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Egyptian Mau Cat – Cat Breed Guide


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Introduction

The Egyptian Mau is a short-haired cat breed that may come in small to medium sizes. Among all the cats considered as natural domestic breeds, the Egyptian Mau is one of two more popular feline breeds that are naturally spotted. The other breed is the Bahrain Dilmun Cat.

The Egyptian Mau is also considered to be the fastest of all domesticated cat breeds in the world today. Their unique limb structure provides a greater level of agility and length of stride, giving the Egyptian Maus as a top speed of 30 miles per hour or 48 kilometers per hour. Cats of this breed are somewhat kangaroo-like in movement. Unlike other cats that commonly land on four feet, the Egyptian Mau often lands on their back feet especially after taking a leap. This is because of the unique structure of the cat’s legs, with the hind limbs longer than the front legs.

Other distinguishable physical traits of the Egyptian Maus that made these cats famous world-wide are the “Scarab Beetle” or “M” markings on their foreheads. The ones with the “M” markings are commonly bred in the United States. This cat breed is also famous for having a Cheetah-like skin fold under its belly. This is one of the relatively rare cat breeds in the world today.

Official Name

Egyptian Mau

The Egyptian Mau’s name gives reference to the Middle Egyptian word that is MW, which is a literal translation of the English word cat.

Origin

The Egyptian Mau is believed to be an ancient cat breed that can trace its roots in Ancient Egypt where identical-looking cats where depicted on various ancient murals and paintings. Historical accounts of the cat breed’s existence also prove that the Egyptian Maus were used by ancient Egyptians are hunters, utilizing their bird-like vocal talents to alarm the hunter where the prey is without alarming it.

Modern Egyptian Maus can trace their ancestry to the cats bred by Russian cat fancier Natalie Troubetskaya, who got her hands on the first specimen in 1952 from the Egyptian Ambassador to Italy. Ms. Troubetskaya brought the first three Egyptian Maus to the United States in the year 1956. In the US, Ms. Troubetskaya started a cattery that breeds only Egyptian Maus.

Quick FAQs

Size: The Egyptian Mau cat breed is medium in size.

Coat Type: Egyptian Maus have short hair for coats.

Body Type: The Egyptian Mau cat has a moderate body type.

Grooming Requirement: Egyptian Maus requires little grooming attention. These cats should be groomed once every few weeks.

Vocal Tendency: Egyptian Maus are very vocal cats. They vocalize like no other breeds and their voice and vocal patterns sound musical rather than cat meows. Maus can chirp and chortle and also let out other distinct vocal sounds depending on the cat’s mood and the stimulant.

Energy Levels: Mau cats have an activity level that is very high compared to the average cat breed.

Time Alone: Egyptian Maus are cats that will require 4 to 8 hours of alone time every day.

Care: The Egyptian Mau will need lots of attention from their human owners and can be a handful when it comes to handling.

History

The Egyptian Mau is a domesticated cat breed that is famously thought of having originated in Egypt. Breeders around the world commonly believed that this particular cat breed may have direct roots to the African wild cat, the progenitor of all modern domestic cats. This is primarily because of the murals and wall painting dating as far back as the time of Ancient Egyptians that depict very similar looking cats.

Actually, the modern Egyptian Maus have DNA that traces them to have originated in Europe and North America. It is more related to the Maine Coon, American Turkish Angoras and the Korat breed rather than the ancient Egyptian cats. Furthermore, the Egyptian Mau is not considered as Eastern of ancestry and commonly grouped under the Western bred cat groups.

Today’s Egyptian Maus are descendants of the cats that were developed originally in Italy during the year 1952. Russian Natalie Troubetskaya was introduced to the cat personally owned by the Egyptian Ambassador to Italy. With the help of the Egyptian Ambassador, Ms. Troubetskaya got her hands on several cats of this type and began the process of breeding them. She selectively bred the cats to produce a somewhat “troubled” appearance, possessing round eyes and open facial expression.

When Ms. Troubetskaya immigrated to the United States in 1956, she brought three Egyptian Maus from her original stock and used the three specimens as the foundation stock in the cattery she opened in the US. By the 1960s, the Egyptian Mau underwent some inbreeding and out crossing to various North American cat breeds to populate the very small genetic pool. These inbreeding and outcrosses were selectively done to produce the ideal temperament that has been an occurring problem to some bloodlines of Maus. By the year 1968, the Egyptian Mau gained its first official recognition as a distinct breed from the Cat Fancier’s Federation or CFF, followed by the Canadian Cat Association. By 1977, the Cat Fancier’s Association recognizes and accepted the Egyptian Mau as a Championship Breed. Today, all major international feline associations fully recognize the Mau.

In Britain, an attempt to create Mau like cats using the Abyssinian cats, Siamese cats and other tabby-type cats for the foundation stock. This cross-breeding is somewhat of a failure as specimens produce from the stock did not remotely resemble the original Mau. Instead, this stock was the foundation basis for another cat breed, the Ocicat.

Personality

An Egyptian Mau is a domestic cat that will display its naturally fierce loyalty, devotion and friendliness towards their human family. So loyal are these cats to their owners that Egyptian Maus are known not to talk to any stranger! This cat has a hunting history and inherited the love of fetching! The Egyptian Mau just enjoys activities that resemble a hunting expedition!

Among the Egyptian Mau’s famous traits are their musical voices as this cat is known to chirp and chortle and also lets out other distinct vocal sounds depending on the cat’s mood and the stimulant. These cats are not overly vocal but will vocalize if the situation needs it. When Egyptian Maus are happy, they express it through a joyous vocal sound as well as wiggling their tail. These cats are also famous for changing their facial expressions and eye color according to their mood!

Standards

Appearance
Egyptian Maus are cats that display a perfect balance of the Burmese compact built and the elegance of a Siamese cat’s slim and slender physique. These cats have muscular bodies that are medium in length with their hind legs longer in length that the front limbs. This unique leg formation gives the Egyptian Mau a distinctive tiptoe-standing appearance. Another very distinctive physical trait is the unique spots on their coats that come in large or small and various shapes and combinations.

General
The modern Egyptian Mau cats are active and colorful coated cats that come in medium sizes. These cats are elegantly slender but very muscularly built. They are unique among all other cat breeds in their group for having a very unusual leg structure with their hind legs longer that those of their front limbs. These cats also have unique spots and a skin fold located under their bellies. It is believed that this Cheetah-like skin folds aides the Egyptian Cat when running, allowing wider strides as the legs can stretch back farther than the average cat.

Body
The Egyptian Mau cat breed has a body that is medium in length, displaying graceful proportions as well as a well-developed muscular body that is strong. There’s a loose skin flap that extends from the side of the body to the hind limb. This particular loose skin enables the Egyptian Mau to stride in greater lengths and gives them impressive agility while doing so.

Head, Ears and Eyes
Egyptian Maus are cats with heads that are medium in length and have a slightly rounded wedge shape with no flat planes and the cheeks are not full. These cats have ears that are medium to large in size. Their ears give an alert expression and have a moderately pointed appearance. When it comes to the eyes, Egyptian Maus have large and very alert eyes that are almond in shape with a slight slant towards the ear. The aperture of the eyes is not round or oriental in feature. It comes in a light green color that is often called gooseberry green.

Coat and Tail
Egyptian Mau cats have medium-long tails that are thick at the base and slightly tapering. These cats have medium-length coats with a very lustrous sheen. Coat texture depends on the cat’s color which comes in Smoke Color, the coat type that has a silky and fine texture; Silver and Bronze Color, the coat type that has a dense and resilient texture.

Color
Egyptian Mau cats come in Silver, Bronze and Smoke coat colors.

Health

Egyptian Maus are very sensitive when it comes to medicines. They are very sensitive to all kinds of anesthesia. This cat breed is also sensitive to temperatures and will prefer warmer climates.

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