Did You Know?
One of the oldest cat breeds, Egyptian Mau enjoyed a highly esteemed presence in the ancient Egyptian life, including art, religion, and mythology, so much so that they were mummified upon death and worshiped as gods.
Size
Medium-sized cats, weighing 8-12 pounds
Coat
Short, silky smooth
Color
Silver, bronze, and smoke are the common colors of the Egyptian Mau
Life Span
9-13 years
With a striking spotted coat pattern, the Egyptian Mau is a very strong active cat with large gooseberry green eyes. Fiercely loyal to their pet parents, the cat will easily become an affectionate member of your family. The highly interactive cats live for 9-13 years.
Physical Characteristics of Egyptian Mau
The Mau is a long cat, with a medium-sized, strong muscular body. His spotted coat in bronze, silver, or smoke is the most striking characteristic of his personality. Iconic large almond-shaped eyes studded on his triangular-shaped head give it a beautiful look. With a gentle spotted profile, Egyptian Mau boasts a glossy, silky soft, medium-sized coat. Natural spots on his coat cover the tabby’s entire body, with natural M-shaped tabby markings on his face, tail, and extremities.
Their two characteristic “mascara” lines on each cheek give them a distinctive look. While one mascara line begins at the corner of their eye, the other one follows along the contour of the cheek.
Signature coat profile is the hallmark of the cat breed. It is well adored for its vivid random spotting all over the cat body in bronze, silver, black or smoke. The spotting in one Mau may be round or oblong and differ from one tabby to another. The color of spots varies greatly. It is these characteristics that make an Egyptian Mau clearly distinctive from other cat breeds and easy to spot.
They have longer back legs that support a wider range of motion, helping them take longer strides and when running.
Some members of this feline family have a flap of loose skin, extending from the abdomen to the knees on the hind legs. Mau is a highly athletic cat, who is a great jumper and climber. Do not be surprised if your Mau creates her own perch atop the refrigerator or on bookcases.
Personality and Temperament of Egyptian Mau
Egyptian May is a playful, intelligent cat breed that loves fetch toys and similar activities that imitate their predator or hunting behavior. They can easily solve puzzle toys. The naturally athletic tabby is known for being a skillful predator if given an opportunity to venture outside.
Egyptian Maus are smart enough to figure out sneak in drawers or open doors. Often dubbed as the Greyhounds of the feline community, Maus are built like a cheetah and can imitate them in speed, moving extremely fast often at speeds of 30 miles per hour.
The loving and affectionate cat breed is fiercely loyal to and possessive of their favorite person in the house. They are affectionate of all those who adore them and treat them with respect. Egyptian Maus are shy of strangers.
They love to splash and play with water. They are happy to dip their paw in a bathtub, and if they find an aquarium, they won’t hesitate to jump into it for a water splash. Be prepared to turn off running faucets as your favorite tabby might just turn on the taps for a water playing session.
They are happy being on the floor and are not too fond of being carried around. They will sit with you when they want to and will vocalize their pleasure and displeasure. Though the Maus are not chatty cats, they express their happiness in a quiet, melodious voice. They express their distress when upset or hungry in a variety of noises. To express their different kinds of emotions, they move their tails while making a hissing sound and knead their front paws.
You may want to introduce them slowly to new pets in a controlled setting, though they easily become friends with cat-friendly pets.
Health and Care of Egyptian Mau
The Egyptian Mau is an easy-going cat, who gets along well with young kids. As an active and playful cat breed, the cat shows enough patient to the pranks of toddlers. However, the cat is better suited for young school-age kids who treat him with respect. The cat too loves to match their energy level and play prowess.
When it comes to care, you will find that the Egyptian Mau loves being pampered with regular brushing of their silky smooth and glossy coat. Shedding is common with this cat breed. Regular brushing and combing can help reduce the risk of development of hairballs. Additionally, this is the best way to remove dead hair and distribute skin oils.
Although they are a generally healthy cat breed, the Egyptian Mau may suffer from leukodystrophy, which is a neurological disorder affecting kittens aged less than 7 weeks.
The Egyptian Mau has a lifespan of 9-13 years.
History and Background of Egyptian Mau
With a distinction of being the only naturally spotted domesticated cat, the Egyptian Mau is believed to be descendants of the African wild cat. In Egyptian language, the word “mau” stands for “cat.” Although the history of the origin of the Mau is obscured in mystery, legend has it that the cat breed graced ancient Egyptian temples and was revered by pharaohs and priests as a God and treasure.
Egyptian Mau is present all over in ancient Egyptian art, sculptures, and religion.
In the United States, the introduction of the cat breed dates back to 1956 when an exiled Russian princess Nathalie Troubetskoy came to the country with a few Maus accompanying her. The Cat Fanciers’ Federation recognized the breed in 1969, which got the Championship status in 1977.