Norwegian Forest Cat vs Ashera - Breed Comparison

Hailing from the USA, and looking similar to the Savannah Cat, the Ashera is a hybrid breed of cat - an exotic domestic cat known as a designer cat that came about by crossbreeding the African Serval and the Asian Leopard cat.

In fact, the cat was developed fairly recently through genetic manipulation and by the Lifestyle Pets laboratory. Also, some domestic cat was added to the mix as well, giving the cat a beautiful spotted coat similar to that of a leopard as well as some stripes.

Lifestyle Pets stopped producing these cats in 2008 so they’re hard to come by and are very expensive.

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.

The Ashera cat has large ears with stripes and which are slightly rounded at the top. The eyes are a beautiful greenish-yellow shade.

It's a large cat and can weigh as much as 14kg. The length of the body is long too and can be more than one meter in length. The cat is tall and if it stands up on its hind legs, it will be able to put its front paws on the shoulders of an adult.

People have always fancied owning such a large ‘domestic’ cat. There are different kinds of Ashera cats – the hypoallergenic one, the common Ashera, the snow Ashera, and the royal Aashera which looks much like the common Ashera but just a more rare type.

Temperament:

The Ashera is a very intelligent, independent cat and likes to climb, being a very playful cat, enjoying the company of children.

Because of its wild side, it's always on the lookout for prey. In spite of the cat’s size, it is an amicable cat and will even enjoy going on a walk with a leash. It’s not your traditional aloof cat and is both sociable and vocal and some people liken them to dogs.

Even though the cat enjoys the company of its human family, it doesn’t mind being left alone.

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 Ashera cat is beautiful alright but you might battle to get hold of one and they cost a fortune too, being the rare breed it is.

Hybrid cats mean that the breeding of cat species that would never have mated in the first place.

Wild cat breeds belong in the wild. They’re solitary by nature and if they battle to adjust to being in a social setting they land up in a shelter, abandoned as ‘bad news’. People aren’t clever tampering with nature particularly when it’s just to feed the ego of humans who want something unusual and exotic that nobody else has.

There are pet owners who are willing to spend enormous sums of money to own a rare cat such as the Ashera.

If you want an Ashera, there are just a few kittens being made available each year. One thing is sure, they make splendid pets, being playful, loyal, intelligent, and affectionate.

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.

The scientists involved with the development of this cat tell us that it can reach up to 25 years of age.

It’s a new cat breed and at this time there are no common diseases that affect this beautiful feline.

Remember that these cats come with an insurance policy and this means that the cat’s veterinary visits will be covered for the entire first year of its life. Your Ashera cat will also be vaccinated and chipped and the cat will have been spayed or neutered before he comes to you.

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.

DIET

The Ashera doesn’t need any special food as they will eat the same cat food that your other cats eat. If you feed your cat commercially manufactured food, make sure its food that is of a high quality.

CARE

Those who have owned an Ashera cat, say tthat looking after an Ashera is much the same as lookijg after your regular domestic cat,

Bedding:

These cats like warmth so make sure you provide him with a warm blanket in his sleeping area.

You won’t have to worry about spaying or neutering your Ashera cat, as they are sterile. The ony place you can buy this cat is from the Lifestyle Pets laboratory. The laboratory implants a chip into the cat and they also undertake to vaccinate the cat for a year.

It’s a low maintenance cat and you can brush the short coat from time to time. Ensuring a good diet will bring about a lustrous, healthy coat.

The cat is intelligent so it will require toys that get him thinking and working things out. Also supply the Ashera with a scratching post.

They Ashera will need the best kind of cat food there is and you will want to ensure he has a good intake of protein and fats to maintain his gorgeous coat and his muscles.

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.