Breeds: forest cats
Siberian and Norwegian Forest cats: grooming and care
One breed comes from Russia and the other from Norway, and both grew their coats for long, snowy winters. They are groomed alike, with one difference worth knowing before a bath, and this guide follows both through a New England year.
Two coats
The Siberian wears three layers and the Norwegian two, and both grow fuller for winter
CFA calls the Siberian's thick triple coat the breed's most distinctive feature. Its standard asks for a moderately long to long coat whose texture runs from coarse to soft depending on color, a tight undercoat that thickens in cold weather, and a full collar ruff setting off the head. VCA's breed profile describes the same dense triple coat as designed to weather cold climates, and as surprisingly easy to maintain.
The Norwegian Forest Cat has two layers rather than three. CFA describes a dense undercoat covered by long, glossy, smooth guard hairs that resist water, a bib in three parts (a short collar, side mutton chops and a frontal ruff) and full britches on the hind legs. VCA adds that the long guard hairs do not tangle and shield the cat from snow and rain, and CFA calls the coat generally tangle free next to other long-haired breeds.
- Siberian: a triple coat, coarse to soft, with a tight undercoat that thickens in the cold (CFA)
- Norwegian Forest Cat: a dense undercoat under water-resistant guard hairs (CFA, VCA)
- Both: a full ruff and britches, the places to check first
- Both: slow to mature, taking up to five years to reach full size (VCA, CFA)
The year
Winter builds these coats and spring takes them apart, so the comb follows the calendar
CFA says the Siberian's coat is noticeably thicker in the colder months and shorter and less dense in summer, and VCA names spring and fall as the breed's shedding seasons. For the Norwegian, CFA notes that the dense undercoat reaches its full development in winter and that more attention is needed in springtime, when the winter coat gives way to a lighter one. VCA puts it more vividly: in a seasonal shed the breed drops so much undercoat that it looks like a smaller cat.
On Cape Ann the practical version is simple. Comb a Siberian weekly for most of the year and daily in the spring and fall sheds, as VCA advises, and give a Norwegian's undercoat at least two sessions a week, adding more as the winter coat lets go. A comb that comes away full after a single pass down the flank is the sign to step up, and a comb that comes away nearly empty is the sign the shed is over.
At home
Comb the underside, the tail and the britches; the back mostly looks after itself
CFA's grooming advice for the Siberian is specific: handle the cat's underside, tail and britches several times a week, because that is where mats most often form, and pull any clump apart with your fingers or the edge of a steel-toothed comb. For the Norwegian, CFA recommends regular combing with a stainless-steel comb. The long guard hairs on the back and sides shed water and resist tangles, so the real work is underneath.
Big cats need shorter sessions than their size suggests. CFA lists mature Siberian males at 12 to 18 pounds and Norwegian males at 12 to 16, and a cat that size that decides it has had enough simply walks off. Do the underside one evening and the ruff and tail the next, and end each session while the cat is still relaxed rather than when it starts to twitch.
- 01
Start at the chest and the front of the ruff with a stainless-steel comb
- 02
Lift the guard hair along the sides and comb the undercoat beneath it in short strokes
- 03
Draw each front leg gently forward and comb the armpit
- 04
With the cat lying on its side, comb the belly and the inside of the thighs
- 05
Work through the britches from the skin outward, then part the tail hair and comb each half
- 06
Split any clump with your fingers or the comb's edge before combing through it
At the studio
A comb-out and a bath, not a shave, is what these coats usually need from a groomer
For a Siberian or a Norwegian in a heavy shed, book the Full Bath at $95: a bath with water, a brush-out and a nail clip. Water and a long brush-out move far more loose undercoat in one visit than a week of evenings with the comb. CFA adds a practical warning for the Norwegian: the water-repellent coat takes a long time to get wet and even longer to dry, so a bath for this breed is not a quick appointment, and the drying is part of the job.
Shaving is not the routine answer for these coats; it is the answer to mats. Minimal Trims at $45 is a trim and partial shave with no bath, for a felted patch behind the ears or in the britches. The Full Service at $120 adds shaving and trims to a full bath, for a coat that has matted beyond combing. Our cat behavior specialists assess every cat on arrival for coat and temperament, in the quiet room at 210 Eastern Ave in Gloucester.
- Full Bath, $95: the spring and fall shed visit, nails included
- Minimal Trims, $45: one felted patch, no bath
- Full Service, $120: mats across the body, with a bath and trims
- Nail clipping, $20: on its own between visits
- A cat that cannot be groomed safely is referred to your vet
At Dogtown
Cat grooming for winter coats
The quiet cat room at 210 Eastern Ave and the four cat services, from a $20 nail clip to the $120 Full Service.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Is a Siberian or a Norwegian Forest Cat easier to groom?
Should I shave my Siberian or Norwegian Forest Cat for the summer?
Why does a Norwegian Forest Cat take so long to dry?
When should a Siberian kitten start learning to be combed?
How do I book a groom for a forest cat at Dogtown?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- CFA: Siberian
- CFA: Norwegian Forest Cat
- VCA: Siberian breed profile
- VCA: Norwegian Forest Cat breed profile
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Built for snow, kept by comb.
Book a Full Bath at $95 for the spring shed, or Minimal Trims for one felted patch, online or in the Dogtown app. No evaluation visit, and a quiet room away from the dogs.
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