The Norwegian Forest Cat is a breed of cat native to northern Europe, especially common in Norway and other parts of Scandinavia. It is said to have an extremely long history, even appearing in some Norse legends. At one stage, Norwegian Forest Cat numbers declined almost to the point of extinction, but the breed recovered and they are currently popular pets around the world. Their two-layered coat helps them survive the cold Scandinavian winters. They are also known for their long, fluffy tails and straight, long nose bridges. Norwegian Forest Cats have calm, patient, intelligent and loving temperaments. They love to play, and are good at climbing trees. In Norway they are even sometimes called "forest fairy" cats!