Egyptian Maus
The Egyptian Mau – “mau” being Egyptian for “cat” – breed is believed to have a long, distinguished history. Ancient Egyptian art depicts a type of cat that looks very similar to the modern Mau, leading many to believe that the modern breed is a direct descendant of one of the first cat breeds to be domesticated in ancient times. It is known that the Egyptians did domesticate a spotted subspecies of African wildcat, and that they were treated with great respect.
What we know today as the Egyptian Mau was imported into the United States in 1956 by exiled Russian princess Nathalie Troubetskoy. It has become a popular domestic cat, although purebred Maus are still relatively rare.
The Egyptian Mau is arguably the only naturally-spotted breed of domestic cat, as well as the fastest domestic cat. Maus have been clocked running over 30 miles per hour.
Egyptian Maus are similar in appearance to the Ocicat and Bengal cats – although they are much smaller than Bengals. They have a randomly spotted body with banded legs and tail. Three colors of Egyptian Mau are officially recognized: silver, bronze, and smoke. They have green eyes with distinctive “mascara lines” around the edges. They are also known for their cheetah-like stride.
The Egyptian Mau is a medium-sized domestic cat, with the average adult male weighing 10-14 pounds, and the average adult female weighing 6 to 10 pounds. They are known for being extremely intelligent and active. They are very loyal to their immediate family, but tend to dislike strangers.
