Norwegian Forest Cat vs Australian Mist - Breed Comparison

This beautiful cat, the Australian Mist was developed in Australia and is a cross between the Burmese Cat, the Abyssinian as well as domestic shorthairs.

The breed was developed in 1975 by Truda Straede looking to bring about a short-haired cat with a ticked or spotted coat. At first the cat breed was known as the Spotted Mist but this changed to Australian Mist in 1998.

This is also because cats with marbled coats as opposed to spotted coats were accepted as part of the breed. This is an Australian cat but today there are some in UK, America and Germany.

The cat is recognized by governing councils Australia. The cats have a large gene pool.

The beautiful Norwegian Forest cat has a thick fur to survive the snow and icy weather in Norway. It is the official cat of Norway.

It originated in Northern Europe. It is believed that the cat was brought to Norway from Great Britain way back in the time of the Vikings. It is also believed that it reproduced with farm cats and has become the modern-day Norwegian Forest breed.

They were discovered in the early twentieth century by cat enthusiasts and in 1938 an organization was established devoted to this breed.

Also, a club was started for the cat in Oslo so as to preserve the breed. The 2nd World War saw the cat all but disappear but a breeding program was started. It was registered in Europe by the 1970s, and in 1994 by the American Cat Fanciers Association and others.

There is nothing particularly unusual about these beautiful cats as the Australian Mist is a medium-sized cat weighing between 4 to 7kg. Its short coat comes without an undercoat and it is a low-shedding cat.

The coat can be spotted or marbled and the legs and tail come with a pattern of black rings. The cat’s coat is short and comes in a number of colors – gold, peach, brown, blue, lilac, chocolate and caramel.

The Australian Mist has large, bright, expressive green eyes with a rounded head and a furry tail.

Temperament:

The Australian Mist is known for its exceptional temperament, and they don’t mind being picked up and cuddled. For this reason they make great cuddly pets for first-time cat owners as well as homes with children.

He is more than willing to get on with other pets in the home as well. They’re lively cats and will not mind being put on a leash and going for a walk, although because they are such cats that thrive on human company, this cat is willing to spend the entire day indoors with their human family.

These companionable cats make excellent animal friends for invalids.

Desexing your Australian Mist will ensure that he likes to stay close to home and become a solid family member.

This domestic cat is a natural breed with a thick coat of long water-resistant fur and a woolly undercoat. The coat can be in many colors and patterns.

This is a big, strong, heavy boned cat with a bushy tail and long legs. It’s larger than your regular cat and can weigh anything between 3 and 9kg. The eyes are almond-shaped and can be any color while the large ears are high set.

Temperament:

In spite of this being a large cat, they are energetic and yet they don’t like being around boisterous, energetic pets. They are friendly, calm, gentle, and intelligent and enjoy being part of a human family.

They tend to be a bit reserved around strangers. It’s not a demanding cat and can entertain himself with his toys.

The Australian Mist is capable of becoming the perfect pet for single people, couples, families, the sick, and the elderly.

They just thrive on human companionship and love the indoor life. You can expect to have your furry companion with you for a good time as their life expectancy is into the late teens – if you provide them with a happy, comfortable home.

Bring one of these wonderful fur companions into your home and you’ll see that the Australian Mist is ready to quickly become a member of your unique family.

Remember that your large Norwegian Forest cat likes to scratch so you want to provide him with a scratching post. He is so companionable, you want to reward him by ensuring you make his life as easy as possible.

Known as a gentle giant, the beautiful and undemanding Norwegian Forest cat will appreciate a calm household where he can quietly enjoy the companionship of the humans he loves.

These are generally long-lived cats and with good health, these robust cats from Australia can live well into their teens.

The Australian Mist hasn’t got any particular health care issues, but as with every cat, it is a good idea to see that he gets to the vet for an annual check-up to make sure all is still well.

The lifespan of this big, longhaired cat is usually 14 to 16 years, but you need to check out kidney and heart disease with this particular breed as well as patellar luxation.

You don’t want your cat having problems with the knee cap as this takes away from his ability to leap, pounce and crouch. It’s when the patella or kneecap is out of place. There may not necessarily be pain for your pet and in fact, your cat may not show any signs of abnormality till the condition has become quite advanced.

Your cat can actually become lame. You want to avoid this with the Norwegian as it's a particularly good climber.

Grooming:

They’re moderate shedders and the short lying coat of this cat won’t require much grooming. It is always a good idea to brush a short-haired cat like the Australian Mist at least just once a week to get rid of dust and loose hairs. Of course, the cat thrives on the attention that comes with brushing him as well.

Diet:

Because your Australian Mist is a fairly active cat you want to buy commercially manufactured cat food that is of the highest quality to maintain his health and condition.

These cats are prone to putting on weight and you want to ensure the right food portions to maintain his weight.

He should never be without a constant supply of fresh, cool water. A good diet for your cat can go a long way to eliminating- or cutting down on veterinary expenses.

If you’re unfamiliar with what to feed your cat, your furry friend’s basic nutrition needs will require having good protein from meat, fish and poultry. You always want to be sure that Taurine, an essential amino acid is always included in the food as well as other important vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and enzymes.

The Norwegian has a long coat so you will need to brush it at least twice a week to keep it nice and shiny and free from tangles.

Trim your Norwegian forest cat’s claws. You will need a special nail clipper, but if you're nervous to cut the nails yourself, your vet or pet groomers can do it for you.

Cats battle quite a bit with periodontal disease and an excellent diet can help to prevent this. Cats hate you sticking a toothbrush into their mouths – they can become terrified - and it would b kinder to simply have your cat’s teeth checked out at the vet when you suspect that something might be wrong. At the same time, you can ask to have the inside of your cat’s ears checked for dirt and infection.

Keep your cat’s litter box spotlessly clean. These cats dislike a dirty litter box intensely. Remove all feces every single day – more often even if possible.

One good way to select the best food for your cat is to read the ingredients. The first two ingredients listed on the package should always be meat. Select a high-quality cat food. Keeping Norwegian Forest cats in good health requires high-quality cat food to meet all of your Norwegian forest cat’s nutritional needs.

You can feed your Norwegian Forest cat two meals per day. Always check with your veterinarian for a recommendation on how much and what to feed your cat.

Provide a constant supply of fresh, clean water for your Norwegian Forest cat.The bowl should be in an easy place for your cat to reach and in the shade.

Provide your Norwegian with a soft bed in a quiet, restful place.