Meet our new ambassador, Tigris the Norwegian forest cat!
We are so happy that you are part of the petgood family! Can you tell us a little more about yourselves, Emmanuel and Tigris?
I am 55 years old, married with four children and two grandchildren. IP SE*Avivaz Laavloe or Tigris as we call him, is a 2 year old Norwegian Forest Cat (NFO n09 23) with an impressive pedigree. Before he was castrated, he was mated twice and had nine offspring.
Have you always been interested in cats and especially Norwegian forest cats?
In the family we have had a dog; a Great Dane, and cats. Before Tigris, we had another cat (mix with Norwegian forest cat) who reached the age of 14 years.
I like the breed because of the nice qualities they have, a kind and loving cat. It is a muscular and strong breed with beautiful fur. Norwegian forest cats are affectionate and attach themselves to their owners, a real family cat. I must note the importance of finding a good breeder, which is often more difficult than finding the cat itself. But when we found Tigris, it was love at first sight.
Please tell us more about your and Tigris’ interests?
Nature is an important part of my life, and we live near the forest. Natural environments have a positive impact on well-being in terms of mood, stress and ability to concentrate. My positive feelings increase from being out in nature with my cat.
It is thanks to the breeder that we were introduced to the show world. Thus began my interest. My ambition is to be able to show a healthy and well-being cat in exhibitions. Today I am involved in the Skogkattslingan, which is a non-profit independent interest association, which works for the Norwegian Forest Cat in Sweden.
What tips can you give to a cat owner who is interested in exhibiting their cat? How do you prepare?
The preparation is continuous and long-term, a foundation of good nutrition, exercise, fur care and social contact. Good nutrition combined with physical activity means that the cat grows well and feels good. It also provides nourishment so that the coat is good, creates fewer hairballs and better balance in the stomach. Playing and social contact with others makes the cat feel loved and safe in the exhibition context. The cat must be in such good condition already beforehand, so that only small details remain before the exhibition.
A couple of days before the exhibition begins, the last preparations begins which broadly includes cleaning the ears, trimming nails, bathing and thorough fur care. The fur is degreased, shampooed, dried/blow-dried, brushed and trimmed if necessary. On a Norwegian Forest Cat, the fur should be rough and glossy but not soft.
If you want to start exhibiting, talk to your breeders, contact the cat club or interest association for the breed or visit a cat show. On social media there are many communities, online events where you can ask questions and learn more. Everyone wants the best for their fur babies. There is no better place to start!
How did you get in touch with petgood? What made you try it?
We noticed that Tigris didn't like his food and I started looking at other options. Petgood's ad piqued my interest. My daughter, a graduate from Örebro University, had told me about edible insects as an alternative protein source. I decided to give it a try.
And Tigris loved his petgood food! I read more about the research on insects in pet food to get my own opinion about the product, its health benefits but also petgood's goals and values as a company. The fact that petgood is a Swedish company that actively works to reduce the climate impact, here a sustainable thinking, made the choice easier to take the step and try cat food from petgood. Win-win for everyone, I think.
How long has Tigris been eating petgood and how has he been doing since the switch?
Tigris has been eating petgood for a couple of months now. He is a big and tall cat of 2 years with his 8.3 kg. On the scale, Boby Condition Scale, he has a perfect score: 5. His coat quality is very good, almost no tangles, no vomiting, stomach is doing good, toilet visits are perfect with solid poops!
Finally, do you have anything extra pawsome to tell us about Tigris?
When we are in the country, he hunts dragonflies all day. Even then we knew he would love petgood! When he was a kitten, he managed to fall into the lake, not once but twice. He usually sleeps on the bridge and in his sleep he rolls from one side to the other. However, he was too close to the edge this time and he ended up in the water. The second time we think it was due to him chasing a dragonfly in his sleep... You could say he learned the hard way!
