Greetings cat lovers and welcome to 'Fairy Belles', my web site dedicated to my love of Norwegian Forest Cats.

My name is Rebecca and I am a Norwegian Forest Cat breeder & exhibitor. After I lost my pedigree Persian I decided to visit a local cat show and look at some other breeds. I wanted something both striking and different to my much loved Persian and, having looked at many breeds, my partner and I both loved the look of the Norwegian Forest Cat. Shortly after making contact with another local breeder and exhibitor of Norwegians I purchased my first Norwegian Forest kitten (Blue Belle).

Subsequently, and after much consideration and lots of research I decided I would also like to show and breed these stunning cats by becoming a Norwegian Forest Cat breeder & exhibitor. And, as I live in Northamptonshire, I'm ideally located to visit shows in various areas of the country.

I currently have 5 Norwegian Forest Cats; Bluebelle, my beautiful silver tabby and white girl, Daisy May, my gorgeous blue tortie tabby & white girl and her stunning daughter Honey Bunny, a cream silver & white. There’s also naughty silver tortie Miss Amber who is Bluebelle’s Daughter, and last but not least Bluebelle’s handsome son Sire Sterling who is a silver tabby and white just like his mum. My lovely ‘Wegies mean the world to me, and being typical of the breed, they all have a gentle and loving nature.

In my opinion, the Norwegian Forest Cat is both a magnificent and elegant semi-long haired cat. With their magnificent double coat and lion-like ruff, which is at its fullest during the cold winter months, they can look almost regal. The thick woolly undercoat acts like an insulating coat which protects the cat from the cold weather, whilst the coarser, glossy top coat is water repellent, keeping the worst of the wind and rain out.

The Norwegian's coat changes considerably from winter to summer, following the annual spring moult; the main difference being the heaviness of the neck ruff, which will shorten in summertime with the onset of the warmer temperatures. Typically, Norwegian Forest Cats have a thick, bushy tail which is also water proof and well insulated. This tail often reaches to their shoulder blades, and sometimes may even reach to the neck. Also, they often have 'Lynx Tips', the small projections of long fur at the top of their ears, so named due to their striking similarity to the ears of the Lynx. These tufts are thought to protect the cats' ears from the wind and rain. However, not all 'Wegies have this feature.

The Norwegian Forest Cat was first recognised in Norway in 1930 and made its cat show debut in '38. Following the overturning of an initial ban on their export from Norway, the breed has achieved international recognition. It is thought that the breed is a mixture of British shorthair and longhair cats brought by the Vikings and the Crusaders from Great Britain to Scandinavia, which then mated with local farm and feral cats. The breed's origin in the cold north of Scandinavia has ensured its association with cold northern winters, the breed being both rugged and hardy, a fact well exemplified by the thick double coat which defies even the harshest Northamptonshire elements!

Please feel free to enter my site. I hope there's something of interest inside for you. And please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about my cats or kittens, or just fancy a chat. You can do this via my email address or by phone.

Best wishes,

Becky.