Will a Norwegian skogkatt (forest cat) feel good in Sydney?

Question

I'd like to have a skogkatt but am concerned that it would feel uncomfortably hot in Australia, with all of its thick fur.

So the question is: will a weggie be able to adapt to hot and humid climate?

Answer 1

Please do not get a skogkatt in Australia.

As trond hansen points out, those cats are not adapted to warm climates. Worse, they are adapted to cold climates. So unless you are able to provide an air-conditioned environment for your cat all the time, I would strongly recommend against it.

Second, it's very chancy you get the temperament you want in the kitten / cat you adopt. You might get the biggest couch potato cat in Australian history. Or a shy bugger that only comes out when you watch tv.

Third, you will need to import the cat (probably) into Australia. Quite a bit of work and cost. For a cat badly adapted for a warm climate.

Lastly, cat's are a feral nightmare for birds in Australia. Please don't add to that...

And I'll assume that there are cat rescue centres in Sydney. May I suggest you visit one of those? Maybe they have a cat with the personality type you are looking for! (and for a proper cat, you don't chose the cat, the cat selects her / his butler ;)

Answer 2

If the cat is an indoor cat and having air conditioning it will be ok, but if the cat is outdoors it will be too hot even in the shade; even here in Norway the summer heat is at the limit for the forest cat.

Hiking and camping will often be problematic for any cat, I have often taken walks in the forest with my cats and they do overheat quite fast even if the temperature is comfortable for us; after what is a short walk for us, like a kilometer or two, the cats are totally exhausted.

And remember: no two cats are alike, so the cat might really hate going for hikes in unknown areas, and as you probably know cats can be really really stubborn if they refuse to do something.

There are breeds of cats that are more active than others, so it might be better to look into them to find a hiking friend for you.

And remember: any cat will eventually get exhausted and need you to carry it and the Norwegian forest cat is large, so it might be problematic for you to carry it for a long distance.

More information about Norwegian forest cat could be found in this article on Wikipedia.

My adopted feral cat he is probably a forest cat mix.