Egyptian mau

The Egyptian Mau visually corresponds to the cats depicted in historical wall paintings from Egypt. The body and face are moderate, the coat is shaded brown in color and has a polka dot pattern. The Mau has round, wide eyes with a worried expression, although early depictions depicted it with wild-eyed eyes. It is probably the fastest domestic cat as it can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h.

The origin of the cat is in Egypt. The Russian exile Nathalie Troubetskoj was so enthusiastic about the polka dot drawing of a street cat in Cairo that she took the cat with her to Italy. When you got there, you let the cat mate with a tomcat. In 1956 she went to America and registered the cat. It has been a recognized breed in the USA since 1977, and the breed is almost unknown in Europe.

Originally, the cat was used as a welcome work animal. The filled granaries of Egypt attracted vast numbers of mice, species and similar rodents. Due to the storage of the excess food there, the rodents multiplied and became a plague. Originally, the African wildcat was magically attracted to this rodent population because it was easy for them to eat here. In Egypt, the advantage of this house community was quickly recognized, as the cats protect the grain from pests. The Egyptians began to lure the cats close by offering the cats treats such as fish heads and scraps of food in addition to the food available. Cats were never chased away or mistreated, so the cats had a permanent place under the care of humans, and an intimate and deeply connected relationship developed. Cats suddenly became so important that, for example, a cat killer was sentenced to death without a hearing or trial. For example, if there was a fire in a house, the cats were rescued before the people were rescued. When a cat died under normal circumstances, the whole household mourned, the mourning followed strict rituals. So it is not surprising that there are more cat mummies than human mummies in Egypt alone, more than 300,000 of them were found in Beni-Hassan. The name Mau derives from the word cat or sun, which indicates that the cat was considered precious and equated with deity.

The Egyptian Mau breed is a medium-sized cat breed, weighing between 2.25 and 5 kilograms. The head is medium-sized and has a round wedge shape with a straight nose. The nose mirror has a reddish color with a dark border. She stands on slender legs, the back ones of which are slightly longer than the front ones. The cat`s eyes are large, rounded, and gooseberry green. The ears are typically medium-sized and erect, they are slightly flared at the base and have a broad base. The physique is well muscled and neither stocky nor slender. The spotted fur is fine, silky and lies close, the individual hairs can be bound several times. The Egyptian Mau`s tail is medium in length and tapered, with a black tip.

The Egyptian Mau is an affectionate, intelligent, and playful cat breed. She wants to be fully integrated into the family and expects a lot of attention. Once you`ve gained the cat`s trust, you can supposedly even teach it tricks. The Egyptian Mau is one of the very few breeds that likes to walk on a leash.