This Is Pepper, The Most Majestic Norwegian Forest Cat You Have Ever Seen

It was March of 2018 when Camilla from Norway lost her heart to an 8-week-old kitten she found online. The cat was a Norwegian Forest cat who was looking for someone to adopt him. Camilla saw his photo that captivated her. In it, his head was slightly tilted and a pair of the most beautiful eyes stared at her.

“I was completely sold,” Camilla told Bored Panda. “A few moments later, [there was no question about it]. Me and my boyfriend Sondre were going to become cat owners. In May, we brought home the sweetest little ball of fur. He made us so happy.”

They called the little guy Pepper and made an Instagram account to show and keep his kitten days.

About six months later, the couple decided to get Pepper a friend. “We could see he was bored while we were working on the weekdays. Both of us had always wanted a Bengal, and we hoped it would be a purrfect match. In October 2018, a tiny blue-eyed Bengal girl joined our family. She was 6-months-old and we named her Chili because of her spiciness, the combo with Pepper, and we both enjoy the Red Hot Chili Peppers.”

Eventually, Camilla and Sondre got a third cat. They drove 11 hours to the other side of the country to pick up a 14-week-old Maine Coon, thus completing their pack.

They call her Limo. “(Almost) daily, we’re asked why our third kitty has a name unlike the two others,” Camilla said. “The fact is, she doesn’t! She is actually named after a hot chili pepper called Lemon Drop, Limo for short.”

Pepper immediately took on a parental role; protecting her and showing her around the house.

“Pepper is the calm and wise one, like an old soul. He’s a little stubborn (like his mom), but he has a heart of gold,” Camilla explained.

“Chili is the spicy one, a typical Bengal; very talkative, active, and smart. At home, she goes by the name FOMO – she really has the fear of missing out, following us around wherever we go. She’s always in the mood for a good play. Oh, and food. She’s always hungry.”

Limo, on the other hand, is amazingly sweet and inquisitive. “She greets us every day by ‘cleaning’ the windows in our hallway. She’s also very talkative, like her sister. She always appreciates a good belly rub and often drowns her toys in the water bottle. She’s also a good climber, both outside, in the woods, and in our house.”

As you’ve probably already seen, Camilla and Sondre go into the wild with their cats. “Both we and the cats love to spend time outside, in winter and summer,” the woman said. “We started walking them in a harness and with leashes from an early age so that they would be comfortable with exploring new places as grownups.”

The space around the family’s home is perfect for adventures. Their home is at the end of a quiet street and their first neighbour is actually a huge forest. “Most of our photos are actually shot just 10-20 meters (33-66 ft) from our house.”

Last summer, Camilla and Sondre made a brave decision to allow their kittens to wander around freely. “This is a very common practice in Norway, and the cats have lots of kitty-friends to play with in the neighbourhood. Luckily, they spend more time in the forest than exploring the streets.” However, the couple did undertake additional safety measures and to keep their mind at peace they got GPS trackers for all three of their cats.

“The cats love freedom, and we can clearly see how happy they are after our decision.”