Egyptian Maus are a small- to medium-sized short-haired cat breed. Along with the Bahraini
Dilmun cat, they are one of the few naturally spotted breeds of domesticated cat. The spots
of the Mau occur on only the tips of the hairs of their coat.
The breed conformation is described by The Cornell Book of Cats as
a balance between the compactness of a Burmese and the slim elegance of a Siamese. Its medium-length
body is muscular, with the hind legs longer than the front, giving the Mau the appearance
of standing on tiptoes when upright.
They frequently land on their back feet when taking a leap, making them appear rather haughty
and kangaroo-like. The Egyptian Mau is the fastest of the domestic cats, with its longer
hind legs, and unique flap of skin extending from the flank to the back knee, providing
for greater agility and length of stride. Maus have been clocked running more than 30 mph.
Maus often possess very musical voices. They are known to chirp, chortle, and emit other
distinctly unusual vocalizations when stimulated. Another behavior, quite common in happy Maus,
has been described as "wiggle-tail." The cat, whether female or male, wiggles and twitches
its tail, and appears to be marking territory, also known as spraying, but during this behavior
the Mau is not releasing urine. Even veteran Mau owners are known to check after a joyous
Mau does this little dance. Facial expressions may change according to mood, and eye color
may change from green to turquoise.
Origins
The modern Egyptian Mau is said to have originated in 1952, in Italy, when exiled Russian Princess
Natalie Trubetskaya met the cat of the Egyptian Ambassador to Italy. After convincing him
to obtain several cats from Egypt for her, she began to breed them. Trubetskaya described
her Maus as having a "troubled" look, with their round eyes and open expression. The
breed name is derived from the Middle Egyptian word mw.
Despite claims that the breed originated in Egypt, DNA analysis shows mainly European
and North American origins. The feline genome data published in the Pentascope document
shows the Egyptian Mau to be very closely related to the Maine Coon, Korat, and American
Turkish Angoras. The phylogenetic tree published in PlosOne demonstrates that the Egyptian
Mau belongs to the group of Western-derived breeds. The East Mediterranean/Anatolian group
is omitted because breeds that supposedly originate in that geographic area do not do
so.
The Mau achieved championship status in some organizations in 1968. There were attempts
by British breeders to create Maus from cross-breeds of Abyssinians, Siamese and tabbies, however,
these did not resemble the true Maus. This mix became the basis for the Ocicat.
Egyptian Maus will have either a 'scarab beetle' or 'M' marking on their foreheads, those with
the latter tend to be from the United States. Physical attributes
Egyptian Maus typically are slender and muscular and they are thought to be one of the progenitor
breeds of the modern domestic cat. They have anatomical, metabolic, and behavioral differences
from other cat breeds which could be considered evidence of antiquity or at least uniqueness
from other cat breeds. Some anatomical differences are their legs, which are slightly shorter
in the front than in the back. They also have a skin fold under the belly, resembling that
of the cheetah, which assists in running by allowing the legs to stretch back farther.
Also one of the most important recognizable "traits" of this particular animal is a long,
dark, dorsal stripe that runs from its head to its tail along its spine.
The Mau is known for having what is considered a loyal, friendly personality.
Maus are more temperature sensitive than most breeds - they are fond of very warm temperatures.
They are more sensitive to medicines and anesthesia. Maus allegedly have an unusually long gestational
period, about 73 days. The maximum normal period for cats is 65–67 days, although
Siamese may take a day or two longer. Rarity
Egyptian Maus are a relatively rare breed. As of 2007, fewer than 200 kittens are registered
with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy each year. As of 2006, a total of 6,742 Maus
were registered with the Cat Fanciers' Association. Maus come in five colors. From most to least
common these colors are: silver, bronze, smoke, black and blue/pewter.
Black and pewter Maus cannot be shown, but may be used in breeding. All Maus must have
green eyes, but an amber cast is acceptable in kittens and young adults up to eighteen
months old. Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization and export
of Maus The Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization is an
agency for the adoption, both locally and internationally, of tame Maus born in the
Middle East. Supported solely by private and corporate donors, EMRO aims to increase education
in Egypt and around the world about the cats. EMRO's cats are not pedigreed Egyptian Maus;
they are Egyptian and Arabian street cats of unrecorded pedigree that come from the
Mau's region of landrace origin. Breed registries will not consider these cats and their immediate
offspring Egyptian Maus. Establishing later offspring as pedigreed Egyptian Maus requires
detailed record-keeping to verify parentage, and examination of the cats to ensure they
meet a number of exacting breed standard conformation requirements to rule out disqualifying physical
traits. For example, the Cat Fanciers' Association will consider the first generation of imported
cats to be native Maus; their second- and third-generation offspring are considered
domestic Maus. Finally, the fourth generation cats are eligible for placement on the active
registry as formal Egyptian Mau breed specimens, provided they have been evaluated fully and
approved by a designated representative of the Egyptian Mau Breed Council as conformant.
(TICA may have different opinions from the above)
See also Arabian Mau
References
Siegal, M., Cornell Feline Health Center The Cornell Book of Cats: A Comprehensive Medical
Reference for Every Cat and Kitten. Villard Books. ISBN 0-394-56787-0