Ratings

Breed Introduction

The Egyptian Mau, scientifically known as Felinae, is distributed all over the world. Although called the Egyptian Mau, there is no concrete evidence that it originated in Egypt; however, due to its depiction in ancient Egyptian murals, tombs, or scrolls, it is believed that the ancestors of the Egyptian Mau are African wildcats. In the 1950s, the Egyptian Mau was introduced to the United States and the United Kingdom, and it won formal competition awards in 1968.

The Egyptian Mau is an ancient breed that was revered as a sacred cat in ancient Egypt, characterized by its intelligence, friendliness towards humans, and playful yet sensitive nature, making it prone to escape if not supervised. The images and writings of the Egyptian Mau are found on tombs and scrolls from thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt. The breed is known for its spotted coat, which solidified in the 19th century Mediterranean region by a princess who cherished a cat imported from Cairo and bred it with an Italian cat. The descendants of this cat were later brought to the United States, registered, and showcased the following year, becoming widely popular among American households.

This breed originates from Egypt and was introduced to the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1950s. The modern Egyptian Mau’s formation is attributed to a Mediterranean princess from the 19th century who loved a cat imported from Cairo and bred it with an Italian cat. The breed has spots on its fur, which can be silver-white, bronze, or dark gray-black, with even spots, smooth and elastic fur. It has a medium build with a pair of large, pointed ears and a head marked with a distinctive beetle-shaped or ‘M’ pattern. The Egyptian Mau with the ‘M’ marking typically comes from the United States.

In a race of house cats, the Egyptian Mau would surely come out on top, thanks to its long, powerful legs and the loose skin from its belly to the back of its knees, which makes it highly agile. Recorded speeds of the Egyptian Mau can reach up to 48 km/h. Furthermore, purebred Egyptian Maus are extremely rare, with only about 200 registered each year, and they are also quite uncommon in China. If a dealer claims to sell an Egyptian Mau, it is essential to gather accurate information before making a purchase.