LMF: Norwegian Forest Cat breeders' meeting, Helsinki, 2002, FIFé World Show

The meeting begins with Paula introducing herself to the group and thanking the two Finnish NFO clubs for their hospitality and for arranging the club room and refreshments. She explains that she chose as subjects for discussion some of the old issues dealt with in past meetings and others suggested by breeders in e-mails or in personal discussions.

1. FOREST CAT SIZE

The theme of females getting smaller had been discussed on earlier occasions, and plans were made to keep track of the weights, but so far the plans do not seem to have materialized into anything concrete. Some people present wonder if it is actually true that the cats 'used to be so much bigger'. The following weights had been quoted, from the Norsk Skogkattring, Norway at the 1993 breeders' meeting in Copenhagen: males, at least 6 kilos by the age of two years, and the females about four kilos.

Jörgen Frithiof, e-mailing from Sweden, cites a cat he owned as the largest NFO he has ever seen, 10 kilos as an active male, and up to 16 kilos without fat once he was neutered! (Holy Moly! But giants do occur in humans as well - look at Shaquille O'Neal!)

He goes on to say: 'The NFO should be large, yes, but size doesn't necessarily have to do only with weight. Personally I don't consider weight a really important issue. I feel that if we were to focus too much on the weight, we might end up with unbalanced, unharmonically built, cobby NFOs, and that would be a complete nightmare.'

Martin R. L. Lysgaard of Denmark has offered by e-mail to produce a weight reporting system on his web site: http://www.norskskovkat.info.

'I would allow users to register for the WRP (Weight Reporting Program), and maintain the spirit for continuous reporting by automatically e-mailing them when it's time to report!'

Those interested in contacting Martin about this may do so at: webmaster@norskskovkat.info

Jette Eva Madsen warns that the method of weighing should be accurate, using a uniform method for all cats - best done on a proper veterinarian's scale. Weigh the cat's carrying box first, then put the cat into it, and subtract the box's weight from the total.

Geologist Miranda Aldham -Breary, an experienced steward of many years' standing, has had ample opportunity to estimate the weights of the cats she carries, and says she has never encountered an adult NFO male over 7.5 kilos, or a female over 5.5 kilos. She feels that figures are sometimes exaggerated - or that some of the cats may just be fat!

Karoliina Hjelm points out that as the NFO reaches full maturity later, two years is too young to make a final assessment of a cat's size.

Paula notes that various factors have been mentioned as causing weight fluctuations to occur: seasonal weight changes are common, kittens may lose a little weight as they begin to be weaned, and mother cats tend to lose weight while nursing.

It is also pointed out that not all cats develop at the same pace. Paula and others have seen young cats that seemed too small pick up weight suddenly after a long 'standstill' in which they did not seem to be growing.

Martine Hovesepian, France: 'Pour ma part, j'estime qu'un poids de 6 kg pour un male entier de deux ans au moins est correct. En revanche, j'ai plus de difficultés avec les femelles que je trouve effectivement plus légères qu'il y a 10/15 ans, au moins chez moi.

Je constate aussi une certaine difference entre le poids d'été et le poids d'hiver chez mes propres chats. Vivant en chatterie non chauffée, ils ont tendance a manger davantage et a faire de la graisse.'

[I feel that 6 kilos for a two-year-old male is correct. But I have more of a problem with the females, who do actually seem lighter than they were 10-15 years ago - at least in my own cattery.

In my own cats I notice a difference between their summer and winter weights. In cold weather, living in an unheated cat run, they have a tendency to eat more and put on some fat.]

Renée Weissbach, Belgium: 'Weight isn't everything but it's an important issue.... I believe the average size and weights of our males are not that bad, but I'm more concerned about our females, which have the tendency, especially in the southern part of Europe (or is this the area I know better?), to be sometimes very lightweight (under 3.5 kgs for an adult is not that rare anymore). Many breeders try to compensate for this by mating to large males. As far as I have seen, this helps to get big male kittens but the females are often as small as their mothers, or at any rate still too small. Breeders should be attentive to this issue and judges could help by making this more consistently an issue when judging.'

Geneviève Cournud, France, Association Internationale de Défense du Skogkatt: 'Poids idéal pour un mâle adulte = 6.5 kg, & pour une femelle 4.5 kg.

Programme pour le suivi des poids des chatons? Nous l'envisageons dès la création du club unique avec des règles très précises. Il faudrait que ce dossier soit suivi par un véto tenu au secret professionnel car sujet délicat. Il faudrait aussi que les explications données par les éleveurs soient bien claires car il existe des chutes de poids (sevrage, etc.) pas graves mais à surveiller.'

[Mme. Cournud cites 6.5 kilos as an ideal for an adult male and 4.5 for a female.

Under French LOOF rules, there will in the future be only one breed club per breed. Plans are already underway for a merger of the existing Forest Cat clubs, and a central record-keeping program is envisaged for recording weights. This dossier will be followed by a veterinarian and all figures kept secret in the interest of professional discretion. She adds that breeders should be given clear explanations about record-keeping, and that, for instance, slight weight loss occurring at weaning should be taken into account.]

Philippe Dumoulin of France goes a little further than most would, in suggesting that he would not oppose a rule requiring a cat to have a minimal weight for its age before being shown as a Norwegian. He also complains of an NFO special in which a lightweight male was chosen over several other, larger finalists for Best in Show. (Of course, it is difficult for the rest of us to comment on this without seeing the bigger cats' possible faults or the qualities of the other competitors.)

'Je souscris totalement au souci de préserver la taille du chat norvégien et éventuellement ne serais pas opposé à instaurer une échelle de poids minimal, en fonction de l'âge, pour pouvoir présenter un chat en exposition comme un norvégien. Il faut se rappeler cependant qu'on ne peut à la fois souhaiter des chats massifs et des museaux longs et fins comme ce fut le cas il y a quelques années.

Enfin, pour lancer le débat, je voudrais faire part de mon étonnement quand, lors de la dernière spéciale norvégiens à Lyon (CCLDS), les juges, dont certains étaient nordiques et reconnus dans notre race, ont choisi, parmi les 6 ou 7 mâles finalistes, le plus petit et léger d'entre eux. Où sont les priorités? Quel message cela transmet-il ?'

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2. GENETIC DEFECTS & HEALTH PROBLEMS

A FIP vaccine is available in Switzerland, and Paula reports having used it occasionally with no negative effects. It is administered as nose drops in two doses, three weeks apart, after the cat has been blood tested. In the case of a 'zero' sero-negative blood test, the vaccine may be administered right away. If there is a positive result, a second blood test is performed and sent away for more detailed examination. If this second test shows an acceptably low corona titer, the vet may proceed with the vaccination.

Because kittens must be 4 months or older before the vaccine may be given, and because an even longer wait of about 3 weeks may be necessary if a second blood test is performed, few breeders have made this a part of their regular kitten vaccination program. There is also a reluctance to make everyday use of FIP blood tests, as the results seem so unreliable.

Other countries than Switzerland do not report the availability of the FIP vaccine. In France, for instance, it is 'not authorized'.

Question: Is there any test yet that can identify the actual presence of FIP, rather than just the corona antibodies titer, which indicates only past exposure to the virus?

Miranda sums up the current theories of how FIP arises as a mutation of the corona virus, and feels that FIP testing is useless.

'FIP knowledge has expanded rapidly since 1998, and by the way I have the homeopathic prevention nosode available should anyone want it in USA. It's also available in London and in Cape Town.

The major items out of date on FIP are that cellular response is the one that works in FIP, not the one that's destroyed. The antibody response is over-reactive (the T2 helper cell cytokines) and the T1 helper response (T1 helper cell lymphocytes and their cytokines) is NOT active. If one could get the T1 back to active the cat would overcome the FIP. It is because of the skewing of the immune system to T2 that FIP is predisposed to use T2 cytokines and it is the antibodies from that part of the immune system that kill the cat and make wet pockets of antibody response. The cellular response, if it is in order, can allow the cat to overcome the FIP attack.

Research not yet on my own website article proves that FIP is not contagious, despite its name. They have purposely exposed cats and injected FIP and had cats breathe it in, in research, and although the cat will show a positive FIP antibody test showing exposure to FIP, it will not develop clinical disease. The development of clinical FIP requires a state of stress in the cat's system, which mutates corona (present in all cats) into FIP.

So the true cause of FIP is not corona, it is stress. Crowding stress is a major factor, as is vaccination stress, and vaccinations are known to skew the immune system towards T2 and away from T1, predisposing many chronic diseases, including cancer, arthritis, allergies, Cushing's Syndrome, fibromyalgia, etc. And of course it will predispose fast FIP death from the T2 response side.'

If you wish to contact Irene about the product 'nosode', her e-mail address is: furryboots@icehouse.net

Nobody present at the meeting is eager to try out the 'not contagious' theory, and Jette advises that our best option is still a good veterinarian that we trust.

Miranda notes that in any case a 100% identification of FIP is only possible by autopsy after the cat's death.

Paula reports that a couple of breeders have mentioned pyometria or metritis in females of certain lines. This is not generally felt to be a hereditary problem. Rather, it may have to do with overlong use of the birth control pill, or with allowing a cat to go on heat too frequently before being mated. Miranda and Jette both confirm that this happens in all breeds, and Miranda mentions that early-maturing Siamese females are bred young in order to avoid their being kept on the pill for too long.

Jette confirms that the dental problems she was witnessing a few years ago seem to have improved. Miranda, on the other hand, reports seeing cases of incorrect bite, even in young cats, during veterinary controls.

Some cases have been noted, but no more than in other breeds, and it does not seem to run in particular lines.

Jette feels that the increase we are experiencing in heart disease, umbilical hernia, tail faults, cleft palates, and the like, is indicative of a growing inbreeding depression. She notes pedigrees in which, for instance, Pan's Polaris figures as many as 20 times. The owners may not realize this because they see only the five generations recorded on their cat's papers. It is always advisable to do as much background research as possible before acquiring a new kitten or booking an out-of- house mating.

Paula recommends the online data bases as being especially valuable in this regard. There are various possibilities for researching pedigrees, one of the best being the Norwegian Forest Cat Data Base, which includes a service for calculating the inbreeding co-efficient:
http://www.skogkatt.co.uk/cgi-bin/NFO.

One confirmed case has been reported in France, along with some others that are thought to have been improperly diagnosed.

Paula says that some of her Swiss breeder friends had their breed cats tested, all by the same specialist, who told them that about 50% of the Persians she treated had PKD, but that she had never seen a single case among Norwegians.

This topic is also dealt with later, along with the ticked tabbies. Paula had received e-mails from 3 breeders with the ticked tabby novice Raggen in their lines. They were upset by mention in earlier World Show reports that Raggen, said to be 'half' or 'part' Somali, may have introduced PRA into the NFO breed. (More about Raggen's history later in the report, in the section on ticked tabbies, and at the end.)

A female NFO in Holland, mentioned a few years ago, was, according to Judith, examined by a proper eye specialist. Her name does not occur in the pedigrees, as she had only two litters and her offspring were not used. No further cases of PRA have been observed in the Netherlands, and it is to be hoped that this may have been a case of mistaken diagnosis.

There are two forms of PRA: a dominant one, which is easy to see and eliminate from a line and a recessive one, which may 'hide'.

'It is necessary to differentiate the recessive gene eye problem, RA, commonly called retinal atrophy, from RD, the dominant gene problem, commonly called retinal dystrophy.

I know that RD (think D for Dominant and D for Dystrophy to remember which gene is which!) has occurred in the NFO, as the breeder who first saw it, in Holland, went to great pains to have it analysed and diagnosed, and followed up to source cats, at her (considerable) expense. She had a web page to warn other breeders, made it known on the lists, personally informed owners of descendant cats, and gave detailed info on what testing was required to determine if a cat had it, as it is not always visible

A recessive gene is another matter. So - are there NFO with the recessive gene? Or only the dominant one that is easy to manage? ....

The other issue is the gene problem itself. There are TWO separate genes for PRA type retinal damage.

A recessive gene is another matter. So - are there NFO with the recessive gene? Or only the dominant one that is easy to manage? ....

The other issue is the gene problem itself. There are TWO separate genes for PRA type retinal damage.

The PRA gene, aka GPRA in some genetic texts, is awkward to work with, as they are calling two genes by the same name - GPRA or PRA. The full name is Generalized Progressive Retinal Atrophy. There is a dominant form and a recessive form.

The dominant one is documented in Abyssinian, Persian and Siamese cats. (Chandler, Gaskell and Gaskell, Feline Medicine and Therapeutics, veterinary textbook, UK, 1996, has a full list of scientific references.)

And here I note that the ONLY NFO case I know of has no ticked cats in the line, and is the dominant gene. That cat and its affected relatives were all neutered, and the breeder who encountered it and acted to exclude it.... sets a fine example of how a bad gene should be handled.'

It has been suggested that there should be a data base listing PRA-afflicted cats, but the present company shows no enthusiasm for publicizing the names of conscientious breeders who have worked to rid their catteries of the problem.

Returning to the idea of general NFO health, one of the Swedish breeders says that a Swedish insurance company studying the various feline breeds for disease history has determined that the Norwegian Forest Cat is basically hazard-free. Urinary tract infections have been a problem, as well as mammary tumors, but these are still within the normal range for all feline breeds.

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3. INBREEDING, LINE BREEDING: PROS & CONS - how far can we go?

Miranda is of the opinion that occasionally, in the right hands, inbreeding (e.g., a mother-son mating) can be a valuable tool for exposing possible genetic faults; it should be employed to find out if a problem exists in the line. Then, she says, the kittens should be sold as non-breeding pets, and the breeder should continue with as little line breeding as possible. This, she explains, is the method that was used by Siamese breeders in the UK to rid the breed of squint, tail faults, etc.

As earlier, Jette recommends going back further than the five generations to check for inbreeding. She also emphasizes the breeder's responsibilities; we should be scrupulous about not selling two closely related cats to the same breeder! Some of her own cats can be found behind some of the current problems, but as she has no control over how the cats are used, it is out of her hands. NOBODY, she says, should have Flatland's Bjørnstierne nine times in a five-generation pedigree!

In Sweden, she continues, the gene pool is decreasing dramatically, as many of the old cats are neutered, lots of lines closed down completely, and the successful ones exploited to excess. She speculates that if this tendency continues, it will be necessary to accept novices again in order to restock the gene pool. The Swedish breeders are not the only ones concerned, though; all breeders have to accept responsibility in this matter.

Monica Adolfson feels that judges are part of the problem. Obviously, everybody wants cats that please the judges, so it is tempting to ask for matings with the most successful males.

Jette continues that now, ten years after Pan's Polaris, we are living with the consequences of his having been used so often. At the time we couldn't see far enough ahead, but nowadays it is difficult to find a pedigree without Polaris. This must not be blamed on the judges; the breeders themselves should see and deal with the danger.

In past years, the term 'matador cat' has been used to indicate a male that is overused for matings. He may indeed pass along a beautiful type, but when 'everybody' wants kittens from him, the gene pool is very quickly compromised. Jette says she can already see which are the 'new matador cats' in Sweden, and wishes that breeders could advise their owners to be more cautious. Of course, she admits, it is very difficult to barge in and tell somebody else what to do.

Paula quotes French breeder Martine Hovsepian on the subject of consanguinity:

'La consanguinité va de pair avec la sélection (sans consanguinité, pas de race), maintenant il faut avoir de bonnes connaissances sur les origines d'un chat et sur le standard de la race pour en faire un usage satisfaisant et je ne pense pas que la majorité des éleveurs puissent réellement en profiter. Moi la première. Car malheureusement, si l'on connait les qualités du phénotype d'un chat (titres, résultats d'expo.), les défauts de son genotype n'éclatent pas toujours au grand jour Et c'est pourtant ce qui est le plus important. D'ou la valeur inestimable d'un titre de ‘reproducteur d'élite'.

[Consanguinity, or inbreeding, goes hand in hand with selection (without some inbreeding there would be no breed). But I feel that most breeders - myself included - may not really be in a position to use it properly, as a good knowledge of a cat's origins and of the standard are necessary. Unfortunately, it is not enough to know the cat's phenotype and the good qualities measured by his titles and show results. The faults in his genotype are not always obvious, and those are the most important considerations. This makes the 'Distinguished Merit' title especially valuable.]

Paula agrees that the DM is a valuable indication of a cat's qualities, but cautions that breeders should not all rush to the same cat for matings because of this title.

'Without doubt, it is sometimes a lot easier (and cheaper, I imagine) to use a closely related cat to get the features one might be focusing on, but the risks are too large in my opinion, + the fact that one will, by inbreeding, create problems for one's kitten buyers in turn.'

Juha Kuronen remarks that it is becoming more and more difficult in the northern countries to find cats that are unrelated to one another - they have tried!

There is some discussion about how many kittens from a given litter should be used as breed cats, and some breeders say they like to stamp pedigrees of kittens sold as pets 'Not for Breeding', even if the kittens have no genetic faults. The reason for this seems to be an attempt to keep a line from being used too much.

Karoliina Hjelm of Finland tells of a male kitten she imported recently from the U.S. He is 25% Swedish, 25% Danish, and 50% American - not necessarily a show cat, but valuable for breeding because his lines are so different from those she already has. She thinks that all of us in Europe should consider other parts of the world when looking for new breeding stock. The U.S., Canada, South America and South Africa may all have interesting lines no longer available over here.

Jette stresses the value of keeping at least one cat not so much for showing, but specifically for its genetic material.

She goes on to explain in more detail the concept of genetic variation. This is a home truth that should be recognized by breeders of all kinds of animals - cats, dogs, all living creatures. Using only one kitten from each litter is not enough. As she points out, our parents did not know when we were little whether we were going to be stronger or healthier or smarter than our brothers and sisters. We are not clones of our siblings. Each kitten from a litter has individual breeding potential, and we need to work with as many of them as possible.

In the interest of diversity, it is better to use 20 sons for one litter each, than their father for 20 litters. The health of the gene pool is dependent on the number of males available for matings. So, she finishes, don't stamp pedigrees unless the kitten has a genetic flaw such as a tail fault or umbilical hernia. It would be much better for the breed to encourage new owners to let their males sire at least one litter.

Nelly Brosselard remarks wryly that in Switzerland she doesn't see so many people asking for out- of-house matings, so the risk of a specific male being overused is slight.

Jette says that in Denmark, at least, many breeders live in apartments without garden pace for a cat run, and are therefore reluctant to keep their own stud male. Therefore, the un-neutered boys there are do tend to be used a lot.

Nelly, praising the old cats, speculates that we may have been too eager to improve our chances in competition with the Maine Coon. In trying to get bigger cats and larger ear tufts, we were perhaps too quick to have the old-style NFOs sterilized.

Judith says, 'The old lines are still around! Just look through your old show catalogues and try to contact the owners of the cats from those days. You may possibly have to sacrifice a bit of show success at first, but it's a lot of fun, and will help keep those old lines from disappearing.'

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4. NOVICES

There was, however, one cautious 'pro' opinion, from French breeder Philippe Dumoulin:

'Pourquoi pas si l'objectif est vraiment d'améliorer le NFO et que cette introduction est réalisée ous contrôle étroit des autorités du norvégien.'

[‘Why not,' Philippe asks, ‘if the purpose is really to improve the breed and if the novices are re-introduced under the strict controle of the authorities?']

Jörgen Frithiof describes by e-mail an alternative possibility for obtaining permission to use an exceptional 'novice' cat:

'I know some breeders in Norway are for and some against. Myself - I am not for re-opening at all!'

'Le décret qui doit régir les livres d'origines prévoit le noviciat dans toutes les races, ce qui a de quoi nous inquiéter. Il ne serait pourtant -m'a-t-on assuré - attribué qu'à un chat ayant des qualités exceptionnelles.'

[The decree containing the new pedigree rules provides that the novice class shall be open in France for all breeds. This is a matter of concern for all the Forest Cat breeders in that country. Martine has been 'assured' that it will only be used for cats with exceptional qualities.]

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5. X-COLORS

'At this moment in FIFé clubs in Holland no cats are being registered as X-colours. However there was a Dutch breeder who thought their kittens were X-coloured. Felikat asked Judith and me for advice and we told them to get the parents plus the kittens to a team of colour specialists. So they did, and the kittens are now registered as golden!'

Paula: We still don't know exactly what they are, but it seems that many of them have been re-registered as blue or black goldens, and can now be shown in groups 3 and 4.

To Nelly's enquiry about whether or not they are really 'allowed', Jette replies that golden has always been allowed, in contrast to lilac, chocolate, etc., which were specifically excluded.

Golden is indicated in the EMS system by the letter 'y'. A black blotched golden tabby with white would be listed as NFO ny 09 22, a blue golden mackerel as NFO ay 23, and so forth.

Outside the meeting, British breeder Neil Gardner reports briefly on the microscopic hair analyses being performed by Heather Lorrimer. Her research is not complete, but she has made the interesting discovery that the hairs of X-color Forest Cats are partially transparent. She says she has only seen this before in Russian Blues, and speculates a special combination of extreme polygenes as possible cause of these unusual colors. More to come ....

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6. NFO STANDARD

We've had the new FIFé standard for two years now. Do we feel it has made a difference?

Jörgen Frithiof, who was, of course, so instrumental in the drafting and adoption of the new standard, writes the following:

'Personally I think the new standard has been a good thing. Now some things that weren't specified earlier are there in the written standard where they belong. I think, though, that the standard could be even better written. There is more to do when it comes to, e.g., the description of the eyes and the look.

On the other hand, there's the risk, in writing a standard with too much detail, that one might not be able to see the forest for the trees.

As a judge I like to think that I go for the overall, harmonious cat.

I do think that some breeders focus on specific features, e.g. some mostly on the profile, some mostly on size. Just as some judges do, I imagine...

Anyway, in cases like this, where the concentration is on one detail more than the others, my question is: Where's the cat?

'The FIFé standard of the NFO is fine even if it could be refined in certain areas, as Jörgen pointed out. As far as I can see, the judges' interpretation of the standard varies a lot. Judges do emphasize different points of the standard: one can't live without a long & absolutely straight profile, the other one's favourite issue is the coat quality, and a third one goes for the ear size & the tufts…. All these points are important but this focus on one or two of them, distracts from the overall impression and the look of the cat.'

Monica Adolfson says she finds that Swedish judges tend to judge differently in Sweden than they do when they are elsewhere - Switzerland, for example. At home she sees a tendency for them to emphasize the head and ear size, while outside they look more at the whole cat.

Paula feels that while judges seem to give more attention these days to the height of the skull between the ears, they are not always consistent with regard to the phrase 'forehead slightly rounded'. She and others have had their cats criticized because this area was not flat enough.

'one of my youngsters got an EX on Saturday (main issue: her head is too flat. Judge is right - at that stage [in her development] her head was far too flat :-). On Sunday she gets an Ex2 with the judge's comment: ‘if her head were a little bit flatter, she would had been my Ex1 today.' I asked the judge to repeat that statement as I was sure he meant too flat. No, he didn't.'

Concerning the slight differences in wording between the FIFé standard and the French LOOF standard, Paula reports a recent alteration in the French text. Where the French version formerly read: 'Le crâne frontal est plat (flat)', it has been changed to the following: 'le front est lègérement bombé' (rounded), bringing it into conformity with the FIFé text.

The description of the body as "'assif, de longueur modérée .... (moderate length)' remains in contrast to the FIFé wording, which calls for the body to be 'Long, strongly built'.

The ears too are described slightly differently: 'légèrement arrondies aux bouts' (slightly rounded at the tips), as opposed to to FIFé's 'pointed tips'.

Paula did receive one irritated comment concerning her question about the eye colors accepted by LOOF: 'Les couleurs acceptées sont le vert-or, ou les variations de vert ou d'or.' (Colors accepted are green, gold, or variations of these colors, as opposed to FIFé's ‘all colors permitted regardless of coat colour'.)

If a colored cat with lots of white were to turn up with blue eyes, as happens with Turkish Vans and has been known to happen with the occasional NFO, Paula had wondered if it would be accepted by LOOF. The writer, having seen only one such cat in France, about 10 years ago, felt Paula was unjustified in making such a generalization.

Paula: For the record, I was just asking. I have actually seen two such cats, and was wondering if they would be allowed to compete in France. I remember that the cat from 10 years ago had problems at shows because the standard of the association in which he was judged did not allow for blue eyes except in white cats.

This probably just slipped through when the standard was drafted - they didn't think to include it, and could most likely add it later if they choose.

Geneviève Cournud, writing about the LOOF standard currently in use, says it was drafted with the collaboration of the two French breed clubs, l'Association de la Défense du Skogkatt and the Club des Chats des Forêts Norvégiennes, after numerous communications back and forth and modifications to the preceding standard.

Geneviève: 'A noter que le Standard LOOF actuellement en vigueur a été fait en collaboration entre les deux clubs de race Norvégien reconnus à ce moment. L' Ass' Int' de Défense du Skogkatt et le CCFN ont travaillé ensemble pour proposer le nouveau standard, après de nombreux échanges et modifications au standard précédent, et cela à la demande du LOOF.'

'La situation de la France fut traitée sous un point spécial de l'ordre du jour. Un accord définitif ne put pas être trouvé, mais les délégués votèrent la décision suivante:

La FIFé a l'intention de travailler avec le LOOF. La FIFé est en principe d'accord avec le LOOF. Un groupe de travail, qui sera proposé par le comité central de la FIFé, devra présenter l'accord entre la FIFé et le LOOF à l'AG 2003.'

[The situation of France was dealt with under a special point on the agenda. No definitive agreement was found, but the delegates adopted the following decision:

FIFé intends to work with LOOF, and in principle is in agreement with LOOF. A working group, to be proposed by the central committee of FIFé, will present an agreement between FIFé and LOOF at the General Assembly in 2003.]

There was no input from other associations, GCCF, CFA, TICA, etc., though Karoliina says that her American friends are eager to hear how the meeting goes. If anyone from a non-FIFé organization would like to add to the discussion, Paula will be happy to pass their comments along to the group.

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7. FUTURE TRENDS - Where do we go from here?

Paula explains that many breeders who show frequently in France are growing accustomed to the color divisions now used in that country. Some think the time has come for Forest Cat breeders to begin specializing more with regard to color, color distribution, and coat pattern.

She points out that, just as in FIFé, LOOF awards no points for color or pattern. However, when the exhibitor sees his blue blotched tabby being judged against seven other blue blotched tabbies, it is logical for him to hope that a deeper, more beautiful blue and more evenly placed blotches may give his cat a better chance of standing out.

Speaking of a recent FIFé show in Switzerland, she reports the following comments of a judge choosing between two black and white females. The judge says it is a shame there are no points for color in the NFO standard. The first cat, he says, has a strong chin, but because the chin is colored with just a little spot of white, it seems to be receding. She also has a straight nose, but you can't see it very well because of the distribution of white. The second cat has more white on her face and chest, and this sets off the profile and chin to better advantage. He chooses the second cat for the BIV, and says we should have 5 points for color.

The winning cat was very beautiful, no problem there, but Paula was surprised by the comments on color distribution. Obviously this is not just a French issue; we are beginning to hear more about it in FIFé as well.

Nelly thinks it is becoming more and more necessary to divide the groups, as some of them, particularly 3 and 4, are so heavily represented in the shows that it is difficult to get certificates. Others remark on the growing popularity of group 2.

Jette says it is inevitable that this will happen. If the judges exclaim over a stunning pattern, the breeders will do their best to re-create it in their own cats.

Paula likes the spontaneous aspect of the Forest Cat, the fact that each cat is allowed to have its individual look. She has a weakness for odd color distributions, one white paw, the face that is half red and half white, etc., and likes breeders' option to choose between that look and a more symmetrical distribution if they feel that will show up better on the show bench. She feels that this individuality sets our breed apart, and that it would be sad to lose this part of our heritage.

In the questionnaire, Paula had asked for opinions on the possible effects on the NFO coat of color specialization:

I remember learning that since diluted colors are associated with softer-textured coats more than the dense colors are, we should avoid blue x blue matings. Same principle with agoutis and non-agoutis: it seems that tabbies get fuller winter coats than solid-colored cats, so it is good to mix the two, in order to get more undercoat in the non-agoutis.

What do you think? Persian breeders have been breeding for color for decades. Has the time for us to start thinking this way too? Can we do that and keep the all-important Forest Cat coat quality?

This was not taken up at the meeting, but there were some interesting e-mail responses, almost exclusively from France.

Jörgen, writing from Sweden: 'I think we can do it, even if it's more difficult, but it can be done. But breeding for colours is a different issue than having all colours/patterns judged separately'.

Renée, from Belgium: (The statement about blue x blue matings) 'is true but also one of the reasons why the blue NFOs seldom have a good deep blue colour… The right balance of tabby/non agouti and agouti/agouti matings is probably the answer.'

Philippe, France: 'il serait intéressant que les juges soient au fait des particularités de certaines fourrures en liaison avec leur couleur et cessent de réclamer la même qualité à un bleu et à un brown tabby.'

[It would be interesting if the judges were aware of the particular qualities of certain coats as they are affected by color, instead of demanding that blue and brown tabbies have the same coat quality.]

Martine, France: 'La coloriomanie est un gouffre de dangers pour notre race: un juge non FFF possede une formule excellente: Il faut d'abord batir la maison avant de la mettre en couleurs.

J'ai déjà pu lire que le Maine Coon avait mieux réussi car ses dessins tabby étaient plus réussis que chez le NFO. C'est évident, le maine coon n'a pas de sous-poil, les dessins se voient donc beaucoup mieux! Mais je ne crois pas que sa popularité soit essentiellement due à la beauté de ses dessins tabby. Il est arrivé avec la carte de visite du chat "le plus grand" et ça a bien marché. Aujourd'hui, les gens commencent à comprendre que le norvégien pèse son poids aussi et ils s'y intéressent davantage. D'autant plus qu'il est généralement (en France, du moins) moins cher!

Je ne pense pas que le modèle 'persan' soit un modèle à suivre si vous vous penchez un tant soit peu sur l'histoire de cette race et de ses variétés, vous vous apercevrez que l'introduction de nouvelles couleurs (colourpoint, chocolat notamment) ne s'est pas faite sans préjudice pour le type. Certaines couleurs (le chinchilla) ne collent pas au type recherché et ces chats sont souvent exclus des podiums. Il y a maintenant de beaux persans tabby et des blotched sublimes, en revanche les persans bleus ont pratiquement disparu ! D'un autre coté, à force d'avoir surtypé cette race, les éleveurs n'ont plus grand chose à faire qu'à faire du coloriage. Nous n'en sommes pas là avec le NFO: battons-nous plutôt pour la substance, l'expression, le comportement, la rusticité, qui sont ses vrais atouts !'

[The 'color mania' is full of dangers for the NFO. As one non-FFF judge put it so well: first you have to build the house, then add the colors.

I have read that the Maine Coon is so successful because it has better tabby patterns than the NFO. Obviously, since the Maine Coon has no undercoat, its patterns do show up better. But I don't believe this is the true reason for its popularity. The Maine Coon arrived on the scene with a visiting card as 'the biggest' and this worked very well. Nowadays, however, people are realizing that the Norwegian is a big cat too, and it is starting to arouse more interest. In addition there is the fact that, at least in France, Forest Cats are less expensive!

I do not believe that the 'Persian' would be a good model for us to follow. If you look closely at the history of this breed and its varieties, you will notice that the introduction of new colors (notably colorpoint and chocolate) has not been achieved without compromising the type. Cats of certain colors (chinchilla) do not adhere sufficiently to the correct type, and these cats are often excluded from the podium. There are now magnificent tabby Persians to be seen, but the blues have practically disappeared.

On the other hand, as the Persian is now so over-typed, the breeders don't have much to do these days except play with colors. With our cats, we are far from this point. Let's keep fighting, rather, for the substantial body, the expression, the temper, the rusticity - true marks of the Norwegian Forest Cat!]

Geneviève, France: 'Il est réel que le mariage entre chats dilués ne donne pas une bonne qualité de poils.

Il est evident que des défauts majeurs ont été corrigés dans le phénotype du Norvégien par des mariages réussis mais dans certains pays le manque de lignées et la non-volonté de certains éleveurs de travailler ensemble (peur de certaines maladies, de dessimination des maladies sexuellement transmissibles, etc…) n'apportaient pas un panel suffisant de chats permettant de s'attaquer au problème de la qualité de poils.

Il serait bien en effet que l'on revienne aux règles éditées en Norvège au démarrage de l'élevage du Norvégien: le mariage de tabby et de non tabby afin d'améliorer la qualité du poil des non tabbies.'

[It is true that matings between dilute-colored cats do not give the best coat quality.
Obviously, most of the major faults in the Forest Cat phenotyphave been corrected through successful matings. In some countries, however the insufficiency of different lines and the lack of willingness of some breeders to work together for fear of sexually transmitted diseases, does not allow sufficient stock to attack the problem of fur quality.

It would really be better to return to the NSR's original rule of thumb, crossing tabbies with non-tabbies in order to improve the quality of fur in the non-tabbies.]

AngéliqueToudick, France: 'Il est vrai que maintenant la qualité des chats exposées semble être ‘presque' parfaite. Un travail sur les couleurs pourraient pimenter la vie des éleveurs.... Pourquoi pas des mariages exclusivement blotched/blotched, mackerel/mackerel…'

[It is true that the quality of show cats is 'almost' perfect now. Working with the colors might serve to spice things up for the breeders. Why not perform matings that are exclusively blotched x blotched or mackerel x mackerel?]

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8. TICKED TABBIES

Returning to the subject of ticked tabbies and Raggen, Paula explains that the people who wrote defending Raggen probably understood the earlier mention of this cat as part Somali to be an accusation that his owner had made an 'illicit' mating between a Forest Cat and an Abyssinian or Somali. All of the e-mails noted that, as British breeder Mary-Rose Douglas writes, '

Obviously there is probably Aby or Somali in his background somewhere'

Christine Hamilton, England: 'Whilst it is true that the ticking does have to come from either an Abyssinian or Somali, this is not known of Raggen as he was actually found as a stray in a lorry park near Oslo by Ann Rudningen. As you know, the Norwegian Forest cats in those days were often picked up off the streets in Norway and as such could be the product of, or have the genes of, any breed of cat that was free roaming and entire at that time.'

Paula reads aloud a message from Christina Vestengen, writing on behalf of Raggen's owner:

Raggen was found at a lorry car park at Lysaker in Oslo and had strayed there for a few months before Anne-Marie Rudningen decided to take him in. He was taken for a veterinary checkup and vaccinations and the vet judged from his teeth that he was 10-12 months old. A little later, Raggen was acknowledged as a novice NFO by the breed council. Nothing is known of his real heritage.

Anne also told me something interesting that I didn't know. There were more ticked novices than Raggen - one was actually owned by Anne Rudningen herself and was acknowledged before Raggen. She also thinks that Randi and Arild Grotterød had a ticked tabby and white female several years before Raggen was acknowledged. She said she had seen several around....

I really do hope that the misconceptions about Raggen's origins now can be put to rest and that you will be able to tell the truth as we know it at the World Show. There probably is Aby/Som somewhere in Raggen's background, but we really don't know how early this came in. Anne says that Raggen was a very ‘correct' NFO with good boning and that there was nothing Somali-like about him.

Apparently the rumours about him being half Somali started after a litter from him was born with a Sanddrop's queen. These kittens appeared very Somali-like, but no other kittens from him had looked like this....

Anne also pleaded that if a speech were to be given about the ticked tabbies that background information should be sought in the old pedigrees as you would probably find more ticked novices than him there.'

Recalling that she was the person quoted in Poznan as to Raggen's heritage, Jette says she was present at the show where he was recognized, and that the cat looked and moved like a Somali. Of course it is known that he was found on the street and recognized according to FIFé rules for novices, and no negative implication was intended against his owner or her breeding practices!

Minna Krogh also remembers seeing Raggen around the time he was recognized, and confirms that he looked like a Somali to her as well.

Jette continues that one should not be surprised to see a strong Abyssinian/Somali look in a case like this, where one cat, a 'Forest Cat' not yet so fixed in type and of unknown parentage, is mated by an Abyssinian or Somali which is the product of a strict breeding program. The Aby genes, reinforced by generations of selection, would imprint themselves more strongly on the offspring than those of the 'unbred' Forest Cat, and this influence could easily continue into further generations. In a way, she says, this is a kind of compliment to the hard work done by the Abyssinian breeders.

Pirakko Pohjankylä remarks to Jette, 'You are not the only one who said that he looked like a Somali; many breeders at that time were unhappy with Raggen.'

Minna, who was living in Norway at the time, agrees that many Forest Cat breeders in Norway thought it 'not right' that he was recognized.

Some conversation follows on the other ticked tabby novices, and Jette recalls one other name, a cat called 'Lucky'. But nobody is sure whether or not any ticked novices besides Raggen produced offspring that went into the gene pool.

Christina again (on excluding ticked tabbies):

I also saw some mention [on Paula's website, the World Show report from Arnhem] from Denmark in 1996 wanting to exclude ticked tabbies. I think you would have complaints from a good many breeders working with ticked lines. I know a lot of people don't like the ticked tabbies and feel they don't belong, but there are breeders working with them and they would be devastated if this were to happen. Myself - I like the ticked pattern, it is striking: however I do actually have mixed feelings on whether it belongs in the NFO or not... I don't really work on the ticked tabbies either. But excluding them now - 25 years on, No, I don't think it is a good idea!

[Christina also points out that if the intention were to eliminate PRA by excluding ticked tabbies it would of course be necessary to exclude not only the ticked cats but 'all cats/lines descending from Raggen ... as the ‘blood' would still be there'.]

[Paula: In the early days of the breed, ticked tabby would have been covered along with the other tabby patterns under the simple specifications A and AW (agouti and agouti with white). In that sense they have always been 'allowed'. I have 'heard' that FIFé 'regretted' not excluding ticked tabby along with the colors lilac, chocolate, cinnamon, and fawn, but after asking around I have received no official confirmation of this sentiment from people who were on the scene at the time.]

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9. POPULARITY IN SHOWS & FAVORITE COLORS

Karoliinaa notes an increase in popularity of groups 5 and 6, and various people mention the growth of group 2. Paula has seen an increase in demand for blue tabbies, now that the French shows divide blue and black tabbies into separate groups. She says she receives the most demand for white kittens, both as breed cats and as pets; some inquiries for pet whites are coming from Germany, where, of course, they are no longer so easy to find. Various people confirm the continuing popularity of silvers, and Renée Weissbach reports more interest in solid blacks and blues than there used to be.

As to the Forest Cat's strongest competition for nominations and Best is Show, the Maine Coon still seems to be a big contender, as is the Sacred Burmese. There was also mention made of the Ragdoll as a frequent winner; this was actually borne out by this year's World Show results.

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10. POPULATION

There was little response to the question about how many new pedigrees were registered in the various countries.

Sweden:
In FIFe: 1404 registered NFCs in 2001
Other organisation (Independent): 257 in 2001-2002

For France, unfortunately, two very reliable correspondents sent in two completely different sets of figures, both purporting to come from LOOF:

1: Le LOOF (seul livre d'origines en France)
déclare avoir enregistré 564 naissances de NFO en France en 2001.

2: En 2001, 387 pedigrees LOOF ont été demandés.
En 2000, on peut penser qu'il y aura environ 500 pedigrees.
(information récueillie auprès du LOOF le 24/10/02)

It is unclear whether perhaps, out of 564 births, only 387 pedigrees were requested....

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11. WHITE CATS

Following the problems in Germany, a question was posed concerning the future of white cats in the rest of Europe and the world.

Geneviève Cournud, writing from France, says that, although there are no restrictions yet in that country, it is feared that if the 1987 Convention du Conseil de l'Europe is adopted into French law, it may have a negative effect on future breeding and showing of white cats.

Geneviève: 'Pour l'instant, aucune restriction pour l'élevage ou la présentation des chats blancs en exposition, en France. Il pourrait y avoir, dans l'avenir, une législation négative sur l'élevage des chats blancs en France si l'introduction de la Convention du Conseil de l' Europe du 13 Novembre 1987 est adoptée dans le droit français. C'est sur elle que s'appuie la branche intégriste de l'écologie pour réclamer, entre autre, l'interdiction des chats blancs, en Allemagne.'

Gabrielle Amsterdam says that in the Netherlands the authorities seem to be taking the same line on white cats as they do with Dalmatian dogs, which can also be deaf. Intensive talks are going on with the government.

Jens Jensen, who works in the press office of the European Parliament, has had ample opportunity to study the situation up close. He says that a strong faction of German 'Greens' are trying to push through in all EC countries the same restrictions now current in Germany. He strongly recommends that the dog and cat fancies mobilize to defend their position.

To the question, What can we do?, Gabrielle replies, 'Nothing! They have already forbidden us to work with the deaf cats, so we can no longer do any kind of intelligent study!'

Paula wonders if they would ban the breeding of white cats altogether, and Jens says he fears the worst. (The threatening legislation would, of course, affect not only white cats, but also certain breeds, such as the Manx and the Sphynx, and some canine breeds as well.)

Thirteen hearing white males of various breeds will be used this year, with each cat mating 3 colored females without white. Next year, the whites should be allowed to mate colored cats with white spotting, but not at first. Both the white cats and the colored ones will be subjected to audiometric tests to assure that they hear properly. All resulting offspring will be tested as well, both white and colored, and blood tests will be performed in an attempt to determine whether or not there is a 'deafness gene'.

The project is being handled by one of the universities, and will be overseen by Professors Langewische, Beuing, and Hecht. The professors have expressed confidence that they will be able to reach a definite conclusion as to whether or not deafness is hereditary. If it is proved be so, the intention is that breeding of white cats be ruled out altogether. The professors hope to get as many blood samples as possible of white cats, and are donating their services for the testing, which would normally cost around 1000 Euro per cat.

[Post scriptum: Shortly after the meeting I was contacted by Dr. Frank Langewische, who promises us more detailed material about the white cat studies, as well as the test-mating program for the x-colors. A veterinarian, he is himself a breeder of Norwegian Forest Cats, under the cattery name 'av Haithabu' in Germany. As head of the health and wellfare commission of 1. DEKZV e.V. (FIFé, Germany), he is ideally placed to explain these topics to us, and we look forward to hearing more from him soon! - Paula]

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At this point it is announced that the Semi-longhair Best in Show will begin shortly, and so the meeting is adjourned.

It was not possible to talk about every point that had been suggested, but a lot of ground was covered, and of course the discussion may easily be continued by e-mail if people have other comments to offer.

THANKS!

It is rare that we are able to have a World Show meeting in such a comfortable setting, and all of us are l grateful to Suomen Norjalainen Metsäkissarengas ry and to NORSKI for making this possible. Also for the homemade cakes and cat-shaped spice cookies and all the other gestures of hospitality we were shown, we would like to say a very warm

KIITTOS!

Monica Adolfson, Annaleea Alanen, Miranda Aldham-Breary, Gabrielle Amsterdam, Nelly Brosselard, Lisa Crowe, John Dawson, Tina Ehnström, Neil & Melanie Gardner, Johanna Grebner, H. Narefalk, Pirjo Hauukainen, Tommy & Lotta Hemstrom, Marja Himanen, Karoliina Hjelm, Sari Ikavalko, Seppo Inalainen, Jens Jensen, Kicki Johansson, Pia Justen, Mari Koski, Sonia Krieger, Minna Krogh, Birgit Kummeneje, Juha & Terhi Kuronen, Risto & Anita Liimataanen, Angelike Lundgren, Jette Eva Madsen, Tatyana Misyuk, Erik Nyman, Pirkko & Jari Pohjankylä, Svitlana Prykhodro, Mette B. Rahm, Niina Schäfer, Sirpa Selin, Rosemarie Silverstav, Suvi Sippola, Katarina Strahl, Eila Tähti, Minna Tovonen, Marja Viher-Vehmas, Eva Weber, Susan Zindel, Judith Zuurveld

Geneviéve Cournud, Mary-Rose Douglas, Philippe Dumoulin, Jörgen Frithiof, Christine Hamilton, Martine Hovsepian, Catherine Meyer-Körber, Marcel Lamers, Martin Lysgaard, Lucie Marais, Marguerite Mayo, Angélique Toudick, Christina Vestengen, Irene de Viliers, Renée Weissbach, Grit Wessel

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ADDENDA

Raggen

I was a lost, scruffy kitten, just wandering around. I found food in garbage containers and drank water from little puddles on the ground.

I was not afraid of people, so sometimes I was given a cuddle. When I was stroked, I purred and rolled around on the ground. A man who worked at Lysaker, where I was staying, was very kind to me. He brought food to me at the store, and I was allowed inside during his breaks. We had a lovely time! If I fell asleep on the couch, I was never thrown out. It was so pleasant to be inside after living outdoors!

One day the man took me into something he called a car. I lay down next to him, as I trusted him and knew he was not going to hurt me. When we stopped I was taken into a bathroom and given two baths. That was nice, as my fur was full of concrete dust because of the construction work at Lysaker. My coat was actually standing up on its own! Afterwards, I lay down on a blanket next to a nice, warm heater. That same evening I was taken to see a man in a white coat; he gave me a shot and checked to see if I was healthy - which I was.

My new friends wrote many notes and put them up around Lysaker, but no owners were found and I was happy about that!

One day I was taken to a strange place. It was called 'Norsk Skogkattmesterskap - 86' (Norwegian Forest Cat Competition 1986). Some people wanted to take a look at me. I let the strange humans do this, and guess what they said:

Great stuff, that! They also said I was a black ticked tabby and that I must have been born in July of 1985. Well, I wouldn't know....

These people who accepted me agreed that I was a beautiful FOREST CAT. How about that, I had become a pedigreed cat, a NORWEGIAN FOREST CAT!

I thought it would be fun to go to a show, because the others in my household went to these events. Imagine - the first time I tried (in October), I was awarded something called a 'CAC'. After I got three of these, I became CHAMPION, on 8 March 1987. Wow, what a strange feeling!

Then I went along to Gotland and received another certificate and something they called a BIV-V (Best of Variety, Adult). But they messed around with me a little too much, especially around my head, and I wound up hissing at the judge. Well, I guess I shouldn't have done that, because I was sent back down to my pen.

On 13 September 1987, I was awarded the title International Champion. In time I became a dad as well, even a granddad after awhile.

But - yes, there is a big BUT - I am now being accused of being a mix with som other breed. Well, I don't know and my owners certainly don't know anything about it. It think it is mean of people to walk around telling nasty things about me. The people who own my children and grandchildren are being told that I am not a Forest Cat at all, but a mix with Abyssinian or Somali. Only one judge has ever mentioned that I have an Aby look. Why have no other judges said this? Should we believe the judges or should we listen to the people who are whispering behind my owners' backs? The people saying these things cannot possibly know what they are talking about. I think that if I had a different color, nobody would say bad things about me.

I am told that I am an angry cat, but you are welcome to come to my house and give me a cuddle, and see what I am really like. I am not the only Forest Cat that does not enjoy showing, but to hear tell, it sometimes sounds as if I were.

So - those of you spreading rumors about me, please don't do it. Go to my owners instead and ask. They will not bite you! And if you do not like me, please don't be telling new NFO breeders things you don't really know, so that they don't dare to register my children and grandchildren.

If I could talk, I would tell you all about my background. Unfortunately I cannot do that. But please, make sure your own front path is swept clean before you go messing up mine!

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The Abyssinian is an interesting cat genetically. Fundamentally, the breed owes its appearance to a unique mutant of the usual tabby pattern of the cat. The Abyssinian, or ticked tabby, allele produces a restricted form of tabby, the pattern occurring on the head, limbs and tail, but only faintly on the rest of the body. Breeders of exhibition Abyssinians have further restricted the pattern but the ancestral form often reappears. The body fur is agouti, as shown by the evenly ticked appearance. The early Abyssinians were, in fact, affectionately known as ‘bunny cats' because of their resemblance to the agouti rabbit.

A third type of tabby is found in the Abyssinian breed and has been passed to the Somali, Singapura, Asian and Oriental breeds (including Siamese). In this form, the tabby striping is minimized leaving only the underlying agouti coloration.

Usually, the barring is finer than that displayed in the mackerel patterns, thought this is not always so. In the best specimens of the Abyssinian breed, the legs and tail are devoid of barring or, at least, can only be seen with careful scrutiny. The depth of color in the phaeomelanin band may vary from yellowish-gray to a ruddy-brown but this variation is independent of the gene for the Abyssinian tabby pattern. Thus, while the striping is usually regarded as an integral part of ‘tabby' coloration (certainly with the general public), not all genetic forms of tabby express themselves as stripes.

It had been believed for many years that the three forms of tabby pattern were inherited as an allelic series; however, it now appears as if at least two, and probably three, different loci are responsible for the various tabby patterns (Lorimer, 1995). At one locus is the Abyssinian or ticked tabby pattern, which is epistatic to both mackerel and to blotched tabby patterns. At another locus are the alleles for mackerel and blotched tabby patterns, with mackerel dominant to blotched. At another locus there appears to be a modifying gene for either the classic or mackerel patterns, resulting in the spotted tabby pattern. Other modifying factors are undoubtedly present, resulting in the wide variety of striped and spotted patterns seen in our various cat breeds.

Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians, 4th edition
Carolyn M.Vella, Lorraine M. Shelton, John J. McGonagle, Terry W. Stanglein
©Reed Educational and Professional Publishing Ltd.,1999, ISBN 0 7506 4069 3

La Maison Forte
NORSK SKOGKATT

The Maison Forte site map
Reports
Poznan World Show report
The International Secretary page

10th Norwegian Forest Cat Breeders' Symposium

FIFé World Show, Helsinki, Finland, 10 November 2002

Meeting chaired by Paula Swepston
Report by Judith Zuurveld & Paula Swepston©

1. FOREST CAT SIZE

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2. GENETIC DEFECTS & HEALTH PROBLEMS

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3. INBREEDING, LINE BREEDING: PROS & CONS - how far can we go?

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4. NOVICES

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5. X-COLORS

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6. NFO STANDARD

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7. FUTURE TRENDS - Where do we go from here?

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8. TICKED TABBIES

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9. POPULARITY IN SHOWS & FAVORITE COLORS

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10. POPULATION

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11. WHITE CATS

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THANKS!

KIITTOS!

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ADDENDA

Raggen

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BACK TO:
Reports
The International Secretary page
The Maison Forte site map
The NFO Special Events page

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La Maison ForteNORSK SKOGKATT

10th Norwegian Forest Cat Breeders' Symposium

FIFé World Show, Helsinki, Finland, 10 November 2002

Meeting chaired by Paula SwepstonReport by Judith Zuurveld & Paula Swepston©

1. FOREST CAT SIZE

2. GENETIC DEFECTS & HEALTH PROBLEMS

3. INBREEDING, LINE BREEDING: PROS & CONS - how far can we go?

4. NOVICES

5. X-COLORS

6. NFO STANDARD

7. FUTURE TRENDS - Where do we go from here?

8. TICKED TABBIES

9. POPULARITY IN SHOWS & FAVORITE COLORS

10. POPULATION

11. WHITE CATS

THANKS!

KIITTOS!

ADDENDA

Raggen

BACK TO:ReportsThe International Secretary pageThe Maison Forte site mapThe NFO Special Events page Top of the page

La Maison Forte
NORSK SKOGKATT

Meeting chaired by Paula Swepston
Report by Judith Zuurveld & Paula Swepston©

BACK TO:
Reports
The International Secretary page
The Maison Forte site map
The NFO Special Events page

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