Egyptian Mau
Egyptian Mau History
The Egyptian Mau has a fascinating history and is one of the oldest domestic cat breeds existing today. Mau is the Egyptian word for cat. Experts believe that the Egyptian Mau is the cat domesticated from a spotted subspecies of the African Wild Cat by the ancient Egyptians. Evidence of the cats' pedigree can be found in ancient Egyptian art and architecture. A papyrus painting from 1100 BC shows the Egyptian sun god Ra as a spotted cat beheading an evil serpent. On a tomb in Thebes dating from 1400 BC a spotted cat is pictured retrieving a duck for an Egyptian hunter. These cats were not only cherished by the ancient Egyptians as pets and workers but also worshipped as deities and mummified at death.
The Egyptian Mau breed was developed in Europe in the 1900s by Italian, Swiss and French cat fanciers but after World War Two the breed became almost extinct in Europe. It was thanks to Princess Nathalie Troubetskoy that the breed was saved. The princess had been exiled from Russia during the war and when living in Rome she was given a small spotted kitten in a shoe box. She was fascinated by this vulnerable creature and researched into its history. Discovering the historical significance and beauty of Egyptian Mau she decided to rescue the species. Princess Troubetskoy moved to the United States in 1956 and took with her three Maus from stock that she had bred in Rome and one from Egypt via the Syrian Embassy. Troubetskoy began a cattery in the US and worked hard to promote the breed. To publicize her campaign she placed one of her cats, called Liza, on display at the Empire Cat Club show in New York City in 1957. She attracted fellow fanciers of the Egyptian Mau who helped breed the cat but the small gene pool and the fact that it was almost impossible to obtain the Mau from Egypt meant that this was a difficult task and some inbreeding and out crossing was necessary to continue the line in the US. The Maus were also bred selectively to eradicate temperament problems that were present in some bloodlines.
Egytian Mau Appearance
It is rumoured that ancient Egyptian women designed their eye makeup after the markings on the Mau's face. The Mau has two mascara lines gracing its cheeks, the first beginning one at the corner of the eyes and following the cheek to below the ear. It has the characteristic tabby marking “M” on its forehead this is known as the scarab beetle mark. This cat has quite large pointed ears which are very broad at their base and beautiful pale green almond shape eyes which slant slightly towards its ears. The Maus' shiny coat is medium length and comes in silver, smoke and bronze with silver being the most common and popular colour. One of the breed's most notable features is the random spots on its body, these can vary from small and round spots to large oblong ones. The Egyptian Mau has dainty paws and longer hind legs which make it look like it is standing on tiptoe when it is standing upright.
Egyptian Mau Character and Temperament
The Egyptian Maus were duck hunters in egyptian times and still love to play fetch. They have a soft tuneful purr and are not scared to tell you when they don't like their food! They love to 'chat' by making chortling sounds, waging their tails and treading with their feet. The Mau is a moderately active cat but when not reliving its hunting past it likes to laze about in the sun. This breed is a family loving cat and is fiercely loyal; however it takes a while for the Mau to warm to strangers.
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Egyptian Mau Lifespan
15 years or more
Average Litter Size
Egyptian Maus have litters of about six at a time and the kittens. Egyptian Maus usually experience an easy birth.
Common Ailments
Maus are very healthy cats and do not tend to suffer from any specific aliments. However, it is wise to give your mau an annual check up to check kindney and liver function and to check for tooth decay.
Egyptian Mau Recognition
User Comments
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I think I may have a cat of Mau descent. He came from a breed where the father looked pure mau but the mother was a pure black short haired domestic. In his litter there were 3 boys and 2 girls (all the boys were born mau marked and all the girls were pure black). Bayley (my mau), has all the markings that are true of mau's, he is extremely fast and extremely smart. I disagree with the comment of the "very smart", and would class this breed as extremely smart. If you watch them closely, they figure things out. They are one of the wyliest breeds I have ever come across, and I wouldn't have them any other way. Bayley also is very affectionate, but on his own terms. He loves to be cuddled and lies over my shoulder whilst having a fuss. I don't know if this is a common trait but Bayley is quite a big cat for a mau, and sturdy built too. Anyone out there who is concerned about having maus around other cats - don't worry. I've got 4 cats and Bayley is my only Mau. I also have 2 black twins and a black and white cat, 3 females and 1 male in all. They all get along fine and all have been speyed. The only thing I can't find out, and wonder if any Mau breeder can tell me... Bayley was born with bright blue eyes (they were half open at birth), and they stayed blue for quite a while before they changed to a golden yellow brown colour. Bayley is one of the golden tanned maus, not the silver one. Out of all my 4 cats, if there's a cat that will get me in trouble it's Bayley. He also is the only cat I've ever had that doesn't like DVD/VCR players. He'll physically attack the tray as they pop the DVD/Video either into or out of the machines whilst trying to get the disks/tapes out, and it's soooo funny to watch - hence the really quick part of his talent!! lol. As I said before..... I wouldn't have him any other way. So, if you want a Mau, they make great companions, and they're great with other pets (I had 2 maus previously and owned 2 dogs at the same time and they got on great too), but be warned...they will be the one in control - not you!! lol
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I used to have two moggies from a farm, and sadly one died a couple of years ago. A year ago, I decided to get a couple of companions for my remaining cat, and after a lot of research, bought a pair of Mau kittens from an excellent breeder in Suffolk (Chantina). They are fabulous cats; gorgeous to look at (their coats are amazing), and they have such fantastic personalities, very playful and active, sweet little voices which I am learning to understand (which meow means 'feed me' and which means 'I want to play' for example). A wonderful breed, I feel very lucky to have them (all, by the way!).
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Holy snap,, they're adorablez. I thought my cat Sayba was a Egytian Mau...she looks a lot like them!
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I think these type of breed of cats are quite amazing. If you have seen the film catwoman you will see why...
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Sooooooooooo cute yet so small
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i LOVE maus but i have two other cats that get along with each other fine.and i REALLY want a mau but...if the new mau cat doesnt like my other two cats then...i would have to give it away and i DON't want to do that!!
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These Maus are great. They look nice! Rating : 4 stars
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Im on my second Mau and just love them to bits they are so playfull and cuddly im actually looking for another just now as i feel Jojo would love the company
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kewl
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how sweet!
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i love Egyptian Mau cats there my favourite breed. I donrt have one but im going to get one when im older. there soooooo cute xx
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My new kitten, Spike, we think may be half black and white tabby, and half Egyptian Mau. He has the Mau's markings, silver fur, and temperament, along with those distinctive skin flaps above his back knees. He has that brown/tan colored fur around his head that tabby cats normally have. He's also very talkative, and if he can't get the perfect "hole/spot" in the litter box he starts complaining. By the way, for those who want a Mau, they are very quick, and catching Spike is quite diffcult ;)
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OMG there soooooooooooooooooooooo cute
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Only just found this chat group. Yes, you can get this breed in England. Look up Egyptian Mau Club and go to the breeders list page or kitten page. I don't know of any breeders in Sweden but there is a breeder in Finland breeding silvers and smokes so it would be possible to get one from Finland rather than have the hassle of importing from the UK or America.
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I have a rescue Mau he is very demanding and doesn't like strangers. He needs lol and is always talking. I think he is a bit insecure and it will take him a long time to settle. He is lovely though and has had a tough start to life.
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We have a Egyptian Mau Queen and she had 3 kittens last Oct we have kept the only boy from the litter and i agree with the comments made, The Mau is a FANTASTIC cat that enjoys playing but loves cuddles they make a fantastic pet!!!!
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I was watchig the movie cat woman. In that movie they mentioned the Mau cat. Well our cat has the same markings, including the "M" the mark of the scarab beetle. Its funny I knew this cat was special. We named him Mac due to the "M" on his forehead. He was a kitty that needed a home. Glad we took him in.
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wow i love those cats yay!
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Hi, I live in London, and I got my Egyptian Mau from London a year ago.
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my favoutite cat breed. one day would love to share my home with a cuple of mau's! but i wouldnt swap my two moggies for the whole world!!x
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It took me sometime but I finally got my first 2 maus then I added a third. I now feel the more the merrier. They are great pets and love their people, and will spend as much time as they can with you both sleep or just sitting.
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Im eleven and this information was very useful for my school project all about Egyptian Maus
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I've got an egyptian mau she is so adorable everyone should have one :)
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Where can I get an Egytian Mau in the UK and what price do they go for?
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I just found out that my baby girl Pootie is an egyptian mau. I only came about finding this out because her markings, and her pattern are just beautiful, and I wanted to find out exactly what breed she was. She is the first cat that is solely mine, & even though I've only had her a short while I've already fallen in love with her. Oh and the ratings on their attitudes(playfulness, affectionate ect.) are all completely ture so far!
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i have an egyptian mau named Stewie, we found him on the side of the road 2 years ago and fell in love with him. we have 2 other cats, and compared to them, he is CRAZY! he bites, and plays more than any cat i've ever seen. he likes to beat up on his cat brothers too. aside from the playfulness, he is loving. he's the only one of our cats who will curl up and lay with us while we sleep. he actually gets under your arm and lays his head on the pillow. he is a lovable, playful little guy.
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I am an Egyptian and I live in Egypt, I have two cats; one male Persian cat and one female Egyptian Mau. and I can tell that the female is much more active than the male, I play fetch with her a lot but they are both cute and I love them both..
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Hello. I love Egyptian mau's, but I live in Sweden and we don't have many Egyptian mau's here. So i Wounder can I get the cats here or is it impossible?
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My best friend has 2 male maus. She got them for free and they're absolutely beautiful
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i absolutley love Egyptian Mau cats there adorable an have such cute faces i just wish i could have one though but my mom can't have anything with fur :( but that doesn't stop them from being cute
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This breed sure is loving! *lol* But can be a pain when complaining. But besides that they are great pets!
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lolz i got 6 of these cats 5 female and 1 male...all of th female are pregnant... the kittens are all due on the same day lolz from all 5 mothers :D CANT WAIT TILL DERE BORN WIPPIE!! so cute!!!
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omg thay are sooo cute!!!!!!!!i love all animals!
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oh, they look cute, well all cats do
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can you get these cats in england by any chance?