Norwegian Forest Cat Grooming Tips: A Quick Vet-Verified Guide
Norwegian Forest cats are dignified and elegant cats known for their thick, full coat. While they are well-loved by the people who keep them, their thick coats can surprise people who aren’t used to them.
Bringing home a Norwegian Forest cat requires a commitment to 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. Use the Right Brush
The right brush makes all the difference in maintaining the health of your cat’s coat. Some brushes snag and pull hairs, while others may not 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 is the best to brush the Norwegian Forest cat. They grab loose hairs and remove them, but they are unlikely to snag on the healthy parts of the coat.
Deshedding brushes for long-haired cats and dogs are also practical tools to use, but they are sharp and should be used with caution to prevent injury to your cat or irritation to their skin.
Pros
- Correct tools support healthy skin and coat
- Correctly used tools will encourage your cat to cooperate for future brushing
- Doesn't damage your cat’s coat or skin
Cons
- Some brushes can cause injuries if used incorrectly
2. Frequent Brushing
The Norwegian Forest cat benefits from daily brushing. This removes all dead and loose hairs and skin cells, which helps reduce the chance of mats and skin infections. Brushing also helps distribute the naturally occurring oils on your cat’s skin. When the oils are distributed, they keep the skin and coat healthy and shiny.
Brushing also helps reduce oiliness from building up in areas your cat grooms the least, which can occur if they're overweight, have medical conditions, are becoming lazy, or are 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, but 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 a Norwegian Forest cat’s skin and coat.
Pros
- Supports the health of your cat’s skin and coat
- Reduces the risk of matting
- Helps your cat stay cleaner
Cons
- Requires time and effort multiple times per week
3. Talk to a Groomer
If you’re struggling with the upkeep of your cat’s coat, talk to a professional groomer. Shaving cats is harmful, but some cats may occasionally need little trims. Older cats and those with poor grooming habits may need specific areas shaved for hygiene purposes, like the bottom of the feet and the “potty trail” area around the rectum and genitals.
For many cat owners, these delicate tasks are beyond their knowledge and comfort level. A professional groomer is well-equipped to handle these types of trims. Regular grooming visits can also maintain your cat’s coat, especially if you cannot keep up with it at home.
A groomer specializing in grooming cats or using a fear-free approach can ensure your Norwegian Forest cat’s coat stays healthy and maintained.
Pros
- Helps fill in for home grooming you’ve missed
- Improves cleanliness and hygiene
- Supports skin and coat health
Cons
- Can be costly
- Only Natural Pet Shampoo - Our vegan, plant-based formulation is made with safe and natural pH-balanced ingredients to moisturize and soothe skin, leaving a fresh, soft and glossy coat to turn heads
- No Soap - A cat and dog wash free from soaps, glutens, dyes, DEA, sulfates and phthalates means it's a hypoallergenic dog shampoo for itchy skin / cat shampoo for itchy skin made with only good stuff
- Colloidal Oatmeal - Formula soothes and nourishes dry, irritated skin, providing itchy skin relief for dogs and cats alike. Trust us - they'll thank you with lots of licks!
Grooming your pet at home can help you save money and avoid stress, but only if you're armed with a great pet shampoo. We recommend Hepper's Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo, which has a pH-balanced, pet-safe formula made with natural ingredients like aloe vera and oatmeal. You won't find any irritants like phthalates, sulfates, dyes, or soaps, and the soothing formula will keep your pet's skin moisturized and happy. Plus, the cucumber and aloe scent will make you feel like you've been to the spa!
At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
4. Choose High-Quality Nutrition
High-quality nutrition is important for several reasons, such as maintaining the cat's skin and coat health. High-quality food can decrease shedding and enhance the overall health of your cat’s skin and coat. If your cat eats low-quality food, they may develop a dull coat or shed more often.
Healthier foods support the oil production in the skin, which keeps the coat shiny and the skin moisturized. Moisturized skin is less likely to become flaky and irritated, which reduces the risk of skin infections and irritations. An experienced vet is a great resource to help you determine the food your Norwegian Forest cat can benefit from.
Pros
- Improves skin and coat health
- Enhances shiny coat
- Reduces shedding and skin irritation
Cons
- May cost more
Conclusion
Caring for the coat of a Norwegian Forest cat is surprisingly straightforward, but you should understand how to maintain their thick coat before bringing one home. If you brush a Norwegian Forest cat every day and provide a healthy diet, their coat will shine and impress everyone who sees them. It is one of the defining characteristics of the breed, and it’s important to maintain the coat for the health and well-being of your cat.
Featured Image Credit: Elisa Putti, Shutterstock
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Dr. Marta Vidal-Abarca BVSc GPCert (Ophthal) MRCVS (Veterinarian)
Dr. Marta has over 16 years of veterinary experience, working across the UK and Spain as a remote veterinary consultant and in the clinic. She graduated from Cardenal Herrera-CEU University in Valencia, Spain. She holds two Ophthalmology Certificates, GPCert Ophthal from ESVPS and UAB. She has wide experience in small animal internal medicine and surgery with a soft spot for cats. Marta is a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and her main fields of interest are ophthalmology and critical care medicine. Dr. Marta loves being able to share the most helpful information with pet parents across the world as one of Catster's in-house veterinarians. She wants to provide details that can help in all aspects of pets' lives with their beloved ones. She loves knowing that she can support our readers and communicate about any medical topic that might be relevant to their pet's health and well-being.
