Origin of the Egyptian Mau

The exact origin of the Egyptian Mau is not recorded and therefore cannot be known for certain. However, the popular belief is that the Egyptian Mau is a descendent of the African Wild Cat. This belief is due to the Egyptian Mau's remarkably similar appearance to the African Wild Cats. The African Wild Cats were also known to be in the same region where the Mau first appeared. No matter how they came about, once this breed was domesticated it became indispensable.  

History of the Egyptian Mau

The Egyptian Mau is an elegant beauty that graced Ancient Egyptian art as early as 2200 B.C. Throughout most of the Ancient Egyptian timeline, these cats were seen as both loving companions to be treasured and valuable protectors to be honoured & revered. Egyptian Maus were originally trained to hunt prey, such as birds & fish, and return the bounty to their humans. They were also taught to guard crops by keeping away small animals that would disturb them. Cats were held in such high regard that if anyone was to be caught killing a cat in this period, they would be immediately stoned to death for their crime.

The Silver Screen: 

In July 2004, the Egyptian Mau hit the big screen in the major motion picture Catwoman. Although the movie was subject to bad reviews and a low box office intake, Midnight, a Silver Egyptian Mau, had a most notable performance of the cast. Midnight is said to have done her own stunts in all but one scene. This is something not commonly seen with cats in the computer age. 

Appearance in General: 

The correct Egyptian Mau should look evenly balanced with an overall medium size. The ears should rest well back on the head with sufficient space between them. The eyes should be large & almond shaped. Gooseberry green is the only acceptable eye colour. The shoulder blades should be visible and stand up higher than the back line. A loose skin on the stomach, or "belly flap" is highly desirable. The tail should be medium at the base, and have a slight taper as it extends outwards. The back legs are higher than the front legs, but the Egyptian Mau should walk evenly regardless, these powerful legs allow the Egyptian Mau to reach speeds of over 30 miles per hour. 

The Egyptian Mau showcases a scarab, or an "M" on their forehead. The scarab turns into dorsal stripes at the back of the head and flows down to the tip of the tail in a dark, unbroken line. The tail also sports bands perpendicular to the dorsal stripe. At least one broken necklace should appear on the chest of the Egyptian Mau. 

The Egyptian Mau's spots do not need to make a pattern. They may be small and round, large & oblong or a combination in between. Their spots should never make any type of tabby or mackerel pattern, and connected spots are undesirable. The ears may also have lynx tips without penalisation. 

Egyptian Mau Colours: 

The Egyptian Mau is recognised in five colours: Silver, Smoke, Bronze, Blue & Black. The latter two are not recognised for competition in cat shows, but are allowed to be registered for breeding purposes only, and just like any Mau, make fantastic pets.

Only A Mau

Other than their unique background, the Egyptian Mau has several key physical differences that set them apart from other spotted cats. One of the most noticeable differences is the breed's spotting requirement. The spots of an Egyptian Mau can be completely random & in all shapes & sizes; however, they should never have rosettes or a marble or striped pattern, which resembles some Bengals. Although the Ocicat looks highly similar to the Egyptian Mau, their spots are to be large, well scattered, and thumb print shaped (as the breed standard dictates).

While the coat is somewhat similar, the Ocicat in general is a larger cat that outweighs the Egyptian Mau. The head of an Ocicat favours a squarer muzzle, where the Egyptian Mau's muzzle should be rounded. The eyes are set farther apart on an Ocicat than on the Mau. Ocicats are allowed to have any eye colour, except blue, whereas the Egyptian Mau must have gooseberry green. Another give away of the Egyptian Mau is their belly flap. The belly flap is only a desired trait in the Egyptian Mau, and is considered a fault in most other spotted breeds.

Purrsonality: 

While the breed standard calls for an even tempered feline, many Egyptian Maus are anything but that. It tends to be the Egyptian Mau's nature to be fearful & gun shy, hiding under furniture when company arrives. Breeders must take great strives to over compensate for this with a lot of early, hands on socialisation during kittenhood. Many Mau kittens need this treatment to become loving, well adjusted cats. Those cats who do not receive this sort of care are known to growl, scratch & hiss when a new or uncomfortable situation comes about. The cats do not receive proper socialisation, however make the best living companions that are compatible in their loyalty to the best of dogs. 

Unlike many breeds that only deal with their humans when they're hungry, the Egyptian Mau is always seeking company. The average Mau is quite clingy with his/her owners, some will take only to one member of the family, while others will take over the entire household. Whichever way it goes, once the Mau has bonded, he/she will be your lover for life and will actively participate in anything that you are doing (whether you want them there or not). As the Egyptian Mau is incredibly intelligent, they have been known to break open closed doors by either slamming against them, or by twisting the doorknob. Privacy is a rare luxury with a Mau in the house, and often times you will hear them chortle a "welcome home" song, a "let me in" plea, or just a general speech about their day. 

Special thanks to: 

Victoria of MedjaiCatz for this profile.