Egyptian Mau Cat: Breed Profile, Personality, Care, Price & Breeders

“Speak of the cat, and here it comes,” goes an Egyptian saying (much like our “speak of the devil”). Folk wisdom surely didn’t mean some mythical cat, but the one known around the world as the Egyptian Mau!

Breed History

These cats are legendary. Their ancestors in ancient Egypt were so revered that they were worshipped as gods in life, and when a cat set off along the waters of the Nile to the eternal kingdom, its owners shaved off their eyebrows in its memory and grieved for a long, long time, painting pictures on papyrus in honor of their heavenly furry friend.

Their distinctive traits (their build and special “leopard” coat) link those sacred Nubian cats to the Maus we know. But the homeland of the modern Egyptian Mau is less the land of the pyramids than the land of opportunity. Breeders tried several times to revive the ancient breed, but circumstances beyond their control kept wiping out their efforts. By the mid-1940s, these cats were almost never seen.

Then fate stepped in, along with Princess Nathalie Troubetzkoy. When the aristocrat emigrated from Italy to the US in 1956, she brought several Maus with her that had come from Cairo. There, in America, at her Fatima cattery, the silver females Liza and Baba and the bronze male Jojo did everything possible and impossible to rebuild the population. Within a couple of years, Troubetzkoy could boast 10 beautiful Egyptian cats. And so a Russian princess saved a breed with a 3,000-year history from extinction. The CFA recognized the Egyptian Mau in 1977.

Egyptian Mau Personality and Traits at a Glance

Egyptian Mau Breed Overview

What does an Egyptian Mau look like, and how is it different from, say, the trendy Bengal cats? At first glance these breeds do have a lot in common, but a second and third look convince you that the Egyptian cats have their own features. Do Bengals have the exclusive “scarab beetle” marking? Has evolution drawn a mysterious “M” on other kitties’ foreheads? And after all, who besides the Egyptians can clearly say “Mau”? The breed standard confirms that the Egyptian Mau is unique and one of a kind.

1. The Egyptian Mau’s head is wedge-shaped and very harmonious, neither too rounded nor too pointed. There’s a noticeable slight rise at the bridge of the nose:

• the ears are medium to large. They’re set high, pointed at the tips (tufts are allowed), alert, and covered in short fur;

• the goddess Bastet (a woman with a cat’s head) once worked on the Egyptian Mau’s looks, and ever since, their large almond-shaped eyes have been adorned with “the goddess’s makeup”: clear eyeliner-like lines.

The breed standard describes the eye color as “gooseberry green.” Young cats can’t always please their owners with those unripe berries, though. Between 8 and 18 months, some kittens change eye color, but after a year and a half, a Mau’s eyes must be green only!

IMPORTANT! Judges who evaluate how well a cat meets the breed standard have a tip for telling you’re definitely looking at a Mau: look at the cat’s expression. If it looks slightly surprised, you’re looking at an Egyptian Mau in all its stunning beauty!

2. The Egyptian Mau’s body is compact, graceful, and strong. Maus have a loose flap of skin on the belly, which lets these Egyptian beauties take a longer stride than other cats.

• The legs are medium. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, but thanks to the Mau’s special gait, the back always looks level. The paws are slightly oval, and the toes on the hind legs are longer than on the front.
• The tail is medium too, almost the same thickness along its whole length, narrowing only at the very tip.
• Overall, the Egyptian Mau’s body and muscles are very well put together. The standard frowns on both extra weight and thinness. The right balance is the key to Egyptian beauty.
• A female Egyptian Mau weighs about 6.5–9 lb, while a handsome male weighs about 9–13 lb. Owners agree that males are more graceful and muscular than females.

3. The short coat of Egyptian Maus is amazingly soft and silky to the touch. It shines in the sun and has its own special features: each hair has 2–3 bands of ticking. Broken “necklace” rings decorate the chest, and broken bars run across the front legs from the shoulder and the hind legs from the thigh.

4. Egyptian Maus are also unique because they’re the only naturally spotted breed of domestic cat. The spots are formed by hairs that are colored only at the very tip. The spots are scattered randomly over the body, as mentioned above, but on the forehead they form a clear letter “M.” Besides the “M,” the spots draw a visible “W” from the ears toward the back of the head.

In general, the spots are the defining feature of the Egyptian Mau. They should be distinct, ideally round, and contrasting. No description can capture the beauty of this spotted coat! “Mackerel” (spots merging into stripes) is a fault in this breed.

Three colors are approved in the Egyptian Mau standard:

• silver: a silver coat with charcoal markings;
• bronze: a light bronze coat with chocolate-brown markings;
• smoke: a gray coat with a silver undertone and black markings.

Sometimes black or “marbled” Egyptian Maus are born in a litter. Cats in these colors don’t compete in shows and aren’t used for breeding.

One more important point. Kittens aged 2–5 months often go through a “fuzzy” phase, which makes them look scruffy and plain. Don’t worry: by six months, your “ugly duckling” will turn into a classic Egyptian!

Personality

The Egyptian Mau is an Energizer battery (not an ad). Not every breed can boast so much energy and expression. Kittens show so much energy from a young age that it sometimes turns into aggression. Just spend time playing with your kitten, and by about 10 months it will learn to control its emotions and show you its true noble character.

The Egyptian Mau is very devoted. It won’t single out one person in the household “pack” but will treat everyone at home with equal love. But Egyptian Maus don’t care much for strangers.

Owners note their pleasant voice and their knack for a good “heart-to-heart.” They pick up on their owners’ intonations and reply quite appropriately. At home, they prefer high spots, where they can watch the strange two-legged creatures.

Most Maus love water, and if you get them used to baths from a young age, bathing will be a pleasure for both owner and pet as adults.

Maus are good hunters (it’s in their genes) and especially love games that involve catching toys. By the way, a Mau fiercely guards its favorite toys and may even growl if you try to take them away.

Overall, the breed is balanced in temperament and intellectually well developed.

Health

Since the Mau’s gene pool was very limited at first, the list of hereditary diseases was quite long. At the top of the list were cardiomyopathy and asthma. Today these diseases probably can’t be called typical of the Mau. Still, remember that a Mau’s respiratory system is very sensitive, so keep your pet away from dust, tobacco smoke, and so on.

The real scourge of the breed is allergies. Maus are prone to allergies, and not every food suits them. If your cat is itching and its skin turns red, change its diet (more on diet below).

Egyptian Maus live 13–15 years.

Care

Experienced breeders don’t recommend keeping Egyptian Maus in small apartments, since a small territory can depress this proud animal.

If your pet is a silver Mau and stains appear on the light parts of its coat, use a cat-safe whitening shampoo when bathing, then a regular cat shampoo. After a few baths, the stains will disappear.

There are no other special care needs for the Mau. Sensible ear and dental hygiene and regular brushing: that’s all the care it needs.

Feeding

Like any decent battery, the Egyptian Mau has its own energy needs. They’re very active, so they need to eat well. The average daily diet should provide about 36 kcal per pound of body weight.

Experts still recommend feeding Maus dry or canned commercial food. That’s mainly because of their tendency toward allergies. Choose a super-premium food for your Egyptian Mau, ideally one made for sensitive skin and digestion. Of course, these foods are fairly expensive, but your pet’s health is worth more.
Photos

A fun fact: of all cats, both mixed-breed and purebred, the Mau is probably the champion runner. These Egyptian cats can reach speeds of up to about 36 mph. Photos and videos of Mau races could be the highlight of your family album.

Where to Buy an Egyptian Mau Kitten in the US

Egyptian Maus are rare in the US, and you’ll almost never find one through a random ad.

What’s the price?

In the US, a pet-quality Egyptian Mau kitten from a reputable breeder usually costs about $1,200–$2,500, and top silver show prospects or kittens with breeding rights can cost up to about $3,000. If someone offers you a Mau through a classified ad or an online auction, be careful and remember that you can’t just pick up a Mau anywhere.

Where to look:

• CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) Find a Breeder – https://find-a-breeder.cfa.org/;
• TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/;
• Egyptian Mau Breed Council (CFA), including its rescue and retiree list – https://egyptianmaubc.org/;
• Kezkatz (CFA);
• Belle Hollow Farms (silver and bronze Egyptian Maus).

What should you name your Egyptian cat?

The most popular names for Egyptian girl cats:

• Anuket;
• Bastet;
• Isis;
• Nefertiti;
• Tait.

Names for Egyptian boy cats:

• Anubis;
• Min;
• Nun;
• Ptah;
• Set;
• Thoth;
• Haba;
• Shu.

See the full list of names.

The Egyptian Mau: the pearl of the Nile!