Maine Coon vs. Norwegian Forest Cat – Detailed Comparison
Selecting pet cats means deciding on their breeds. It may take your entire day if you do not know the associated factors to determine which one is best for you; longer fur Norwegian Forest or pretty coloured Maine Coon. On this point, you must read the analysis our team has prepared between the two most loved cat breeds Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Cat.
Maine Coon and Norwegian forest cats have found their differences in many domains. The primary ones are origin, background names, physical features, grooming needs, care techniques, and many more. Norwegian forest cat is popular in Norway with a vast range of availability of colours, while Maine Coon originates from the USA state and has impressive fur with less shedding.
In this blog post, you will reveal the minor yet unignorable differences between the two cat breeds. In addition, you will also learn about the identical features that make pet lovers confused about how to choose and how not.
Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest Cats | Similarities
Choosing a pet companion that matches your and your family’s preferences must be tiring. And when the concern is about extracting the better features between two similar-looking cat breeds, it becomes a hard-core dare. To start the article on differences, it is essential to review the similarities among the characteristics of the cats to better understand their worth of bringing them home or not.
- Family Friendly: yes
- Grooming Needs: high demands
- Exercise: low
- Other Pet Friendly: often
- Trainability: easy to train, intelligent creatures
Difference Between Norwegian Forest Cat and Maine Coon
If you give an in-depth analysis, you will notice that there exist differences between the Norwegian forest cat vs. Maine coon cat. This section is about hunting the pinpoint primary factors that make them parallel. You must wonder which cat to go with. The following differences will heighten your research to a great extent.
Breed/Origin
You must know that Norwegian Forest cats have been known as the official cats of Norway since the 1970s. From where these forest cats link with their origin is essential to know. As their name indicates, these cats come from Scandinavia and are known by their native name Skogkatt. Many researchers reveal that they develop strong bodies and thick fur coats to adapt to the Norway climate. Norwegian forest cats belonged to the Vikings era and were used to eliminate rodents from the Vikings ship.
On the other hand, Maine Coon cats find their ancestors in the state of Maine in the United States. There are many hypotheses about how these cats came to Maine; through European seafarers or Vikings. However, these cats started breeding in Maine in the 19th century. Firstly, these played a role in killing rodents. Later, they become the best companions as pet animals.
Physical Features
Our team has extracted physical differences between Maine Coon Norwegian Forest mix. The Catsher team has come to the point that two cats differ in head shape, eye shape, body shape, and ear shape.
Norwegian cats possess triangular-shaped heads and rounded foreheads. They have strong muscular bodies with higher hind leg support; not have a broad chest. Additionally, their eyes are almond-shaped and their ears are long and wide.
On the other hand, Maine Coon cats have dog-like appearance, having square-shaped elongated heads and high cheekbones. They have strong and muscular bodies, and powerful chests but their legs are of medium length compared to those of Norwegians. In addition, their eye shape is oval and appears round when open.
Size
The other way you can clear the confusion regarding what cat to choose and whatnot is by considering their size to decide on which feels light to carry while having fun and playing. When you consider Norwegian forest cat vs Maine Coon size, remember that both cats are bigger.
Norwegian Forest cats are slightly smaller than Maine Coons but have an overall mature cat posture. It does not matter which gender you choose, glance at the weight they are available in to make an informed decision. Norwegian male is best available at 6-9 kg while Norwegian female remains the best pet at 4-6 kg.
On the contrary, Maine Coons from the United States are bigger in their physical appearance. Their male gender to keep as a pet remains suitable with a weight between 7-12 kg, while female Maine Coons weigh less from 5 to 8 kg.
Coat Difference
Norwegian forest cat Maine Coon cats have long fur. However, their upper coat and undercoat are different. Read further to know more. Norwegian cats are famous because their upper coat is water-repellent and the undercoat is of a wooly texture. On the other hand, Maine Coon cats possess an upper coat of extremely silky texture. It has a soft undercoat to hold on in the lap.
Colour Available
Whenever there is a discussion about finding differences, physical features and appearance come into mind, making the process of distinguishing two things easier. However, this is not the same with cats because almost all cats look similar at first glance having differences close to zero. But, not all cats have all the colours.
Norwegian Forest cats are available in all colours except lilac, cinnamon, fawn, and chocolate. While, Maine Coon Cats are mostly available in brown, black, blue, red, cream, white, silver, or smoke colours.
Health and Care
Another crucial factor that makes you decide which cat you must pick is its health and care demands. It is essential to make a mind map of the budget that would be used for the cats’ monthly health checkups and daily care. Since you consider the primary differences to decide better, you must keep a check on which cats demand frequent health care and which do not.
When comparing the two, Norwegian is a healthy breed and has a life span of 12-16 years, except for a few diseases that can lead her to the verge of death. It includes glycogen storage disease, Hip dysplasia, known for shortening its life, and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Furthermore, these cats demand a high animal-based protein diet, and frequent vaccinations against fleas and worms to stay healthy.
On the contrary, Maine Coon cats have a lifespan between 9-15 years. They are exposed to more diseases if proper care is not performed. The first one that proves fatal to Maine Coon is HCM, similar to forest cats. In addition, several other health issues, such as hip dysplasia, polycystic kidney disease, gingivitis, and spinal muscular atrophy are common with this cay breed. In addition, Maine Coon cats demand a protein-rich diet and vaccinations against worms, ticks, and fleas to stay active, healthy, and full of life.
Grooming
You may not point out the difference between the two cats’ appearance, but there is another aspect that makes them separable; grooming. Typically, both cat types are intelligent enough and do not require hard-core training for cleanliness. Even then, understanding what cat type demands and what type of grooming is crucial to making an informed decision to keep it at home.
Norwegian forest vs Maine coon are different in their habits when the discussion of grooming is initiated. Because the former is heavy shedder in Spring and Fall, it demands combing after every two days in a week. Not only this, Norwegian forest cats require trimming their nails and brushing their teeth regularly.
The other side of the coin reveals Maine Coon cats are effortless furry companions. They shed less and require less grooming compared to forest ones. However, if you want to keep your cat looking tidy, you can brush its thick fur coat twice a week. Regular brushing and trimming are only recommended if needed. Otherwise, you can get this done from your vet-consultant.
Playing Capacity
The Norwegian forest cat is full of energy and does not like living indoors. It was born to hunt, so you must know its interests before bringing it home. Norwegian forest cats love scratching posts, climbing, and all other activities related outdoors. However, if you want it to remain within the house, cat interactive toys will do a favour but only for a few minutes.
On the other hand, the Maine Coon cat is lazy and is not a lap lover. If you allow it to rest and sleep, it will happily do it all day long. However, Coon cats are proven to be the best companions when you give them toys for playing. They let you forget the boredom within only 10 minutes with their lively tactics.
Over to You
Cat lovers adore every cat breed leaving a few. Similarly, Norwegian Forest cats and Maine Coon cats are no different. You can choose anyone and make it your and your family’s all-time-loving pet. However, you must remember that the cat you choose will suit your budget, preferences, and personality. This blog post describes a detailed comparison between Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Cat, you can read and make an informed decision.
