Cat Chat Feline Forum

Background: 18 months ago, I adopted Rocky and Bridie, long-term friends who were about 6 years old. Six months later, Bridie died of cancer. I decided to get another companion for Rocky. For his sake, I wanted a kitten, as I thought it would be easier for him to adapt to a kitten than an adult cat. For my sake, I wanted one who looked like Bridie, who had been a very pretty fluffy tortoiseshell.

After spending a long time searching the internet, I bought Ria, a Norwegian Forest Cat kitten, and brought her home when she was 3 months old. Rocky isn't as fond of her as he was of Bridie, but he tolerates her, and gets a bit of exercise playing with her.

Rocky and Ria on the sofa when I first brought her home: Now Ria is a year old, she takes up more of the sofa! Together in the garden. Rocky escapes to the balcony of the cat house. Ria now. Ria now.

Oooo what a smasher!

Happy birthday Ria and love to Rocky too

Wow, she has turned into a gorgeous, fluffy kitty, and looks enormous.

Congratulations on her 1st birthday and a big cuddle to Rocky so he won't feel left out.

Happy birthday Ria, very pretty

Ria is one magnificent cat. Happy Birthday!

Thanks for all the good wishes. Ria is taller and longer than Rocky, but quite a bit lighter; she's a picky eater. I have to keep a close eye on her coat, and comb out (or clip out) any mats before they get big. She's too fidgety to keep still long enough for a proper grooming, so I just have to brush the bits that I can get at, until she moves off.

Rocky is a lap cat and Ria isn't, so he gets a lot of cuddles.

It seems Ria's body shape is similar to Tilly's - long tall and narrow. Do Norwegian Forest Cats also resemble Maine Coon's by carrying on growing until they are 5?
Tilly also used to be a terrible fidget not wanting to wait around and be groomed. Fortunately now she is 7 she has quietened down a bit and actually wants me to brush and comb her, rolling over onto her back for combing sessions.

A belated happy birthday to Ria. What a beauty she has grown to be, lovely girl. Fusses to her and not forgetting big 'brother' Rocky.

Alanc, the NFC breed standard says "full development of the cat and its coat can take up to four years" although elsewhere I've read a figure of 18 months for the cat to reach full size. I expect her coat will keep thickening up for some time. I probably won't be able to see any further change in her size, because it would need more pairs of hands than I have to hold her still and measure her. I am watching her weight, currently 4.5kg, because she's quite slender under all the fur, and while that's a good thing, I think a little more flesh would do no harm, and any weight loss would need investigating.

The long tail is a feature of the breed, and she now does have lovely long hair on her tail. On the other hand, there's a band from the top of her front legs, going over her shoulders, where the hair is quite short, and it will be interesting to see if that fills out with time. I will hold out hope that, like Tilly, she will get easier to groom as she gets older. I think it would be easier with a house cat. Ria has access to the garden enclosure, and whenever I find a knot in her fur, there's usually a bit of dirt or twig as a nucleus.

Bobbys girl, thanks for the good wishes.

Bless her, yes, she's typically long and lanky atm as they aren't full-grown at a year. I've noticed time and time again that the 'kitten' suddenly fills out (moggie or pedigree) at around 18 months and becomes a proper full-grown cat but I can imagine a big breed like Ria will take even longer, and if she's an active girl with access to outdoors she'll burn off weight. She looks really great, to rephrase Alan's comment, a 'Magnificat'

Mary
I would think Ria is about the right weight for a 1 year old NFC. Tilly was about that at 1 year - she was 4.7kg at 15 months. She didn't put much weight on for a year after that, but then started to bulk up a bit to 5.8kg at 5 years. She is 6.2kg now (not as active as she used to be so has put a bit of fat on at last). Like Ria, Tilly 's body is much thinner than she looks with all that fur - she has caught out one vet at least who thought she should weigh much more!
I agree regarding the source of tangles - most of Tilly's have had some bit of vegetation at the core. Fortunately, now that Tilly allows me to groom her more thoroughly she seldom gets them these days, but there was one year when I had to get her tummy shaved at the Vets.

Hello Mrs Skater belated birthday wishes to aria - who's a beautiful girl - from me & my four fur babes. Where has 12 months gone! Earlier posted to Mrs Kane's pic re balcony enclosure thinking Ria was with her. Sorry. Vivian