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The exact origin of the Egyptian Mau is not recorded and therefore cannot be known for certain. However, the popular belief is that the Egyptian Mau is a descendant to the African Wild Cat. This belief is due to the Egyptian Mau’s remarkably similar appearance to the African Wild Cats. The African Wild Cats were also known to be in the same region where the Mau first appeared. No matter how they came about, once this breed was domesticated it became indispensable. The Egyptian Mau is an elegant beauty that graced Ancient Egyptian art as early as 2200 B.C. Throughout most of the Ancient Egyptian timeline, these cats were seen as both loving companions to be treasured and valuable protectors to be honoured and revered. Egyptian Maus were originally trained to hunt prey, such as birds and fish, and return the bounty to their humans. They were also taught to guard crops by keeping away small animals that would disturb them. Cats were held in such high regard that if anyone were to be caught killing a cat in this time period, they would be immediately stoned to death for their crime.
In July of 2004, the Egyptian Mau hit the big screen in the major motion picture, Cat woman. Although the movie was subject to bad reviews and a low box office intake, Midnight, a silver Egyptian Mau, had a most notable performance of the cast. Midnight is said to have done her own stunts in all but one scene. This is something not commonly seen with cats in the computer age. The correct Egyptian Mau should look evenly balanced
with an overall medium size. The ears should rest well back on the head
with sufficient space between them. The eyes should be large and almond
shape. Gooseberry Green is the only acceptable eye colour, the shoulder
blades should be visible and stand up higher than the back line. A loose
skin on the stomach, or “belly flap,” is highly desirable.
The tail should be medium at the base and have a slight taper as it extends
outward. The back legs are higher than the front legs, but the Egyptian
Mau should walk evenly regardless, these powerful legs allow the Egyptian
Mau to reach speeds of over 30 miles per hour. Other than their unique background, the Egyptian
Mau has several key physical differences that set them apart from other
spotted cats. One of the most noticeable differences is the breed's spotting
requirement. The spots of an Egyptian Mau can be completely random and
in all shapes and sizes; however, they should never have rosettes or a
marble or striped pattern, which resembles some Bengals. Although the
Ocicat looks highly similar to the Egyptian Mau, their spots are to be
large, well scattered, and thumb print shaped (as the breed standard dictates). v Egyptian Mau's make the best living companions that are comparable in their loyalty to the best of dogs. Unlike many breeds that only deal with their humans when they’re hungry, the Egyptian Mau is always seeking company. The average Mau is quite clingy to his/her owners; some will take to only one member of the family, while others will take over the entire household. Which ever way it goes, once the Mau has bonded, he/she is your lover for life and will actively participate in anything that you are doing (whether you want them there or not). As the Egyptian Mau is incredibly intelligent, they have been known to break open closed doors by either slamming against them, or by twisting the doorknob. Privacy is a rare luxury with a Mau in the house, and often times you will hear them chortle a “welcome home” song, a “let me in” plea, or just a general speech about their day.
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