LostWoods is a small cattery breeding only Norwegian Forest Cats, located in Helena, Montana. I currently have five females and two males in my breeding program. My husband is determined to keep me from turning into a “cat lady”, so I expect the cattery will always be quite small. In addition to the Norwegian Forest Cats, I have a cat from a shelter, Zeke. 

I have always had cats in my life. Back in 1999 my daughter convinced me to adopt a kitten from one of her co-workers. We named this adorable gray puff of a kitten Cloud. He was the first new kitten I’d had in many years and, perhaps because of that, he was very special and spoiled. One day I was looking at a cat calendar and saw a cat that looked just like Cloud. It was a Norwegian Forest Cat! This prompted me to research NFCs. In the course of learning about the breed, I realized it was unlikely Cloud was any part Norwegian Forest Cat, but he sure looked and acted like one! 

When I lost Cloud in a tragic accident, I decided I wanted a NFC of my own. After doing more research and talking with a number of breeders, I bought my first girl, Meisterhaus Shira. Shira is everything I dreamed of – independent, smart, affectionate, and full of personality. She is very outgoing and doesn’t even mind the neighborhood children petting and grabbing her when we go for walks. Since then several more wonderful Wegies have joined our family.

Some of my breeding cats live with my friend Brenda Mosal. I met Brenda when she and her family bought Gwena from me. Since then we've become great friends, show road warriors, and co-owners of three male cats. I finally convinced Brenda to have her own cattery -- you can check her out at Red Canyon. We still co-own a breeding male and work closely together even though we now live 800 miles apart.

My goals as a breeder are to produce healthy cats with a wonderful, easy-going personality, as well as preserve the beauty the breed. Norwegian Forest Cats are relatively rare at cat shows in the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest. I look forward to showing my cats, not just to win ribbons, but to also introduce more of the public to this lovely breed. Check out the Show News page to see where we'll be next. 

Our kittens are raised under foot -- meaning they have run of the house once they've conquered the baby gate that keeps them in our bedroom. That usually happens around 6 weeks and then they are everywhere! The kittens are terribly spoiled and are well socialized by frequent handling by me, my family, and our visitors. 

LostWoods is registered with CFA and TICA. I am active with CFA -- as a member NFC Breed Council, as a member of Foot of the Rockies Cat Club, as a CFA Ambassador, and I often clerk at shows. I also served a tern as Breeder Division Secretary of the Norwegian Forest Cat Fancier's Association, although I have since resigned from the organization. These days, you'll find me spending time helping as the site administrator for the Norwegian Forest Cat Breed Club forum. My cats are tested for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), FeLV (feline leukemia), HCM, and GSD IV (glycogen storage disease IV) carrier status, as well as blood-typed.

For more about me and the happenings at LostWoods, visit my blog:

www.lostwoodswegies.com/wordpress

 

 

(Please note that you will see a number of photos of our cats and kittens that I've taken outside in a natural setting. The LostWoods cats do NOT go outside unsupervised! When we do go outside for pictures and occasional adventures, there is always one person and usually two watching them closely. We do have an outside, fully enclosed run to which the older cats are allowed access, but even then we check on them often.)

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