Best Food for Norwegian Forest Cat (2026 Guide)
A breed-specific food guide for Norwegian Forest Cat owners — what to look for, what to avoid, and our top picks based on this breed's size, energy and known health profile.
Photo: Aleksandr Nadyojin / Pexels
The Norwegian Forest Cat is sturdy scandinavian longhair. mythological "skogkatt" of norse legend. Their nutritional needs reflect their 4–9 kg body weight, 14–16 years lifespan, and the breed-specific health considerations covered below.
Why feeding a Norwegian Forest Cat is different
The Norwegian Forest Cat is genetically vulnerable to hip + elbow issues. Your single biggest dietary lever to protect those joints is keeping them lean — every extra kilo of body weight increases joint load by 3–4× during walking. Diet matters here far more than supplements.
Cardiac issues are common — discuss taurine + L-carnitine supplementation with your vet, and be cautious about grain-free + legume-heavy diets (the FDA has linked them to dilated cardiomyopathy in some lines).
The Norwegian Forest Cat's coat needs omega-3 + omega-6 in roughly a 5:1 ratio for skin + coat condition. Fish-oil supplementation or a salmon-first food are the cheapest ways to get this right.
Below: a specific list of what to look for, what to avoid, plus our daily-calorie estimate for an average Norwegian Forest Cat.
What to look for in food for a Norwegian Forest Cat
- A complete-and-balanced food labelled for cats that meets FEDIAF or AAFCO nutritional standards.
- Named animal protein as the first ingredient (e.g. "chicken", "salmon"), not "meat derivatives" or "animal by-product".
- Added glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support — especially important from puppyhood.
- Foods with adequate taurine. Be cautious with grain-free diets — the FDA has investigated a possible link with DCM.
What to avoid
- Untested boutique grain-free brands without taurine in the analysis.
- Anything containing onion, garlic, raisins, xylitol or chocolate flavouring (common kitchen toxins for pets).
For an exact daily portion based on your dog's weight and activity, use our food portion calculator. To check current weight is healthy, use the body condition score.
Related buying guides
📧 Email me this for later
We'll send you a link to this best food guide for norwegian forest cat page so you can come back any time.
Health overview — Norwegian Forest Cat
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Glycogen storage disease type IV (DNA test). Hip dysplasia. Generally robust.