breed is no longer in danger of becoming extinct in the future. We have been very selective in our choice of breeding cats. November 2001 we visited an excellent dedicated breeder Lone Elkington ( DK*Elkington's) in Denmark where we selected and imported a stud boy Ch DK*Elkington's King of the Road, a Black Classic Tabby and White whom we call Odin. Odin is a 5th generation male with excellent boning and size. He is the product of an old Norwegian and Danish bloodline that has not been widely used. Much of his pedigree was new to the UK at the time of import. Many of his sons are attaining 5kilos at the tender age of just 6 months. Odin produces very good kittens that excel in size and type no matter which queen he is in combination with. We achieved our aim from the very first litter from Odin. We decided to keep one of this litter, a Blue - eyed White male named Norgeskaukatt Thor who, as a 6 month old kitten attained Best In Show Semi Longhair December 2002 and at 2.5 years of age attained 8 kilos. We took another trip abroad the same month to view another forest cat, this time to (N) Lotte Menotte's in Norway. A beautiful country. We selected and imported an excellent typed female (N) Lotte Menotte's Presious. Presious is a Black Tortie. Another, mostly new bloodline to the UK. She is a great asset to our breeding program by contributing the important qualities of correct coat length and texture as well as the lynx ear tips, a really good profile, chin, head shape, good length of tail. She also has the wonderful wild expression. Her temperament is one of the most affectionate and charming I have ever seen in a cat. Tigra De La Cachouteba is a Silver Mackerel Tabby female from France. A very important 3rd generation female who excels very much so in size. When fully mature, she will be a very large girl indeed. Her temperament is very sweet and affectionate and she has lovely type. Two of the important qualities she does have is coat quality and boning. Many of the males have achieved 9 kilos or more at the young age of 18 months old and the females are also very good size. (N) Isrenna's Darkstar our second stud boy who is a lovely boy. He is a 4th generation male with a stunningly affectionate and talkative temperament. He follows me around all day chatting away and he loves to help no matter what I do. He is a black smoke, very tall on his rear legs which along with his great temperament is an asset to our breeding program. We love him with a real passion. His silver is vvery clean and white Champion (N) Selteteigen's Magnhildr - a female of stunning quality and temperament. Magnhildr is a 5th generation Forest cat and 2 further generation back is Truls - the original Forest cat who set the standard of the breed. Her coat quality is one to be envied. Magnhildr came from a very knowledgeable breeder named Ina Selte of Jessheim in Oslo Norway. Her breeding is from well bred lines including the infamous Pan's cattery from Norway. To say we are thrilled with her is an understatement. A great asset to our breeding program and her very old bloodlines will be preserved for years to come. Progeny from Magnhildr will be only sold for breeding to selected breeders worldwide who take seriously preservation of the old original bloodlines and type of this breed. Our two other queen's now neutered are mother and daughter. Tullami a Green - eyed White who is a 4th generation female. Although from the UK, Her father is a very handsome White Danish Import, Hakon Rein Felis Jubatus imported by the Kyrrekatt Cattery (UK). Eventyrkatt Galina whom we call Titania is a 5th generation from lovely breeders in the UK of whom are very close and supportive friends - June being Norwegian herself is our mentor for the breed - what could be better !
How we keep our cats. They all live together and underfoot with us all the time. Our Cats are not caged or permanently separated in different rooms in the house! They are not shut out in cat runs to live their lives with little or no real exercise, stimulation or the important socialisation with other animals and people. In our opinion it does not matter how large cat runs are, or how well furnished, cats are meant to be free roaming animals that cover a good sized area and territory gaining stimulation from their surroundings. It is bad enough not allowing pedigree cats to go out and do what they would naturally do without confining them and suppressing their personalities further in having to live in a what amounts to a small cage..... It is a mark of the Forest Cat that they chose to be around people. There must not be anything worse for a cat especially a people orientated Norwegian Forest Cat than being kept in a small run all their lives with little or no stimulation or change of surroundings, some only seeing their owners for a short time - how can this be right? Cats need exercise for a good muscle tone and healthy heart and circulation I fail to see how this can be achieved if a cat cannot run. Socialisation is very important in the first few weeks of life, however, it does not stop there - as an adult these cats love to be around people - they behave much like a dog and love to help and follow their human around. Living their life in a cat run is not fair in our opinion. WE have cat runs ( pics below show they are not quite finished) and they are used as an extension of our home, the cats are not shut out in these runs for their entire life. The cats have plenty of fresh air and they love it out there in the summer months - sometimes they choose to stay out sometimes they choose to come in - the point is they choose! Our cat runs are built to CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health) conditions and size specification.
Health matters! Our cats are free from Felv and FIV, Chlamydia, Feline Herpes Virus and Feline Calici Virus. We are not afraid of testing our cats to make sure they are fit and healthy before breeding. They have a virology test for Feline Leukaemia Virus and FIV antibodies. As with all female mammals their quota of eggs are already produced before the female is born - so from a genetic point of view we feel that any older than 8 years of age may not produce top quality kittens. We feel it is very important to do a blood chemistry profile on the queens
from the age of 3 years prior to being mated. We feel they are an important part of keeping cats and their subsequent kittens fit and well. Ill health can be as a result of many things and sadly, not all illnesses show outward symptoms until the problem is well underway - a good example of this is liver / kidney failure and diabetes along with many other disorders. There are many conditions that can affect felines and apart from the infectious diseases, some illnesses can be regarded at being genetically predisposed or inherited. Having blood profiles
taken can alert one that all is not well at a much earlier stage rather
than wait for outward symptoms by which time its usually too late!! We breed the Norwegian Forest Cat with a commitment that will last for many many years to come.
We do not re home our cats after they have served their breeding purpose they stay with us for life. We expect the same life time commitment to our kittens from any new owners. We will only deal with breeders who practise similar permanent homing policies.
Buying a kitten All of our kittens go to their new homes with a kitten contract that stipulate these two points.
Web design by Lorraine Twyman
|
