If you ever meet a cat that is extra fluffy and is closer in size to a small-breed dog, this is most likely your first encounter with a Norwegian forest cat. Also called skogkatt (forest cat) in Norwegian, these long-haired beauties have quite a history. Some historians believe that they were brought to Norway by traveling merchants, while others say it was the Vikings themselves who carried them home from their journeys. But whatever their origin story might be, Norwegian forest cats perfectly adapted to their new environment and thrived for centuries.