Short history:

Let us take a closer look at this incredible breed. Native to Northern Europe, these beautiful cats are mostly bred by Mother Nature herself. They are described in the books going back to as far as the 16th century. These cats were the companions of the Vikings back when. The origins of this breed are not really known although several theories exist. One of them mentions the Romans introducing their cats to these regions on their conquests. In America, this cat is also known as the 'Wegie', an abbreviation of 'Norwegian'.

Appearance:

Their appearance is, to say the least, breathtaking. With their double-layered coat, furry ears, and fluff between their toes as well as a bushy tail, they are extremely well equipped to deal with the harsh climate and cold region. Their upper coat is coarse with guard hairs to give the coat some water resistance. The under coat is very fluffy and soft and insulates the cat. They also grow a beautiful mane in the winter, much like a lion, once grown-up. Their ears have long hairs to protect them from the wind and the cold and stand high upon the head. Their eyes have an almond shape and are slightly angled upward. They are rather large compared to the ‘Felix Vulgaris’, or the common house cat, with grown males easily weighing over 6kg. Females tend to be a lot lighter.

They share these characteristics with the Siberian Cat and the Maine Coon. Differences between the breeds include the fact that the Norwegian Forest cat has longer hind legs than front legs, the triangular shape of the face vs the Siberian rounded shape, and the Maine Coone rectangular shape of the muzzle.
The Norwegian Forest Cat also has a very broad nose. And you can draw a straight line from his forehead down to his nose. What I mean is, it has no bumps on the way down ;)

Norwegian Forest Cats are really two cats in one. They change their look according to what’s in season right now, no kidding. They blow their bombastic winter look for a short-haired look in the summer. This means that you will be grooming them extensively during spring, but other than that they have surprisingly low-maintenance coats, which mats rarely. They come in every variety of colour, as you can see.

Gentle Giants:

Despite their size they are in fact very gentle cats. Overall, these cats are easy-going, laid back, friendly and quiet. They are far from nervous, easily stressed, or vocal. They love people and are fascinated by water. They mature quite long, only being fully grown-up at the age of 5. That also means they stay playful for a very long time, and make for excellent hunters. They adapt easily to a new situation, being naturally curious and inquisitive and not easily scared. This makes them ideal pets for households with kids, dogs or both. It takes a lot to throw them off. This of course does depend on what kind of environment the cat was raised in as a kitten. They tend to be very loving of their family and love cuddles. They usually bond with one person in particular but will love the entire family as well. The chosen one will be followed around though, without being pushy. Though they are not exactly lap cats, they will gladly cuddle up next to you. Because of their size however, they tend to not like to lie on laps, since this is uncomfortable, unless the lap is big enough.

As said before, they do not talk a lot, but they are very much into purring, and chirping. And considering their size, their purr can travel quite the distance. They only get vocal if there is a major emergency, like a food bowl being empty, and even then they will tend to ask without demanding. They tend to merge the purr with the meow, making a very cut mrrrreow which rolls ever so sweetly of their tongue. They are highly intelligent, making it easy to train them to for instance walk on a leash and even play games with them, such as fetch!

This however also means that they will find their own games to play if bored, and this often includes turning on the faucet, playing with the water bowl and opening closets. Visits during the owner’s bath time are not uncommon, nor is examining the bath tub afterwards by jumping into it. Another hobby of theirs is climbing. If the cat goes outdoors, you will often see him in a tree. Don’t worry; they know perfectly well how to get down. An indoor Norwegian Forest Cat is best served with several climbing posts, or a ton of furniture they can jump onto, since this is a favorite pastime.

All in all, this cat is easy-going, fun-loving, highly adaptable, non-vocal and very affectionate with a stunning appearance. What more could you ask for?

(On a personal note, from the descriptions I have found, I would say Arwen and her brother Merry are at least part Norwegian Forest Cat. And they are indeed a pleasure to have in the house ;))