Egyptian Mau | Cat Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

The Egyptian mau is an athletic and elegant looking cat characterized by a random mottled pattern. It is said that the Mau have an exclusive “worry” look. This facial expression results from large green currant eyes located straight below the frown and between the parallel lines of the nose.

This Egyptian cat is one of the oldest breeds, living next to a man, giving him his affection and love, helping to always be in a good mood.

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Cats of the Egyptian Mau are harmoniously composed, they have a medium-sized body, flexible, with well-developed muscles. The straight legs are medium long, the hind legs are slightly longer than the front ones, and there is a fold of skin on the stomach of the hind legs, which is believed to help Egyptian Mau to take a wide step and develop high speed while running, because these cats are the fastest of domestic cats.

Male – Female: average size: 5-6 kg

• The head of the Egyptian Mau is wedge-shaped, very harmonious – no excessive roundness or unnecessary sharpness is observed. There is a visible bump in the nose area:
• The size of the ears of Egyptians is medium or large. They are set high, pointed at the ends, tassels are allowed, ears are set on alert, the ears are covered with short hair;
• The description of eye color in the breed standard is limited to “young gooseberry”. Although unripe berries can not always please owners of young animals. From 8 to 18 months, some kittens change their eye color, but after a year and a half, Mau eyes should only be green!
• The body of the Egyptian Mau cat is compact, graceful and strong. Mau has a loose skin fold on her stomach, thanks to which Egyptian beauties can take a wider step than other feline beauties.
• Members are average. The hind limbs are longer than the front ones, but due to the special gait the back always looks even. Legs slightly oval, on the hind legs the fingers are longer than on the front.
• The tail is also medium, its thickness is almost the same along the entire length of the tail, only tapers towards the tip, and the tail is pointed.
• The short coat of Egyptian Mau cats is surprisingly soft and silky to the touch. It shines well in the sun and has its own characteristics – each hair has 2-3 ticking rings. Non-closing rings-collars adorn the chest of the Egyptians, transverse non-closing stripes are located on the front legs of the shoulder and the back legs of the hip.

The Egyptian Mau is often described as a well-rounded breed of cat. These are the types of cats that don’t demand your attention too much and aren’t too withdrawn. The Egyptian Mau’s personality and temperament differ from cat to cat.

No two Mau cats are the same, all have had and will have their own unique traits.

The Egyptian Mau is very famous for its playful behavior. This exotic cat will enjoy the company of other pets, including dogs!

One of their unique characteristics is the ability to communicate with their owners while making different sounds.

These cats need lots of mental stimulation, so make sure you have toys for your pet.

So, if you’re interested in adopting a fun-loving Egyptian Mau, rest assured that with the right socialization, you can get a friendly kitten that’s perfect for the whole family.

Egyptian Mau breeders are often faced with hereditary diseases of cats. This is due to the fact that initially the gene pool of the breed was very limited.

The most common hereditary diseases are asthma and cardiomyopathy. Therefore, it is important to create conditions for the animal where cleanliness prevails and there are no smokers.

The Egyptian Mau does not require special care. Weekly brushing and buffing with suede leather is enough to keep their coat looking good and shiny. It is also important to regularly check the ears and clean them if necessary.

To meet their exercise needs, be sure to get them cat lanyards.

• The representatives of the breed have a developed hunting instinct, so you will have to monitor the safety of birds and rodents within a radius of several meters.
• Egyptian Mau treat all family members with tenderness and love, and especially the person who is considered the master.
• This breed is not sociable: Egyptian Mau rarely emit loud meows and like to “share” their opinion with the help of purring.
• Egyptian Mau cats do a good job with the forced loneliness and do not play pranks in the absence of the owner.
• Unlike most cats, Egyptian Mau cats are water-loving and will accompany you whenever possible while taking a bath.
• Animals easily find common language with other pets; they are no less friendly towards children.
• Egyptian Mau feels uncomfortable in a small apartment, as they prefer to “live in a big way.”
• Cats are unpretentious in care, but their maintenance is quite costly.

The Egyptians not only loved cats, but also worshiped them. In The Book of the Dead, Ra, the Sun God, is depicted as a spotted cat with moire stripes. He is depicted in Egyptian art killing the serpent Apep. In many Egyptian works, a scarab is depicted on the cat’s forehead. In fact, the mark that resembles a scarab is a feature of its natural color. Perhaps this was one of the main reasons for the worship of these cats by the ancient Egyptians.

In 1953, a certain noble lady returned to Italy from Egypt, bringing with her a moire cat. Then this cat was mated with a moire male of the same breed, also brought to Italy from Egypt, this time by the Syrian ambassador. In 1956, the offspring of this original pair were brought to the United States of America by this lady, giving rise to the Egyptian Mau breed. “Mau”, translated from Egyptian, means “cat”.

Further breeding of the breed in the United States of America led to the emergence of cats that resembled the ancient Egyptian striped moire cats. As a breed, the Egyptian Mau was recognized in 1958 in the United States of America and 1992 in Europe.