Egyptian Mau - description, legends, care, character, nurseries, cost

Advantages and disadvantages

• Pros:
• active and playful;
• have good health;
• quickly adapt to a new environment;
• Frequent grooming of short hair, eyes, teeth and ears is not required;
• get along well with dogs and other cats.

• Minuses:
• cannot stand loneliness and can be quite intrusive;
• due to excellent appetite they are obese;
• hunting instincts are highly developed;
• They adapt poorly to cold weather and suffer from colds.

Key facts

The Egyptian Mau is an elite, rare breed of cat that you definitely won’t be able to buy at home. In the Russian Federation, they are bred in specialized nurseries, and in order to get a purebred kitten, sometimes you have to wait for your turn for more than one month.

The following words are suitable to describe the Egyptian Mau breed: strength, grace, sophistication and exotic beauty. This is a calm, balanced, yet active animal that gets along well with children and other pets.

Mau have a developed hunting instinct: they are excellent at catching birds, mice, butterflies, and are able to track their prey for hours. You should only have a breed in a large apartment or house - small spaces depress a playful and mischievous cat.

Interesting characteristics of the Egyptian Mau breed:

1. The country of origin of the breed is Ancient Egypt. The progenitor is the wild cat of Africa. The animal is the personification of the goddess Bastet. The year of registration of Mau in the association CFF – 1968, CFA – 1977, TICA – 1988, FIFe – 1992.
2. This is a friendly, sociable, curious and active animal that loves to be the center of attention. Cats have inexhaustible vitality and are constantly looking for entertainment.
3. Grooming is simple - the animal's body is covered with a short soft coat, which should be combed every 3-4 days.
4. With proper care, the life expectancy of the Egyptian Mau is 15 years. On average, pets live about 13 years.

The exotic Egyptian Mau becomes the decoration of every home and the pride of its owner. She gets along well with all members of the family and does not single out a leader for herself.

The cat is naturally endowed with a pleasant voice with many intonations; she enjoys communicating with people. Unlike many short-haired breeds, it loves water; swimming does not cause aggression or fear in it. The Egyptian Mau is intelligent and easy to train.

History of the origin of the Egyptian Mau

The Mau breed is the oldest on the planet; Egyptian pharaohs admired the gracefulness and playfulness of the cat. Egyptian women copied the eyeliner of animals, and after death the bodies of the animals were mummified, placed in sarcophagi of silver and gold and decorated with them in the temple of the goddess Bastet.

As legend has it, these predators lived alongside the inhabitants of the Nile Valley for many centuries and were excellent at catching rats, mice and snakes, which caused significant harm to households. Because of this, the Mau began to be gradually domesticated: before the New Kingdom (c. 1500 BC) they were completely domesticated and worshiped as a sacred animal.

Archaeologists find images of amazing cats on ancient bas-reliefs: they proudly sit next to the pharaohs and even ordinary Egyptians.

In Europe, an elite and rare breed appeared thanks to Princess Trubetskoy, who lives in Italy. Through the ambassador of Syria, the princess received an Egyptian Mau cat and a purebred cat from Egypt, and the first offspring were born from them.

In 1956, the Russian princess immigrated to America, where she opened the Fatima nursery and registered the Mau with the CFA as a new and natural breed.

Numerous exhibitions took place in the UK, Holland, USA, France, and Japan. Crossing Mau with other breeds in order to obtain a richer and more intense spotted color, as well as the opening of new nurseries, has significantly increased the population of the species.

However, the Egyptian Mau remains a rare breed today, with only 7,326 cats and 3,000 kittens registered with the CFA between 1996 and 2010.

History of the breed

Fourth - fifth millennium BC. Ancient Egypt. The era of the great pharaohs. A wonderful time for the ruling elites, but a heavy burden for the common people. Complete unsanitary conditions in the poor sections of the population gave rise to countless harmful rodents. It became an ideal habitat for poisonous snakes and other pests.

Friendly African cats have become a real salvation for the already desperate poor.

Being born hunters, the wild ancestors of the Mau easily exterminated uninvited little scoundrels. The ancient Egyptians appreciated the cats' merits and began to feed them. Thus began the domestication of the ancestors of the Mau. Over time, they began to visit houses, and then they preferred to stay altogether.

The religious life of Ancient Egypt is inextricably linked with the image of a spotted cat. The first drawings date back to the second millennium BC. Found in sacred temples.

According to one legend, the most important of the gods of Egypt, Ra, who identified the sun, descended to earth dressed in the image of a spotted cat. Every night he fought with the god of chaos and darkness - Apophis. Every morning the sun rose, which meant the victory of the god Ra over evil. Many ancient images have survived in which a huge cat, very similar to a Mau, destroys an opponent with its claws.

Later, the image of the ancient Mau began to be associated with the name of the goddess of fertility, beauty and hearth. Bastet is a woman with a cat's head or completely in the form of a cat.

Local priests allowed cats to roam freely around the sacred temples. Considering them divine creatures. Charms in the form of cats appeared, bringing good luck and happiness.

The ancient Mau were a kind of postmen to the afterlife. Called to convey prayers and requests from pilgrims to the Goddess Bastet.

The importance of the ancestors of the Egyptian Mau is difficult to exaggerate. There is a legend that clearly emphasizes the importance of ancient cats. 525 BC. The Persian king Cambyses recruited an army and went to conquer Egyptian lands. Knowing the sacred value of animals, he ordered them to be caught and fastened to the shields of his warriors. The townspeople were unable to harm the cats and surrendered without a fight.

Excavations indicate that after the death, the bodies of household and temple favorites were embalmed and taken to human burial places. In honor of mourning for pets, owners shaved their eyebrows, thereby showing how great the loss was.

The history of modern Mau began in the twentieth century. In 1940, European breeders became interested in spotted cats. But World War II happened. The Mau population has decreased significantly. The breed was on the verge of extinction.

What does an Egyptian Mau look like?

Despite the external similarity with other short-haired breeds, the Egyptian Mau has a number of differences: a muscular body, leopard color, almond-shaped green eyes, a wedge-shaped head with a clear letter “M”, reminiscent of the sacred scarab beetle.

Muzzle

As you can see in the photo, the Egyptian Mau’s head is wedge-shaped, and a small hump is clearly visible on the bridge of the nose. The nose is wide along its entire length. Large ears are widely spaced and covered with soft short hair, with “tassels” at the ends.

The hallmark of the ancient breed is always a slightly surprised look. A professional will immediately notice this feature and confirm the elite origin of the cat.

Body type

The body of the Egyptian Mau has a number of significant differences from other cats with short hair:

• it is strong and graceful, there is a large fold of skin on the tummy, which allows the animal to take long steps and jump easily and naturally;
• the limbs are oval and small, and the hind legs are longer than the front ones, which is why the cat seems to “stand”, rising on its toes;
• the tail is slightly narrowed at the tip, medium in length.

The weight of a cat in adulthood reaches four kilograms, and a cat - six kilograms. If we compare the female and male in terms of grace and musculature, then the cats’ bodies fully correspond to the standards of a rare breed. Girls are a little more graceful.

Coat and color

The varieties of Egyptian Mau in terms of coat color are diverse and at the same time characteristic:

1. Short-haired animals have a thin, soft coat structure that shimmers in the sunlight. On each hair you can see alternating light and dark stripes. The neck, hind and front legs are decorated from top to bottom with non-closing rings.
2. The eyes are outlined on the lower and upper sides by dark lines that extend to the ears.
3. Numerous spots are located throughout the body: on the spine they are slightly elongated, on the tail they are ring-shaped. All of them have clear boundaries and go well with the main color of the coat. Sometimes the spots merge into solid lines, but such a pattern is a fault of the breed and is not valued by breeders.

International organizations recognize 3 color options for the Egyptian Mau:

• anthracite-black spots are randomly located on a silver and white background;
• dark brown or black spots look harmonious on a golden or dark background, the tummy and neck are snow-white;
• black spots are on a dark silver or gray background.

Thoroughbred parents can produce offspring of pale or dark silver, warm or cold bronze, blue or completely black - such Mau are recognized as a defect of an elite breed and are not allowed for breeding or any exhibitions. Disadvantages of the Mau are also manifested in a too short head, small eyes and ears, an elastic and short tail, the absence of spots or their merging.

Breeding Egyptian cats

For breeding, purebred Mau are purchased with a detailed pedigree, which have genetic tests for blood type, color genes and a number of diseases. All this information helps to correctly select pairs and minimize the birth of sick and substandard offspring. It is useful for a felinologist breeder to take courses on studying cat genetics.

Examples of some patterns of inheritance:

• Bronze breeders produce bronze and black kittens;
• Smoky parents do not have silver or bronze kittens, only smoky or black;
• The black Mau appears phenotypically solid, but has a tabby genotype. The solid, even black color is due to the too dark background with which the markings merge. But they can be seen in kittens and young animals if you look closely.

Mau tolerate pregnancy well, only in the last two weeks can mood and tastes change. The expectant mother is fed more generously; you can buy special food “for pregnant and lactating” cats - they are available in the lines of many manufacturers.

A quiet corner is prepared for childbirth, but it may happen that the cat will find it in some closet. It is up to the owner to decide whether to leave it there or move it to a prepared box. Childbirth occurs without the intervention of a doctor or outside help, but the cat may want its beloved owner to support it morally - with his presence.

The gestation period of Egyptian cats lasts slightly longer than most other breeds. Kittens can appear any time between 63 and 67 days. Some cats take this matter up to 70 days and give birth to healthy kittens without any problems. Mau cats are caring mothers. Often the fathers of the kittens also help them.

Character of the Egyptian Mau

This is a very active and playful animal. From an early age, a kitten enjoys exploring the world around him, often going beyond limits and even showing unreasonable aggression. The predatory progenitor is making itself known - the African wild cat.

The kitten needs behavioral correction, which produces positive results by the age of one year. It is at this age that, with proper upbringing, the character of the Egyptian Mau begins to show high social intelligence and noble origin.

Pets get along well with the whole family, but they treat guests with caution - they try not to show excessive curiosity towards them. Cats have a pleasant voice and communicate well with people using a variety of signals. In apartments and houses, pets try to find a higher place in order to quietly observe the events taking place.

The Mau is recognized as the fastest breed of short-haired cat: it can move at speeds of up to 50 km per hour. Due to hyperactivity, the animal needs to be constantly occupied with something. A cat is an “owner”; it must have favorite toys that cannot be taken away. On her own territory, she is not afraid of anything and gladly takes part in everything that happens.

The animal loves walks in the fresh air and quickly gets used to the leash. Due to its high price, Mau often becomes bait for kidnappers. She should not be allowed outside the home or left unattended for a long time.

Raising an Egyptian Mau

Nature has endowed animals with good intelligence. Together with their activity and energy, the desire to play and run, cats are easy to train and in adulthood rarely become a problem for their breeders.

But once in unfamiliar territory, Mau take some time to master. In the first 2-3 days of being in the house, the food bowl, bed, and litter tray should be placed in one place so that the kitten gradually gets used to the new rules of life. By moving them 10-20 cm per day, you will be able to place everyday attributes in the right places.

Animals perfectly understand the expression of a human face and the tone of commands, so raising an Egyptian Mau does not pose any particular difficulties, and correcting its behavior is quite easy. When shouting for an offense is not enough, you can easily slap the kitten on the back with a newspaper or a wooden stick, and it is important to make a prohibiting gesture.

A pet has only the concept of “today,” so it must be punished immediately after the prank, otherwise it will not realize its guilt and will try not to appear in front of its owner again, and in the worst case, it will stop responding to commands.

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Health of the Egyptian Mau

Cats have excellent health, they are energetic, active and have an excellent appetite. With proper care, they can live with their loved ones for many years.

Breeders of elite breeds are recommended to adhere to the following rules in content:

• vaccinate the animal on time, constantly carry out anthelmintic prophylaxis, and then the health of the Egyptian Mau throughout its life will not cause any concern;
• cover the apartment windows with nets so that a curious and playful pet does not jump out and get injured;
• periodically add vitamins to food - after consultation with a veterinarian.

Mau breeders should remember about the hyperactivity of animals and create all the conditions for active, long-term games. If this is not done, cats will gain excess weight, which will negatively affect the cardiovascular system and skeletal condition.

Possible diseases

The Mau breed suffers from a genetic disease - deficiency of the enzyme pyruvate kinase, which causes anemia, sometimes even death. The difficulty lies in the fact that the symptoms of the disease can appear already in adulthood, so when choosing a kitten, you must definitely get acquainted with the pedigree and ask for a health certificate - for the baby himself and his parents.

Animals also suffer from diseases of the respiratory system: they should be protected from strong odors, tobacco smoke and dust. Mau do not tolerate cold well and can catch a cold - they must be kept warm, it is better to take them outside in a special suit.

But most often, Egyptian pets suffer from allergies. If you notice that the body is covered with red spots, then immediately seek help from a veterinarian. He will prescribe treatment and select the correct daily diet.

Reproductive health

The first mating is best done at 10 months of age. It is worth choosing a worthy gentleman in advance - the cat is very independent by nature and will not allow every cat to come to her.

It is better to skip the first two heats; on the third you can start mating. You can determine a cat’s readiness for an important step by its characteristic behavior: the animal becomes very affectionate, constantly rubs against its legs and purrs.

It is important to carry out the first mating before 1.5 years of age - at a later age it will be much more difficult to match a cat with a cat. It is not worth suppressing estrus with hormonal drugs, this will eventually lead to diseases of the reproductive system, and kittens will be born with some kind of disease.

It is recommended to breed animals after a full medical examination by a veterinarian: he will give all the necessary vaccinations to produce strong and healthy offspring.

After the medical examination, you can “introduce” the future parents. Mating an Egyptian Mau cat is a very responsible process; the independent nature of animals can be the reason that nothing will work out. It is important to plan everything.

When placed in a new environment, a female Mau may become frightened. For faster adaptation, she should be surrounded by her favorite toys and familiar things: a bowl for food and water, a tray. The animal should feel that in its new home it has its own corner, where it is cozy and completely safe.

Mating occurs naturally, human intervention should be minimal. Pregnancy is determined in the third week.

Diseases of Egyptian women

Initially, the gene pool of the breed was very limited. It is therefore not surprising that the Egyptian Mau were susceptible to a wide range of genetic diseases. The most common problems were heart (cardiomyopathy) and breathing (asthma). However, thanks to the efforts of felinologists, the breed has become healthier.

Today, Egyptian cats delight their owners and live an average of 14 years.

The Mau owner should take into account that the pet still has a predisposition to allergies to certain types of food and a sensitive respiratory system - the cat must be protected from dust and smoke.

Conclusions about the Egyptian cat breed

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//data-ad-slot=”2475549904″ $ads_google = empty($ads_google) ? false : true; ?> if ($ads_google == false) {?> $ads_google = true; ?> } ?> So, if you are still unsure whether you want to get another spotted four-legged family member from Egypt, here is a summary for you:

• Egyptian Mau are status animals with a luxurious coat and a regal gait. Of course, buying a cat from a cattery and maintaining it is financially very expensive. However, for 12-15 years he will delight the owner with his charismatic cat persona.
• Animals of this breed are not proud and are very playful. They get along well with other animals and children. But due to the clearly manifested qualities of a hunter, cats are not friends with rodents and birds.

In principle, Egyptian Mau are healthy animals that require standard care. If you approach his upbringing responsibly, keeping a cat will not cause much trouble.

Features of feeding and diet

An active, playful cat requires high-quality nutrition that will allow it to replenish lost energy. The daily diet should contain at least 90 kcal per kilogram of animal weight.

Due to the Egyptian Mau's proneness to allergies, only specially formulated premium foods can be fed. If dry food is not your choice, you can stick to natural food. What is recommended for Egyptian women to eat:

• rabbit meat, chicken;
• sea ​​fish without bones;
• offal;
• low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream;
• cereal porridges;
• boiled vegetables.

It is worth taking care of the availability of fresh, clean water. You can use purified bottled water. Cats have inherited from their ancestor, the African wild cat, the instinct to determine whether water is suitable for drinking or not. To do this, the animal wets its paw in a bowl and tastes the liquid.

Care and maintenance

Due to their short fur, caring for and maintaining the Egyptian Mau is not particularly difficult. Animals do an excellent job of cleaning their own coats, but require periodic brushing with a soft brush.

The exotic breed is incredibly clean; many breeders do without water treatments completely. The exception is exhibitions, when the Mau must look impeccable. It is better to bathe your pet with a special shampoo. After which the cat must be wiped and allowed to dry completely, any drafts must be eliminated.

Just take care of your eyes. Due to their specific structure, they rarely tear. But the ears need to be given special attention - once every 7 days they should be carefully examined and, if necessary, cleaned with a cotton pad soaked in lotion.

Oral hygiene is also important. The cat's teeth are brushed several times a month with toothpaste from a pet store. To do this, use a soft brush or a finger wrapped in a bandage. The claws are trimmed with a nail clipper, and the animal itself cleans the sharp edges using a scratching post - there must be one in the house, otherwise furniture, carpets and curtains will be damaged.

Care instructions

Mau are not picky when it comes to keeping them and know how to take care of themselves well, but human help will not harm them.

Wool

The calling card of the breed is a luxurious fur coat. Brush it once every 2 weeks with a regular brush with stiff bristles, and during shedding - 2 times a week. Wet your hands and stroke the cat: excess hairs will stick to your palms.

Bathing

Many Mau have nothing against bathing, but it should not be done too often: the water washes away the protective layer and can cause irritation. Give your pet nice baths only in two cases: if he is very dirty and before exhibition events.

Human shampoo is not suitable for this; you should buy a special shampoo for cats at a pet store (Bars). You can dry it with a hairdryer or towel in a draft-free room.

Claws

To make your pet sharpen its claws in comfort, you can buy a scratching post, but you can also adapt an ordinary thick branch for this task, wrapping it with a thick rope. If Mau is lazy, pick up a nail clipper and trim the claws a little once a month.

Eyes

Mau's eyes rarely run, but if this happens, wipe them with a special eye lotion for animals. Do not use cotton wool, buy cotton sponges.

Teeth

Teeth are brushed 4-6 times a month. If the cat eats dry food, cleaning is carried out less often, if it sits on “natural” food, it is done more often. You will need a special brush (you put it on your finger) and toothpaste or gel (Hartz, TropiClean, Beaphar). You can add cleansing drops to drinking water, give special chewing sticks and pads with a pleasant taste.

As cats age, tartar often forms on their teeth. You definitely won’t be able to remove it, so take the cat to the vet. The doctor will clean the mouth quickly and painlessly for the animal.

Pictured are kittens of the Egyptian Mau breed.

Tips for choosing a kitten

Despite the productive work of Mau breeders around the world, purebred cats and male cats are very rare and only in professional nurseries. If you saw a handsome spotted dog on the market, don’t rush to buy it, almost one hundred percent under the bright color is hidden a yard “Murzik”, for which they want to get a lot of money.

If you have decided to acquire a rare representative of the Mau, contact only special nurseries! Sign up for the queue and wait for the kitten from the future litter.

The cubs are separated from their mother no earlier than 3 months of age, when they do not require care and can feed and walk independently. The kitten must be active, neat and well-fed. The coat should shimmer in the light, the eyes and ears should be clean.

A characteristic feature of the breed is that at two months Egyptian Mau kittens develop fuzzing - long hairs turn them into “porcupines”. But this is not a breed defect, but an intermediate stage in the formation of short hair.

Buying a kitten

So, the description of cats of the Egyptian breed captivated the heart and the new owner decides to purchase such a kitten. Where to go and how much the spotted joy will cost depends on where you live

Before buying, it is important to know how to choose the right kitten

Tiny Egyptian Mau kitten

Meet the family

Since the Egyptian breed is quite rare, you should purchase a kitten carefully

In order not to stumble upon a dishonest seller, it is important to check the reviews and comments about him on the site. Needless to say, the page must be official, contain a phone number, email address and physical

Mau cat with kittens

A cat that has given birth to kittens looks tired even after three weeks. If a mustachioed mom is too alert and her coat is shiny, she may not be the parent of the litter at all. Unscrupulous breeders often use this trick to sell outbred kittens.

Choosing a pet

Most purebred nurseries allow you to reserve a kitten even before its birth. However, the transfer to the new owner must occur no earlier than six weeks after birth. By this time, the kitten will have acquired basic immunity, absorbed with mother's milk.

By the sixth week, the breeder provides the litter with all the necessary vaccinations. Data about them is entered into documents. If you have the opportunity to choose a pet among several kittens, it is worth observing their behavior. In any offspring there are active and passive babies. It is better to give preference to playful. He should be interested in unfamiliar objects and easily make contact with people. Kittens that hiss and run away are best left to more patient buyers.

When examining a kitten, pay attention to its eyes and ears. They must be clean and look neat

The kitten should be clean and smell like milk. The “rear” of the animal is also examined for contamination, which indicates an intestinal disorder. Upon purchase, the owner receives documents for the kitten, as well as information about its diet. The transition to a new food should occur gradually.

Grown up Egyptian Mau kitten

Boy or girl

When choosing the gender of your future pet, you should take into account that Egyptian boys and girls, like other breeds, have radically different temperaments. Female Mau have a more independent disposition. It is more difficult to hold them in your arms and get attention from them. However, girls are much cleaner than boys. As for the “guys,” their advantage is considered to be a gentle disposition and a desire to bask on the couch next to the owner.

Where can I buy

There are not many nurseries engaged in breeding Egyptian Mau. Most of them are in Europe or the USA. There are several exotic kittens on the territory of the Russian Federation. For example, “Egyptian Power” in Moscow.

The price of a purebred kitten starts from 1 thousand dollars. Such a high cost is due to the rarity of the breed and the complexity of breeding Mau. It is possible that a pet-class pet can be purchased cheaper. Such a cat will not be able to participate in exhibitions, but will become a faithful friend for any family.

Egyptian Mau kittens