Cat fanciers bred and exhibited Maus in Europe until World War II, when attention toward the cat waned and it nearly went extinct. The breed was saved in the 1950s when Russian princess Natalie Trubetskaya (sometimes Troubetskoy), living in exile in Italy, was given a Mau that was reportedly imported from the Middle East. Trubetskaya took a shine to the spotted feline breed, and when she emigrated to New York City in 1956, she brought along three Mau cats. She used these kitties to establish the Fatima Egyptian Mau cattery, which produced many of the ancestors of today’s Egyptian Maus in America.
Once the Mau arrived in America, fanciers continued the rare breed’s bloodline by outcrossing it with other cats, and imported more Maus from Egypt and India. In 1977, the Mau was granted championship status by the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats. As of 2014, it was the 20th most popular cat in America, according to CFA registration data
Maus often possess very musical voices. They are known to chirp, chortle, and emit other distinctly unusual vocalizations when stimulated. Another behavior, quite common in happy Maus, has been described as "wiggle-tail." The cat, whether female or male, wiggles and twitches its tail, and appears to be marking territory, also known as spraying, but during this behavior the Mau is not releasing urine. Facial expressions may change according to mood, and eye colour may change from green to turquoise.
Personality
When the Egyptian Mau is happy, you know it. He vocalizes (called chortling) in a quiet, pleasant voice, swishes his tail rapidly, and kneads with his front paws. What makes him happy is being with his family, to whom he is fiercely devoted, or showing off his hunting prowess by chasing and retrieving a tossed toy or stalking and pouncing on a wriggling lure at the end of a fishing pole toy.
This is a moderately to highly active cat. He likes to jump and climb and will appreciate a tall cat tree, a window perch or two, and a sturdy scratching post that allows him to stretch out to full height. The Mau also enjoys playing in water. Don’t be surprised to find him dipping a paw into your koi pond or aquarium, turning on the tap in the bathroom or kitchen, or splashing water out of your pool — or his water dish.
The Egyptian Mau prefers family members to anyone else. When he’s not playing fetch, he enjoys sitting in a lap and being worshipped, just as his ancestors may have been.
The Mau has the distinction of being the fastest domestic housecat, as she can run at speeds of up to 30 mph.
Health
Both pedigreed cats and mixed-breed cats have varying incidences of health problems that may be genetic in nature. Egyptian Maus are generally healthy, but be sure to ask a breeder about the incidence of health problems in her lines and what testing has been done for any that are genetic in nature.
Egyptian Maus are said to have a longer gestational period than most cats. While average felines give birth after 65 to 67 days of pregnancy, Maus reportedly remain with child (uh, kitten) for an average of 73 days.
The Mau’s most striking characteristic is his spotted coat in silver, bronze or smoke (pale silver fur tipped in black), closely followed by his large gooseberry-green eyes. He is a medium-size cat with a muscular body and a slightly rounded wedge-shaped head topped with medium-size to large ears. With hind legs slightly longer than the front legs, he gives the appearance of standing on tiptoe on his small, dainty feet. A medium-long tail is thick at the base, tapering slightly at the end.
The medium-length coat has a silky, fine texture in the smoke coloration and a dense, resilient texture in the silver and bronze colors. The body is covered randomly with distinct spots that can be small or large, and round, oblong or other shapes. The forehead bears an M shape, the cheeks are adorned with “mascara” lines, and the tail is banded, ending with a dark tip. On the pale belly are dark spots that resemble “vest buttons.”
In addition to the silver, bronze and smoke colors, Maus can come in solid black, blue silver, blue spotted (a dilute version of bronze), blue smoke and solid blue, but these colors are not permitted in the show ring. These cats of a different color make fine pets, however, sharing all the other characteristics of the Mau.
Coat Color And Grooming
The Mau’s most striking characteristic is his spotted coat in silver, bronze or smoke (pale silver fur tipped in black), closely followed by his large gooseberry-green eyes. He is a medium-size cat with a muscular body and a slightly rounded wedge-shaped head topped with medium-size to large ears. With hind legs slightly longer than the front legs, he gives the appearance of standing on tiptoe on his small, dainty feet. A medium-long tail is thick at the base, tapering slightly at the end.
The medium-length coat has a silky, fine texture in the smoke coloration and a dense, resilient texture in the silver and bronze colors. The body is covered randomly with distinct spots that can be small or large, and round, oblong or other shapes. The forehead bears an M shape, the cheeks are adorned with “mascara” lines, and the tail is banded, ending with a dark tip. On the pale belly are dark spots that resemble “vest buttons.”
In addition to the silver, bronze and smoke colors, Maus can come in solid black, blue silver, blue spotted (a dilute version of bronze), blue smoke and solid blue, but these colors are not permitted in the show ring. These cats of a different color make fine pets, however, sharing all the other characteristics of the Mau.
