Egyptian Mau

Recognized by the CFA, FIFe, TICA, AACE, ACFA/CAA, CCA-AFC

Coexistence is important that you have with your new friend. Before considering the acquisition of a cat of the breed "Egyptian Mau" you know certain factors. You must take into account their character, their need for exercise, their interaction with other pets, their care and if you have small children, their level of tolerance towards them.

Mau it is an egyptian word that means “cat”, and all existing races, the Egyptian Mau It is probably the one that has the most similarity to the domestic cats of Ancient Egypt. This appearance is not due to recreation detailed with various races or varieties, but to the descendants of the race of Egyptian Street cats that may have lived in the same region and have been essentially equal for millennia.

If the appearance of this variety is taken as the date of the race, It is by far the oldest in the world. More recently, the Egyptian Mau as a pedigree breed is the creation of Nathalie Troubetskoy, exiled Russian living in Italy since the second world war, it imported cats of Cairo. Reproduced them and showed the resulting kittens in Europe, and in United States recorded, where is installed in 1956. The full recognition of the breed took another twenty years, and much more in Great Britain, where it was delayed by confusion with similar spotted tabby cats: that used to be called maits and they were part of Oriental shorthair cat, and because of its similarity with the Ocicat cat.

Its international diffusion also continued, so that in the years 90 was present in both America and continental Europe, but also in more distant latitudes, like japan. The Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFé) recognized her in 1992.

But, the United Kingdom, a country with a great feline culture, stayed a little behind, since it was not until 1998 When Melissa Bateson imported the first Egyptian maus to the country, and up 2006 When the British Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) granted the definitive recognition to the breed.

Today, the Egyptian Mau is well represented on all continents, but their popularity is still well below the new breeds of cats of wild origin, as the Bengal cat or the Savannah cat. In United States, is around the post 30 of the CFA breed ranking by number of registrations, and it even looks like it`s stagnating, since at the beginning of the decade of 2010 I was around the post 20. In the United Kingdom, the breed was quite popular after its recognition by the GCCF, With almost 200 specimens registered every year around 2010, but his popularity only decreased thereafter, to the point that since 2015 the number has dropped to less than 100 by year.

The Egyptian Mau it is a semi-linear cat. Its body he is both muscular and elegant, well settled on long legs (more in the front than in the back) and powerful, to the point of turning him into a speed champion. It is distinguished by an excess of skin between the flanks and the hindquarters, which forms a kind of ventral bag called “bellows”. The tail is medium in size and tapers towards the tip.

Seen from the front, the head of the Egyptian Mau is shaped like a rounded triangle, no straight lines. The forecrown has a very characteristic mark in the form of an M, call “beetle mark”. The eyes are wide open and have a color specifically called “currant green”. The ears they are medium in size and have a rounded tip.

The fur of the Egyptian Mau It is of medium length, and its texture depends on the color of the coat. Like this, the black smoke (black marks on charcoal background) and the black (black marks on black background, only visible under certain lighting) they have fine, silky fur. The silver (black marks on silver background) and the bronze (dark brown markings on bronze background) have a dense and flexible coat.

Whatever its color, the fur of the Egyptian Mau is always stained. The Egyptian Mau It is the only breed of domestic cat that has this peculiarity., since the other races in this case were all created by man.

Last, the sexual dimorphism it is well marked: the male is significantly larger and heavier than the female.

• Male size: Of 28 to 32 cm.
• female size: 25-28 cm.
• Male weight: 4-7 kg
• female weight: 2,5-4,5 kg

The breed standards are documents established by official bodies that list the conditions that a dog must meet. Egyptian Mau to be fully recognized as belonging to the race:

• Standard FIFé (Fédération Internationale Féline)
• Standard LOOF (Livre Officiel des Origines Félines)
• Standard AFC (Association Féline Canadienne)
• Standard TICA (The International Cat Association)
• Standard GCCF (The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy)

"Egyptian Mau"

The Egyptian Mau does not give his affection to everyone: to earn their trust, your family should give you all the attention you deserve. He seems to like to be admired and the center of attention, as were their ancestors, who were considered deities in ancient Egypt. Once the link is established, he is completely devoted and loyal, and enjoy spending time playing with his master or being caressed.

But, they are much more wary of strangers and are quite shy and fearful in a noisy environment. To prevent the cat from becoming overly stressed, it is important to get him used to a certain level of activity at home from an early age, as well as the various noises you may face later: television or music at high volume, vaccum cleaner, fire siren, etc. This is especially true for those individuals who are destined to participate in feline shows., since the atmosphere and the agitation that reign in these events can be extremely stressful for a cat that until then has only known the calm of a quiet home.

Being playful, to the Egyptian Mau likes the company of children who know how to behave in the presence of an animal, but he quickly runs away from the little ones and / or those he finds too agitated for his liking. They enjoy the company of other dogs and cats, but they want to remain the center of their family's universe.

On the other hand, how is an excellent hunter, you have to avoid living with rodents, fish or birds, since it is very likely that it will end badly. It also, if you have access to the outside, it should come as no surprise that from time to time he brings a gift to his family, mouse or bird shape. He would not understand that his family was not happy to enjoy the fruits of his efforts, so it is advisable to congratulate him with lots of caresses and some treats, to let you know that your gift is appreciated.

Smart and active breed, the Egyptian Mau quickly learn to return a thrown object, to run after a plastic mouse or to open a door, either the one in the closet where the goodies are kept or the one that offers you the access to the outside that you like so much. However, can live in a flat, but then it is necessary to play with it daily and that the floor is large enough for this little car to run around.

They are also one of the few cat breeds that love water.. Although unlikely to join its owner in the shower, you can play with the water from your bowl or from an open tap for a while. He also likes to jump and position himself high to observe his territory., so it is quite possible that the top of a closet will become your favorite place.

Last, although it is not very vocal, the Egyptian Mau she does not hesitate to make her soft and melodious voice heard when her bowl is empty, or when he is especially happy. It is also capable of emitting clucking sounds quite specific to this breed., while wagging his tail in a rather unusual way.

The Egyptian Mau It is a very resistant feline breed and has hardly been shaped by the hand of man throughout its long history, making you less prone to genetic diseases.

But, are more prone to certain diseases:

• Leucodistrofia, an extremely rare disease of the nervous system;
• Umbilical hernias (organ that crosses the abdominal wall), that can be corrected by neutering the cat;
• The pyruvate kinase deficiency, another rare disease, that affects an enzyme in the blood. Causes anemia in other breeds, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on the Egyptian Mau: even if it is a carrier, does not seem to develop any particular symptoms.

It also, this breed is especially drug sensitive and anesthetics; therefore, before any treatment or operation, make sure that the vet is well aware of this specificity.

Last, the risk of Obesity in cats it is especially pronounced in the Egyptian Mau, especially if they live indoors. It is not a disease in itself, but it can be the cause or an aggravating factor of many health problems.

Of 12 to 15 years

The Egyptian Maue is an easy-care cat. In fact, a quick brushing once a week is enough to rid his coat of dead hairs.

This weekly grooming session is also an opportunity to check that your teeth, eyes and ears are clean and to clean if necessary, in order to avoid any risk of infection.

Last, if its claws are too long, you have to cut them with a nail clipper. This is more likely in the case of a person who lives indoors, since there is less natural wear.

The Egyptian Mau he is not picky about his meals and can be fed commercial cat food without any problem. But, These must be of good quality and adapted to your age and activity level, to provide you with everything you need for your health.

How they are quite gluttonous and prone to obesity, it is important to keep a close eye on your daily rations and not leave food available all the time as, unlike other cat breeds, are not capable of self-regulation.

The price of a kitten Egyptian Mau it is on average about 1400 EUR.

But, this figure hides great disparities between a subject with a prestigious pedigree and characteristics destined for feline exhibitions, whose price can easily amount to 1800 EUR, and another destined simply to become a pet, that can be found around the 1000 EUR.

In any case, there is no significant price difference between male and female kittens.