Egyptian Mau: Cats and Males

Egyptian Mau – these are spots, a "scarab" between the ears, and neat makeup with black eyeliner. They are graceful and elegant, tender, expressive, and have a look that is incomparable. This cat breed is rare and expensive. We've prepared a detailed description of the Egyptian Mau breed: its personality, care, and nutrition tips, its origin story, owner reviews, and a kitten price overview.

Content

1 History of the breed's origin
2 Description of the breed
3 Character
- 3.1 Cohabitation with other pets
4 Reviews of the breed
5 Maintenance, care and diet
6 Health and life expectancy
7 Choosing a kitten and price
- 7.1 Why do some kittens look fluffy?
8 Photos

History of the breed's origin

The Egyptian Mau is rightfully considered a descendant of the sacred cats of the ancient Egyptians, the Nubian cats.

According to legend, Nubian cats descended from African wildcats, which lived alongside humans at the time. They guarded the ancient Egyptians' households from mice and snakes, leading their owners to encourage them and keep them in their homes. Mau is the common name for cats in ancient Egypt, which they got from their loud pronunciation of the word "Ma-a-a-u."

The modern history of the Egyptian Mau began 100 years ago, when Italian, French, and Swiss cat breeders decided to recreate the ancient breed and brought a spotted shorthair from Egypt. Unfortunately, World War II put a damper on these breeders' noble endeavors, wiping out almost the entire population.

It was fortunate that after the war, the Russian princess Natalie Trubetskaya was living in Italy and had a good relationship with the Syrian ambassador. One day, while visiting, she saw this breed of cat at his estate and was simply captivated by their beauty. It was the Syrian ambassador who helped the princess acquire Egyptian Mau cats directly from Cairo. These were: a black cat named Gregorio, a smoke-colored cat named Gappa, and a silver cat named Lilu. Later, when the princess moved to America with her pets, she did everything possible to register her "Fatima" cattery and her 10 Egyptian Mau cats. Several breeders in the United States later took up the breed. To this day, Americans remain the leading specialists in this breed, with the largest number of cats.

The descendants of cats from the Fatima cattery proudly bear the name “Traditional Original Line”.

Three color patterns were officially registered: smoky, silver, and bronze. In each litter, only those individuals whose color pattern could be seen in depictions on the walls of ancient Egyptian temples were selected.

In 1977 breed It was recognized by the CFA. A little later, it qualified for the TICA Championship. This breed is rare and expensive, making it quite challenging to acquire a purebred Egyptian Mau.

For a detailed description of the Egyptian Mau breed, watch the video:

Description of the breed

Egyptian cats exude strength and grace. They are agile and graceful, with a beautiful spotted coat and striking distinguishing features—a pattern between the ears known as a "scarab beetle" and dark "arrows" extending outward from the eyes. Below, we've prepared a detailed description of the Egyptian Mau breed.

Head and muzzle

The cat's head is shaped like a rounded wedge, with a slight curve between the forehead and nose. The ears are wide at the base, set wide apart, and slightly pointed at the top. Tufts are even possible. The beautiful, large, almond-shaped eyes are likely what first captivated Princess Natalie Trubetskaya, who made this breed so beloved.

The color of the iris is green or, as breeders like to say, the color of a young gooseberry.

The Mau's muzzle has rounded contours; in adult cats, slightly more pronounced jaws are acceptable. The nose is straight along its entire length and width.

Body, paws, tail

Egyptian Maus have an elegant, medium-sized body with strong muscles. A loose fold of skin between the hind legs on the belly allows for a longer stride and high agility. The legs are medium in length and proportionate to the body. The paws are small. The tail is medium in length and thickness, with a pointed, spike-shaped tip.

Wool

Egyptian Mau cats are shorthaired cats with elastic, fairly soft hair that lies close to the body. Smoke cats have a silkier coat, with virtually no undercoat.

Colors and markings

There are three acceptable colors for Egyptian Mau	Mandatory markings of the Egyptian Mau	Goals of Egyptian Mau Breeders
Silver – a light gray or gray base color with contrasting markings ranging from dark gray to black. The eye rims, nose, and mouth are black. Bronze – the base color is dark brown, fading to a lighter shade toward the belly. The markings are dark brown. Smoke – base color ranges from dark gray to almost black with a silver undercoat, but without ticking. Markings are black and clearly visible.	Two lines from the middle of the cheek and eye go to the lower edge of the ear One or more broken "necklaces" on the neck An M-shaped mark on the forehead On the W-shaped one, also called a "scarab" between the ears The back and sides are marked exclusively with spots; they should not merge into a single line. Spots are also required on the belly.	Achieve a clear speckle without vertical marks Get rid of triangular spots, leave only oval and round ones Get the perfect contrast between the design and the background

Character

The Egyptian Mau has a balanced personality, is intelligent, and understanding. Those familiar with the breed claim that they are fiercely loyal cats. While they are reluctant to interact with strangers, they are very affectionate with their owners, adoring them and trying to involve them in all their activities. Egyptian Mau cats typically bond closely with one or two family members and remain devoted to them for life. They are intelligent cats, very curious, and love to play with anything.

They especially enjoy playing games that simulate hunting. Catching small rodents is a serious matter for them—a trait they've inherited from their ancestors.

Egyptian Maus aren't particularly talkative; if they want to eat or drink, they'll try their best to explain it to you in a quiet voice or simply show you. In the house, they prefer elevated positions from which they can easily observe everything going on in their territory. They can learn to open doors and drawers on their own, so don't hide toys behind closed doors—they'll get them anyway. Most enjoy playing with water—some simply splash their paws in the water, while others enjoy drinking from the tap.

Cohabitation with other pets

When it comes to living with other animals, it's difficult to predict the behavior of Egyptian cats. They usually get along well with felines. They're less likely to get along with dogs, and small rodents and birds will always remain prey for them.

Reviews of the breed

Egyptian Maus are known for their even-tempered and calm nature. They are quite playful and become very attached to their owners, but they are also happy to be left alone and find something to occupy themselves with. Below are some owner reviews of the breed:

Egyptian women try to be the center of attention, participate in all household chores, or involve others in their concerns.

These cats often exhibit a passion for playing with water, which is rare for their family.

They're hardly vocal, but they're not silent either. Mau communicate their feelings through a range of soft and quiet sounds.

These cats are quite intelligent and agile; they quickly adapt to new conditions, get used to the family lifestyle, and remember important rules.

Mau are good in all respects, both in appearance and character; perhaps their only drawback is the price.

Maintenance, care and diet

Egyptian Maus can live in apartments, but it's important to remember that they are very active cats and will be bored even in spacious apartments without a play structure and a few toys. This breed has a strong hunting instinct; they love to watch birds and hunt insects, so screens on windows are essential. If given the opportunity to go outside, they will certainly take advantage of it and will demand fresh air in the future.

Egyptian Mau cats are relatively easy to care for due to their short fur and virtually no undercoat. They generally groom themselves, but they appreciate regular brushing, eye cleaning, and ear cleaning. Trimming their claws is also recommended.

Keep in mind that the Egyptian Mau is an elite breed, so feeding it "just anything" is not an option. An improper and unbalanced diet can affect its coat and health. Adult cats should be fed twice a day, while pregnant cats and young kittens should be fed four times a day. Cat food can be either dry or super-premium canned.

Health and life expectancy

Like any purebred cat, Egyptian Mau cats have their own predispositions to illnesses.

The most common hereditary diseases include asthma and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Representatives of the breed are often predisposed to allergies. Cat breeders do everything possible to improve the health of their cats and their cats, but some health issues still persist.

It's important for owners to remember to take timely preventative measures. Vaccinations and deworming are mandatory, even for cats that never go outside.

Egyptian Mau live on average 13-15 years.

Choosing a kitten and price

The Egyptian Mau is a relatively rare and expensive cat breed, unlikely to be found secondhand at the Bird Market. Recently, catteries have begun to appear in major cities across the CIS, along with those who don't engage in systematic breeding, but breed their pet-quality cats to sell kittens "purebred but without papers."

If you're interested in more than just the markings, it's worth checking the pedigree of the breeders before purchasing. Egyptian Mau kittens must have at least four generations of provenance in the studbook (CFA - eight generations). Kittens should be active and healthy, fully vaccinated, potty trained, and scratching post-trained by the time they arrive.

Why do some kittens look fluffy?

The Egyptian Mau is one of the few breeds characterized by phasing. This means that between 2 and 5 months of age, kittens develop a long guard hair, turning them into unsightly, ugly ducklings. After six months, the long hairs shed, and the quality of the coat and color become visible.

Phasing is not found in all kittens, and in the ring, kittens without transitional hair win over those with fluffier fur.

Kittens from amateur breeders will cost up to 10,000 rubles.