Egyptian MauCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

Egyptian Mau at a cat show. · Nickolas Titkov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0). Cropped and resized.

The Egyptian Mau is one of the few domestic cat breeds with a naturally spotted coat. It has light green eyes and a marking on its forehead that recalls a scarab beetle. It is considered the fastest domestic cat: it has been timed at over 48 km/h. The FIFe profile describes it as affectionate, loyal and intelligent.

Quick facts

Common name	Egyptian Mau
Scientific name	Felis catus
Country of origin	Egypt; the modern breed was developed in Italy and the USA
Official recognition	FIFe since 1992 (code MAU, category 3); CFF 1968, CFA 1977, TICA 1979
Lifespan	12–13 years (French Wikipedia)
Weight	2.5–5 kg (on average 3 kg for females and 4 kg for males)
Size	Small to medium
Body type	Muscular, of medium length; hind legs longer
Coat type	Short to medium, with banded hairs, spotted
Common colours	Silver, bronze and smoke, with black spots
Eye colour	Light green (kittens may have amber eyes)
Activity level	Moderate to high
Temperament	Affectionate, loyal, intelligent, sensitive, with a soft voice
Good with children	Good for families
Good with other pets	Reserved with strangers, open with its family
Genetic predispositions	Urate urinary stones

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History and origin

The FIFe profile says Egyptian papyri and frescoes from over 3,500 years ago show spotted cats that look like today's Mau. The Egyptians shipped grain to Italy and took cats on board to protect it.

The modern breed begins in Italy. In 1953, the Russian princess Natalia Troubetskoy saw the Egyptian ambassador's cat in Rome and obtained a female from Cairo, named Baba. The first cats were shown in 1955 at the cat show in Rome. In 1956 the princess emigrated to the USA with three Mau cats, and the breed quickly won over American breeders.

How the breed developed

Around 1550 BC – spotted cats on Egyptian papyri and frescoes.
1953 – Princess Natalia Troubetskoy brings the cat Baba from Cairo.
1956 – three Mau cats reach the USA.
1977 – recognised by CFA.
1992 – recognised by FIFe.
1998 – the first Mau cats reach Britain.

At a glance: who is it right for?

Families who include it in everything they do. FIFe says it wants to be a member of the family.
People who want an active cat, but not a restless one.
People who want to walk it on a harness. It learns fairly easily to walk on a lead.
Homes without many strangers. It can be reserved with people it does not know.

Physical characteristics

Wikipedia describes it as “a balance between the compact body of the Burmese and the elegance of the Siamese”. Its body is of medium length and muscular, with prominent shoulder blades. The hind legs are longer, so it seems to stand on tiptoe, and a flap of skin from the flank to the knee helps it run with very long strides. German Wikipedia gives an average of 3 kg for females and 4 kg for males.

General appearance

The head is slightly rounded and of medium size. The ears are medium to large, broad at the base and slightly pointed. The eyes are large, round and light green; kittens may have amber eyes. On the forehead it has a tabby marking that recalls a scarab beetle.

Feature	Egyptian Mau
Size	Small to medium
Weight	2.5–5 kg
Body	Muscular, of medium length
Legs	Hind legs longer
Eyes	Large, round, light green
Tail	Medium, thick at the base
Coat	Spotted, with banded hairs

Silver spotted Egyptian Mau standing — Egyptian Mau at a cat show. Nickolas Titkov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source

It has dark spots of different sizes and shapes all over its body and legs; it may have a stripe along its back. Three colours are accepted: silver with black spots, bronze (brown) with black spots, and smoke.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

The Ocicat was created in an attempt to reproduce the look of the Mau, from Abyssinian, Siamese and tabby cats. The Bengal also has a spotted coat, but it comes from crosses with a wild cat. Genetic studies show that the Mau is closely related to the Maine Coon, the Korat and the Western Turkish Angora.

Behaviour and temperament

The FIFe profile describes it as friendly, intelligent, very loyal and devoted to its people. It is sensitive to its owners' mood and comes to purr beside them when they are sad. It loves interactive games, fetches toys and learns fairly easily to walk on a harness and lead.

It has a mind of its own: it knows exactly who may hold it and when. It is quiet, with a low, melodious voice, and shows its joy with short, chirping sounds.

Socialisation

It can be cautious or reserved with strangers, but with its family it is open, affectionate and fearless.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

Life at home and activity

It is active without being restless, alert and agile. Being very fast, it needs room to run and hunting games.

Activity	How often	Why it matters
Walks on a harness	a few times a week	It learns easily to walk on a lead
Playing fetch	daily	It loves interactive games
Play with toys (wand toys, balls)	daily	Play imitates hunting and uses up its energy
Scratching post or board	always available	It looks after its claws without damaging the furniture

Tips for a balanced life

Change its toys from time to time, so it does not get bored.
Play with it in short sessions, several times a day.
If it goes outside, let it do so in a fenced area or on a balcony with a safety net.

Care and health

Coat care

As with any shorthaired cat, brushing once a week is enough. Breeders recommend a fine-toothed comb followed by a polish, for example with a piece of chamois leather.

Common health problems

French Wikipedia says the breed is considered healthy, thanks to breeders who avoid inbreeding. Wikipedia shows, however, that urate urinary stones are much more common: in a Canadian study, 14 of the 17 Mau cats examined had them.

Condition	Description	Common symptoms
Urate urinary stones	Crystals and stones in the bladder	Urinates often and in small amounts, with pain or blood

Recommended genetic tests

Ask the breeder about the parents' urinary health. Diet and plenty of water help prevent stones; discuss with your vet which food is suitable.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

Other care

A check-up at the vet once a year.
Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

Diet and nutrition

Because the breed forms urinary stones more easily, water is even more important; wet food helps.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

Cat's weight	Calories per day (neutered)	Calories per day (not neutered)	Dry food per day (approximate)
2.5 kg	170 kcal	190 kcal	42–54 g
3 kg	190 kcal	220 kcal	48–63 g
4 kg	240 kcal	280 kcal	60–80 g
5 kg	280 kcal	330 kcal	70–94 g

Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Reproduction and development

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in the Mau lasts longer than in other cats: about 73 days, compared with 64–67. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, a FIFe member).
The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

Interesting facts

The fastest domestic cat. It has been timed at over 48 km/h.
A scarab on its forehead. The marking on its forehead recalls the Egyptian scarab beetle.
It seems to stand on tiptoe. Its hind legs are longer than its front legs.
A longer pregnancy. The kittens are born after about 73 days.