The Egyptian Mau cat is a fascinating and elegant cat, with a spotted coat, which competes with the Abyssinian as the oldest domestic cat of which a written record has been preserved.
Description and characteristics of the Egyptian Mau
Indeed, effigies of these cats, bearing both the typical Abyssinian ticking and the Mau's clear spotting, are depicted on Egyptian tombs dating back to 1567 BC. C. It is not known which of the two was then the cat of the Pharaohs, equally loved by the people and precious - a great hunter, he saved the gigantic granaries on which the economy of the time depended from the assaults of rodents - to the point of being protected by severe laws and venerated as a deity like a goddess Bastet, represented under the features of a cat.
The only certainty is that both breeds, originating from the same region, were absolutely natural, that is, they were not created by man. The historian Diodorus writes that the Egyptians prepared for him a "delicious meal" which consisted of bread soaked in milk with minced fish. Moreover, he was the favorite cat of Chepea, goddess of creation, because his forehead was decorated with a sacred scarab.
Very affectionate cat, his attachment to his master is so strong and absolute that he seems never to leave his eyes, always attentive to his smallest changes of mood. It is reserved but capable of tender impulses of affection towards its master. In general, he is not very sociable with strangers because he tends to reserve his friendship for people he knows. It adapts to all those who are under the spell of the past and who like felines with a docile and faithful temperament. It is a true domestic cat: it loves the tranquility of the house and the one who has chosen it as a companion. It does not need special care or attention because it can also be independent.
The origins of the Egyptian Mau cat
Before the Second World War, the Egyptian Mau cat was rather widespread in Europe, especially in Italy, France, and Switzerland, but as for all the cats, the vicissitudes of the war provoked these countries its total disappearance. A Russian princess who lived in Rome, Natalie Troubetskoï, even used diplomatic channels to obtain a male cat of this breed (whose export was forbidden) to mate with his female in 1953.
From this couple descend all the current Egyptian Mau, which spread even in the United States when, in 1956, the princess moved there and were, since she considered the suffix Mau, cat in Egyptian, superfluous, they were known at first only under the name of Egyptian. In 1977, the CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association) recognized the breed, which was presented at shows and, as a result, was even more successful on the other side of the Atlantic.
The ideal cat
The morphology of the Egyptian Mau cat is elegant and mysterious, almost statuesque: its silhouette appears long and slender; of medium size, its musculature is well developed. The head, slightly rounded and never pointed, is triangular with full cheeks. The chin is strong, and the straight profile has a slight curve from the tip of the nose to the forehead. The ears are medium to large, slightly pointed, broad at the base, and set wide apart. The eyes are almond-shaped and very large; their color must be light green, although a slight amber shade is tolerated until the age of one and a half.
The body is of medium size and muscular; the legs are in proportion to the body and well developed. The hind legs are slightly shorter than the front ones; the feet are small and their shape is a compromise between round and oval. The tail is long and slightly tapered near the rounded tip; it should have well-marked rings spaced between them.
The coat, of medium length, is silky, abundant, and soft to the touch; its texture is very fine. The coat has stripes of different colors - ticking - in a fish scale pattern that is typical of the breed, with a clear contrast between the light colors of the background and the darker colors of the markings. The "M" pattern on the forehead is characteristic; it continues on the neck in parallel lines that meet at the end of the spine, forming a single band that continues to the tip of the tail. The cheeks, the base of the neck, the chest, and the legs have well-defined stripes; the body is scattered with spotted markings of different sizes.
The color of the coat
The accepted colors are silver, brown and black smoke.
The character
The Egyptian Mau is a cat with a lively intelligence, reserved and almost shy; in spite of this, he socializes well with his fellow cats who should not risk molesting him, under penalty of seeing him react violently. Very affectionate towards everyone, he tends to stick his nose everywhere and is a very good playmate; with his master, to whom he is very faithful, he establishes a relationship based on trust and an almost exclusive love.
His meow, which he emits only when he wants to obtain something, is docile and discreet, which cannot really be said of his solid appetite.
The Mau has the typical characteristic of the true feline: agile and leaping, it is a very good hunter. This quality allows him to be completely autonomous. Despite the independence he shows, in "captivity" he is friendly and good company and this makes him a very good domestic cat.
Cuddly:
The Egyptian Mau will be very affectionate, mainly with its humans. In fact, he needs cuddles, but almost exclusively from the human with whom he is mainly bonded.
Player:
A skilled hunter, this feline will want to play a lot! And pounce, and run...
Calm:
Yet, it has a reputation for being the perfect house cat, who likes peace and quiet.
Intelligent:
Originally a working cat (he used to hunt vermin from the attics on the banks of the Nile), this characteristic necessary for his survival has obviously remained with him. Very good observer, he also learns very quickly.
Fearful/distrustful of strangers:
He would have a small tendency to be wary of strangers, preferring humans he knows. It is thus necessary to leave him time to adapt.
Independent:
His physical and intellectual abilities make him perfectly autonomous in all aspects. But he will still seek the presence of his human!
Behavior
Talkative:
Moderately talkative, however, his voice is known to be melodious.
Greedy/gluttonous:
Beware of his voracious appetite! It should not develop overweight.
Need for exercise :
A small athlete, this feline needs heights to be able to pounce, and play periods to be able to expend energy.
Runaway:
Closely related to its human, it is not known to run away, but its curiosity can still drive it to explore.
Compatibility
The Egyptian Mau with Dogs:
Compatibility with dogs is very possible, as long as you make a good introduction and give him time to get used to this new presence. Having many heights also allows the cat to be inaccessible while being in the same room.
The Egyptian Mau with other cats:
A good introduction is also necessary, but as a general rule, it gets along well with other feline individuals.
The Egyptian Mau with Children:
This cat will love children, but it should not be forgotten that it also likes the calm and that it can be a little distant, even fearful, towards the novelty. Installing height points will allow him to decide if he wants interaction or not.
The Egyptian Mau with the elderly:
Because he likes calmness, he can be compatible with a calmer person, but it should not be forgotten that he also likes to play and climb in height.
Price
The Egyptian Mau is a breed considered rare, and its price can be explained by this rarity. The average price for a kitten destined to the company is about 1000€, while for a cat destined to reproduce, the average is rather 1500€ and more.
In order to provide for its needs, a monthly budget of about 30€ is required.
Maintenance
Grooming :
Easy to maintain, a simple weekly brushing is sufficient. A chamois leather can also be used to shine the coat more. It is recommended to pay some attention to its teeth. Thus, a daily brushing of the teeth will be greatly beneficial to him.
Hair loss:
Although he has a certain amount of hair, he does not shed excessively. An adequate food quality and weekly brushing will still help in this sense.
Food
It is important to choose the right food for this cat to limit its overweight, while making sure to meet its needs as a moderately active cat.
Care
The Egyptian Mau adapts very easily to life in an apartment because it does not feel the need to live in an open space, even if it does not disdain lying down on a terrace to sunbathe. The Mau's owner must not forget that it is a delicate cat because it suffers from temperature changes. That's why it needs special care and attention during the change of season. It requires only minimal maintenance: a weekly brushing is sufficient.
Health
Life expectancy:
While it can live up to 17-18 years, the average is more around 14 years.
Resistant / robust:
The Egyptian Mau is rather intolerant to temperature changes. It may need additional care during the change of seasons.
Tendency to grow:
If we are not careful, we can be prone to overweight. This will require proper nutrition and sufficient daily exercise periods.
Common Diseases:
There are no officially listed genetic diseases in this breed. Only anecdotes or pathologies present in specific lines are reported:
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, a heart disease, is somewhat more present in the traditional lineage
- Leukodystrophy, a disease that affects the white matter of the brain, is also possibly a little more frequent in the Egyptian Mau, although it remains very rare
- Umbilical hernias, a phenomenon caused by the abdominal wall not closing at the navel after the rupture of the umbilical cord, after birth, could be a little more frequent in some lineages
- Periodontal disease is something to watch out for in this breed, especially if no dental maintenance is done
- All the diseases and pathologies of domestic felines are possible. The Egyptian Mau is generally in excellent health.
Reproduction:
The Egyptian Mau can not be married to any other breed.
On the physiological side of its reproduction, the gestation period in this breed is longer than the one normally lived by the other domestic cats. It can go up to 73 days of gestation, while the average is rather between 63 and 68 days.
Good to know
The word "MAU" is translated, from the Egyptian language, as much by "light" as by "cat". The Egyptian Mau is therefore, literally, the "Egyptian Cat" or the "Light of Egypt". This adds even more magic to this rare and ancestral breed, speed champion in the category of domestic cats.
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