Article
Norwegian Forest Cat
Judging Standards
Comparison

Norwegian Forest Cat Judging Standards Comparison

This Standards comparison incorporates the general description of the breed as stated by each body to further elaborate on the standard.

Scale of Points

 

CFA
CCC of A

TICA
(2000)

GCCF
(U.K.)

FIFe
ACF

Head

40

40

20
Including the general shape, length of nose, profile, chin

20
general shape, nose, profile, jaw and teeth, chin.

         Shape

-

8

*

*

         Nose profile

10

8

*

*

         Muzzle

10

4

-

-

         Ears

10

8

-

-

         Eyes

-

8

-

-

         Neck

5

-

-

-

         Chin

5

4

*

*

Ears

-

-

10
Including shape and placement

10
shape, size and placement

Eyes

10

 

10
incl. shape and size

5
shape, expression

         Shape

5

-

-

-

         Set

5

-

-

-

Body

30

35

25
Incl. overall shape, size, bone, legs, feet and paws.

25
shape, size, bone structure, legs, shape of paws

         Torso

10

7

-

-

         Boning

5

7

-

-

         Legs/Feet

10

7

-

-

         Tail

5

7

-

-

         Musculature

-

7

-

-

Coat

15

25

25
Including quality and texture, length.

25
quality and texture, length

        Length/texture

5

-

-

-

         length

-

5

-

-

         texture

-

20

-

-

         Colour/pattern

5

-

-

-

         Condition

5

-

-

-

Balance

5

-

-

-

Condition

5

-

-

5

Tail

-

-

-

10
length and shape

         

Head

Equilateral triangle, all sides of equal length as measured from outside base of ear to point of chin. Neck short and heavily muscled.

Triangular, all wides equally long when measured from outer base of ears to chin and between out base of ears; good height when seen in profile; forehead is sloped back. Neck muscular, medium in length. (Mature males may have broader heads than females.)

Triangular. Strong chin.

Shape: triangular, where all sides are equally long; with good height when seen in profile; forehead slightly rounded.  (Mature males may have broader heads than females.)

Ears

Medium to large, rounded at tip. Broad at base, set as much on side of head as on top of head, alert, with cup of ear pointing a bit sideways. The outsides of the ears follow the lines from side of head down to chin. Ears heavily furnished. Lynx tips desirable but not required.

Large, wide at the base, arched forward as if listening, slightly rounded tips that appear pointed with lynx tips. Lynx tips and furnishings are desirable. Outer, lower edge of ear should follow line of head down to chin.

High and open, with good width at the base (width between ears being less than the width of one ear), high set so that the lines of the ears follow the line of the head down to the chin. With lynx-like tufts and long hair out of the ears.

High and open, with good width at the base (width between ears being less than the width of one ear), high set so that the lines of the ears follow the line of the head down to the chin. With lynx-like tufts and long hair out of the ears.

Eyes

Large, almond shaped, well-opened and expressive, set at slight angle with outer corner higher than inner corner

Large, wide almond, set oblique. Alert expression.

Large, well-opened, slightly oblique. 

Shape: large and oval, well opened, set slightly oblique. Expression: alert.

Eye colour

Shades of green, gold or green-gold. White cats may also have blue or odd-eyes.

All eye colours except blue permitted regardless of coat colour. Blue eye colon permitted in white and with white only.

All colours allowed, regardless of coat colour.

All colours permitted, regardless of coat colour.

Nose
(or profile)

Straight from brow ridge to tip of nose without a break in the line. The flat forehead continues into a gentle curved skull and neck.

Long, straight profile from tip of noise to brown without break in line, i.e. no stop.

Long straight profile without break in line.

Long, straight profile without break in line (no stop)

Jaws/muzzle

Part of the straight line extending from muzzle towards base of ear without pronounced whisker pads and without pinch.

Following the line of the triangular head, with no evidence of pinch or snippiness.

-

-

Chin

Firm and in line with front of nose. Gently rounded in profile.

Firm

-

Firm

Body

Solidly muscled, well-balanced, moderate in length, substantial bone structure with powerful appearance showing broad chest and considerable girth without being fat. Flank has great depth. Males should be large and imposing; females may be more refined and may be smaller. (Sturdy cat, but a slow maturing breed, attaining full growth at approx. 5 years of age.)

Torso: Medium long and substantial. Boning: substantial. Musculature: Strongly built and sturdy. Balance: muscular and well proportioned. (Allow for size difference between males and females. Males are large and imposing, often 12-15 lb. or more. Very slow maturing of this breed should be taken into account. Not fully developed until 5 years of age.)

Big and strongly built, long and muscular with solid bone structure; must not be cobby or delicate. (Full development can take up to 4 years.)  

Structure: long, strongly built; solid bone structure. (Very slow maturing of this breed should be taken into account.)

Legs

Medium with hind legs longer than front legs, making rump higher than shoulders. Thighs heavily muscled; lower part of legs substantial. When viewed from rear, back legs are straight.

In proportion to the body length, with hind legs higher than front legs.

Long legs. Hind legs longer than front legs.  

Strong, high on legs, hind legs higher than the front legs.

Paws

Large round and firm with heavy tufting between toes. Pads plain or mottled. Cats with white on feet may have pink paw pads or they may be bi- or multi-coloured.

Large, round, well tufted.

Tufts of fur between toes.

Large, round, in proportion to the legs.

Tail

Long and bushy, broader at base. Desirable length equal to body from base of tail to base of neck. Guard hairs desirable.

Long and bushy, should be at least as long as the body. (Long, flowing and carried high.)

Long and bushy, should reach at least to the shoulder blades, but preferably to the neck.

Long and bushy, should reach at least to the shoulder blades, but preferably to the neck.

Coat

Distinguishing double coat, consisting of dense undercoat, covered by long, glossy and smooth water-resistant guard hairs hanging down the sides. The bib consists of three separate sections: short collar at neck, side mutton chops and frontal ruff. Britches are full on the hind legs. Cat may be fuller in winter than summer because dense undercoat has its full development in winter. Softer coats permitted in shaded, solid and bicolour cats. Type and quality of coat is of primary importance; colour and pattern are secondary..

Length: Semi long.
Texture: dense, woolly undercoat is covered by a smooth, water repellent upper coat of long, coarse and glossy hair covering the back and sides. Fully coated cat has full ruff and britches. (Coat evaluated primarily on texture and quality. Length of coat and density of undercoat vary with seasons; in summer coat is short. Under no circumstances should cat be penalised for having semi long coat.. Should not be as long as Persian coat. Coat feels dense, esp. tabbies. Solid, bicolour or tri-colour cats often have softer coat.)

Semi-long. The woolly undercoat is covered by a smooth, water-repellent overcoat. This glossy hair covers the back and sides. A fully coated cat has shirtfront, full ruff and knickerbockers.  (A distinctive double coat is required. During Summer months the coat is considerably shorter.)

Structure: semi long. The woolly undercoat is covered by a smooth, water repellent upper coat which consists of long, coarse and glossy hair covering the back and the sides. A fully coated cat has a shirtfront, a full frill and knickerbockers. (Coat is evaluated only on texture and quality. Length of coat and density of undercoat vary with the seasons. Kittens can take up to six months of age to develop guard hairs.)

Colour and Pattern

Any colour or combination of colour except Chocolate, Lilac and Himalayan pattern. Colour and pattern should be clear and distinct. In the case of classic, mackerel and spotted tabbies, the pattern should be well-marked and even. Buttons and Lockets allowable on any colour and/or pattern, cats judged as their basic colour with no penalty for such locket and/or button. 

All colours of all divisions of the traditional category are recognised, incl. all colours with white. Any amount of white is allowed anywhere on the cat.

All listed colours are allowed (except chocolate, lilac and Siamese pattern). Any amount of white is allowed, i.e. white on paws, chest, belly or blaze, locket, etc. (Coat colour is irrelevant. A cat should not be penalised if apparently wrongly registered as there are no points for colour.)

All colours are permitted, including all colours with white; except pointed patterns and chocolate and lilac, cinnamon and fawn. Any amount of white is allowed, i.e. a white blaze, white locket, white chest, white on the belly, white on the paws, etc.

Withhold
(or Penalise)

Severe break in nose Square muzzle Whisker pinch Long rectangular body Cobby body Delicate bone structure Cats showing evidence of hybridisation resulting in colours chocolate, lilac, sable, lavender, and the point-restricted (Himalayan-type) pattern or these colours with white.

 General: Too small and finely built cats. Head: Round or square; profile with a break (stop) Eyes: round Ears: too small or narrow at base. Legs: Short, thin, not in proportion to body, cow-hocked. Tail: Short. Body: Cobby or extremely long. Coat: Cottony or silky texture.

Cobby, small or delicate build. Break (stop) in profile. Round or square head. Short tail (not reaching to back of shoulder blades). Short legs. Dry, knotted coat. Any defect as listed in the preface to the Standard of Points booklet. Fault: Small ears.

General: too small and finely built cats. Head: round or square head; profile with a break (stop) Ears: small ears, set too widely apart, set too close together. Legs: short legs, thin legs. Tail: short tail. Coat: dry coat; knotted with lumps; too silky.

NOTE: Errors and Omissions Excepted.   This chart was prepared by Loraine Smith as an interesting reference only,
and should be carefully checked against formally published standards.