Appearance of the Egyptian Mau

The Egyptian Mau is a cat with much history to its name. Ancient Egyptian scriptures and mural paintings were reminiscent of the ancient royal cats that were owned by the Pharaohs. Historians, cat enthusiasts and the like were curious about how the ancient cat would appear in its physical form. Much speculation occurred around selective breeding to achieve a cat close to these ancient depictions however the closest match would not be realised through these meditated efforts. Rather, an organic appearance of the Egyptian Mau would occur on the streets of Cairo, the capital of the country. The litter of the common street cat brought the Egyptian Mau into the world and was first seen outside of the Egypt in the early 50s.

The first sighting occurred when a proud cat owner would leave Egypt along with an Egyptian Mau kitten to Rome. A sight to behold, this type of Mau possesses key characteristics that would catch the attention of many in the cat breeding world. After continuous breeding and a stable lineage that was defined, it would officially be recognised as a cat fancy in the later 70s. As with any type of breeding, the gene pool would be set to expand with many variations in general colouring and pattern variation. However, there are key characteristics of the Egyptian Mau that have been retained as defining attributes that are always present. The leopard like spots for instance, a key feature in the Mau that had also been depicted within ancient drawings. This type of cat also exhibits patterning on its forehead that is linked to the ancient scarab beetle, further cementing its position and links to positions of sacredness.

Typically, a coat of an Egyptian Mau is regarded as dense and medium in length. A shiny and silky texture is maintained by a high quality coat that shows a sheen under light when kept in pristine condition. The colour of the coat will of course maintain the spotted patterning but can vary in colour. Darker browns, silvers and other colours have been observed within this breed of cat. It’s build in general is regarded as muscular and majestic as it carries itself with great confidence. It has an energetic personality that is seen as outgoing, giving great amounts of interaction. This level of engagement will eventually realise a bond of loyalty and affection between a cat and owner after time.