British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Cat Breed Comparison

"Find similarities and differences between British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest" Compare British Shorthair and Maine Coon. Which is better: British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?

Size, Appearance and Physical Traits Special Abilities Health Characteristics and Personality Grooming Show differences only

Name	British Shorthair	Maine Coon	Norwegian Forest
Origins	United Kingdom	United States	Norway
Cat Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Natural	Natural	Natural
Popularity Rank	3	4	14
Reviews	0	1	0
User Ratings

Other Names What other names do they have?	Highlander, Highland Straight, Britannica	Coon Cat, Maine Cat, Maine Shag, Snowshoe Cat, American Longhair, The Gentle Giants	Skogkatt, Skaukatt, Norsk Skogkatt, Norsk Skaukatt, Weegie
Price Which one is cheaper, British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest cat?	$1,500 to $3,000	$1200 to $2000	$900 to $1500
Cost Of Ownership	Moderate	High	Moderate
Breed Recognition	The International Cat Association (TICA) American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe)	The International Cat Association (TICA) Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association	Norwegian Forest Cat Club Norwegian Forest Cat Fanciers' Association

British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Size, Appearance and Physical Traits Comparison

Size Which is bigger, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest cat?	Large The large-sized cats usually weigh 10-20 pounds and are 10-16 inches long from the nose down.	Large The large-sized cats usually weigh 10-20 pounds and are 10-16 inches long from the nose down.	Large The large-sized cats usually weigh 10-20 pounds and are 10-16 inches long from the nose down.
Weight Which is heavier, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Males: 12–18 pounds, Females: 9-15 pounds	Male: 15-25 pounds, Female: 8-12 pounds	Male: 12 - 16 pounds, Female: 9 - 12 pounds
Bite Force	Strong Bite Strength: Greater than or around 15 PSI	Strong Bite Strength: Greater than or around 15 PSI	Strong Bite Strength: Greater than or around 15 PSI
Body Type	Cobby This body type is a mix between the cobby and foreign types.	Substantial Maine Coon are large and heavy-boned with a strong, muscular build.	Substantial Norwegian Forest are large and heavy-boned with a strong, muscular build.
Ear Shape	Medium Rounded Wide-set	Large Tufted Wide-set	Large Pointed Tufted Wide-set
Eye Color	Gold Copper	Gold Green	Gold Green
Hair Color and Pattern	Wide range of colors and patterns, including solid, tabby, bicolor, and more.	All coat colours and patterns, including solid, tabby, tortoiseshell, bicolor, tricolor, and colorpoint; most common is the brown classic tabby pattern.	All coat colours and patterns, except colorpoint, chocolate, and lilac; most commonly seen in tabby patterns.
Coat What is the difference between British Shorthair, Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest coats?	Short Hair	Longhair	Long Hair
Leg Lenght	Medium	Medium	Large
Whisker Length	Medium	Long	Medium
Musculature	Muscular	Solid	Muscular
Head Shape	Round	Square	Triangular
Toe Count	5 front 4 back	Polydactyl (extra toes commonly)	5 front 4 back
Eye Shape And Orientation	Round	Square	Almond-shaped
Night Vision
Paw Size	Medium	Large	Medium
Nose Structure	Button	Concave	Straight
Neck Length	Medium	Long	Medium
Fur Texture	Soft Curled	Silky Long	Silky Long
Bone Density	Medium	High	Medium
Flexibility	High	Medium	High
Bone Structure	Robust	Slender Fine	Robust
Tail Length	Long and Tapered	Plumed	Plumed
Sleep Patterns	Active Less Sleep	Calm More Sleep	Active Less Sleep

British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Special Abilities Comparison

Attention Span	Long, enjoys calm activities	Long, playful and intelligent	Long, independent and active
Guarding Instinct	High	High	High
Protection Instincts	High	High	High
Climbing Ability	Moderate	High	High
Jumping Ability	Moderate	Good	Good
Swimming Ability	Poor	Good	Good
Water Affinity
Rescue Capability	Moderate	Good	Good

British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Health Comparison

Litter Size	2-4 Kittens	1-3 Kittens	2-4 Kittens
Special Needs	Low maintenance Independent	Active High grooming	Active High grooming
Breeding	Easy to breed, large litter size	Requires grooming knowledge, large litter size	Requires grooming knowledge, large litter size
Dietary Preferences	High protein, wet food	High protein, balanced diet	High protein, low carbs
Solo Time Tolerance	Medium	High	High
Noise Sensitivity	Moderate	Low	Moderate
Genetic Diversity	Moderate	High	High
Sensitivity To Changes	Medium sensitivity	Medium sensitivity	Medium sensitivity
Food Motivation	High	High	High
Feeding Schedule	Twice a day Morning and Evening	Twice a day Morning and Evening	Three times a day Morning, Afternoon, and Evening
Maintenance Level	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Exercise Needs	Medium	Medium	Medium
Life Expectancy Which will live longer, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	12-17 years	12-15 years	12-16 years
Energy Level Which is more energetic, British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest cat?	The British Shorthair cat has a lower energy level than other cats.	The Maine Coon cat has an average energy level.	The Norwegian Forest cat has an average energy level.
Hypoallergenic Which cat is hypoallergenic, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	No British Shorthair cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.	No Maine Coon cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.	No Norwegian Forest cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.
Common Health Issues Which cat is healthier, British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest?	Low Very healthy cat breed.	Low Very healthy cat breed.	High Norwegian Forests tend to have more frequent health issues than other breeds.
Health Problems	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Obesity Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Hip Dysplasia	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Hip Dysplasia Glycogen Storage Disease IV
Climate	Temperate	Temperate	Cold
Cold Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Heat Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Breeding Difficulty	Easy	Easy	Medium

British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Characteristics and Personality Comparison

Common Vocalizations	Soft and gentle meows	Quiet chirps and trills	Quiet and infrequent meows
Interaction With Other Pets	Good, calm and tolerant	Excellent, very social and friendly	Good, adaptable and friendly
Facial Expression	Calm and easygoing	Friendly and intelligent	Independent and alert
Tail Behavior	Gentle swaying when calm	Gentle swaying tail	Independent and alert tail movements
Explorer Instincts	Moderate	Moderate	High
Attention Needs	Low	Moderate	Moderate
Protectiveness	High	High	High
Territoriality	High	Moderate	High
Independence	High	High	High
Response To Commands	Moderate	High	High
Adaptability To Indoor Life	High	High	High
Hunting Drive	Moderate	High	High
Play Style	Playful Gentle Calm	Social Playful Gentle	Active Curious Playful
Escape Tendencies	Low	Moderate	High
Curiosity	Moderate	High	High
Hunting Skills	Moderate ⏺️	High ⬆️	Moderate ⏺️
Reaction To Strangers	Cautious	Friendly 😊	Friendly 😊
Stalking Behavior	Moderate	High	High
Aggression Level	Low	Moderate	Low
Training Difficulty	Moderate	Easy	Moderate
Agility	Moderate	High	High
Travel Compatibility	Medium	Low	Low
Activity	Moderately Active	Moderately Active	Moderately Active
Compatibility With Other Animals	Playful Medium	Playful Medium	Playful Medium
Household Noise Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Playfulness	Balanced Playmate. British Shorthair have a balanced playfulness.	Active Adventurer. Maine Coon are quite playful and enjoy frequent play sessions.	Balanced Playmate. Norwegian Forest have a balanced playfulness.
Trainability	Moderately Trainable: British Shorthair cat breeds require more patience, repetition, and reinforcement to learn new commands and behaviors, but can still be trained successfully with consistent efforts.	Moderately Trainable: Maine Coon cat breeds require more patience, repetition, and reinforcement to learn new commands and behaviors, but can still be trained successfully with consistent efforts.	Average Trainability: Norwegian Forest cat breeds are less interested in training and obedience, but can still learn basic commands and routines with enough practice and rewards.
Lap Cat Which cat is lap type, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Yes This cat loves to sit on his owner's lap.	Yes This cat loves to sit on his owner's lap.	No This cat sits on its owner's lap less than other breeds.
Temperament Which one has a better personality, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Affectionate	Adaptable	Sweet
Adaptability Which cat has a higher adaptability potential?	British Shorthair cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Maine Coon cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Norwegian Forest cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Affection Level Which is the more affectionate cat breed: British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest?	Average to High: British Shorthair cats are highly affectionate cats.	High: Maine Coon cats are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate cats toward their handlers.	High: Norwegian Forest cats are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate cats toward their handlers.
Child Friendly Which cat is more kid-friendly, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	The British Shorthair cat is a child-friendly breed.	The Maine Coon cat is a child-friendly breed.	The Norwegian Forest cat is a child-friendly breed.
Dog Friendly Which cat is more dog-friendly, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Very dog-friendly: British Shorthair owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.	Very dog-friendly: Maine Coon owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.	Very dog-friendly: Norwegian Forest owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.
Intelligence Which cat is smarter, British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest?	Average: the British Shorthair cat has an average level of intelligence.	Outstanding: Maine Coon is one of the brightest cat breeds.	Smart: Norwegian Forest's has great intelligence.
Social Needs Which cat is more social, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Average: they need as much social interaction as the average cat.	Average: they need as much social interaction as the average cat.	Lots: this cat breed needs lots of social interaction.
Stranger Friendly Which cat is more stranger friendly, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Below average: this cat breed tends to have difficulty getting along with strangers.	Very: this cat breed gets on very well with strange people.	Average: this cat breed gets on relatively well with strangers.
Vocalization Which cat is the loudest, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Low Low vocalization cats are a category of cats that typically make less noise than other cats.	Low Low vocalization cats are a category of cats that typically make less noise than other cats.	Moderate

British Shorthair vs Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Grooming Comparison

Seasonal Shedding	Moderate	High	High
Grooming Tools Needed	Brush Nail Clipper Comb	Brush Nail Clipper Comb	Brush Comb Deshedding Tool
Dental Care	High	High	Moderate
Grooming Which is easier to groom, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Low Maintenance Occasional grooming is recommended to keep the British Shorthair coat in good condition.	Moderate Maintenance Grooming your Maine Coon cat is an essential part of caring for their health and well-being.	Moderate Maintenance Grooming your Norwegian Forest cat is an essential part of caring for their health and well-being.
Shedding Which cat sheds less, British Shorthair or Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest?	Minimal This cat breed sheds much less than the average.	High If you're looking for a cat that won't leave a trail of fur everywhere they go, you might want to rethink your choice of pet.	Moderate This cat breed is of average shedding.

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