Determining if your cat is an Egyptian Mau requires knowing its distinctive physical attributes and its behavioral characteristics.
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How to know if you have an Egyptian Mau
Egyptian Mau cats are known for their remarkable green eyes and unique natural spotted fur that’s silver, smokey, or bronze colored. They are notably active cats and are very attached to their owners. You can trace their origins back to ancient Egypt.
Identifying your Egyptian Mau
Let’s start by assessing the Egyptian Mau’s distinct physical and behavioral characteristics. This checklist will help you determine if your cat is an Egyptian Mau.
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How to tell if it is a Egyptian Mau looking at their: Physical characteristics
Striking light green, gooseberry-like colored eyes
Egyptian Maus have large almond-shaped eyes, with a sweet and lovely look. The color of their eyes develops as they mature.
Naturally spotted coat
Egyptian Mau cats are unique for being the only domesticated cat with a naturally spotted coat. Their coat is medium to short length with four different major colors. It comes in bronze/brown, silver, black, and smoke, with a long stripe mark along its spine that goes from its head to its thick tail.
Their spotted coats can also vary. The spots come in random round or oblong shapes with a deep black or charcoal shade of color, depending on the cat’s coat color.
A wedge-shaped head
They have a rounded semi triangular-shaped head with medium to large ears on top, making them look like a wild cat breed. Egyptian Mau cats have a recognizable M-shaped mark right on their forehead and two-line marks on both sides of their cheeks.
Lean and long body
The Egyptian Mau is a small to medium cat with a remarkable muscular build, which can be seen on its legs, necks, and shoulders. It measures an average nose to tail length of 24 inches or more and an average height of 8 to 10 inches. On average, it weighs 7 to 9 pounds when it reaches maturity.
Long legs and extra skin
Their hind legs are somewhat longer than their front legs that makes them appear like they are standing on their tiptoes. They also have an extra section of skin between their tummy and rear legs, allowing them to twist and jump easily. With this extra bit of skin, they can extend their legs wider when running.
You can tell the difference between an adult male and a female Egyptian Mau by looking at their size. THe male is slightly larger than its female counterpart.
How to tell if it is a Egyptian Mau looking at their: Personality and behavior
Besides looking at their physical characteristics, you can also see if your furry friend is an Egyptian Mau if they have the following behavioral attributes.
Egyptian Mau cats are vocal when they are happy
These cats tend to vocalize in the way of chortling (the “Rrrruh” soft sound that you hear from them). They have a charming sounding voice. Egyptian Maus also show their happiness by swishing their tails rapidly on you and giving you a nice massage using their front paws.
They are exceptionally agile cats
They are active in many ways. They are known for their remarkable athleticism. With their long hind legs and lean body, they can leap and climb from your shoulder to higher than what you would normally expect from a cat.
They love to explore and adore water
They always love to explore their surroundings and showing off their hunting skills by playing fetch with their toys. Egyptian Mau cats love playing with water so much that you can find them dabbing their paws in your pool, splashing water out of your aquarium, or even turning on the faucet in your kitchen and bathroom.
They have a very tight attachment to their family members
An Egyptian Mau is happy being with its owners, but is a bit shy towards strangers. They enjoy sitting on your lap getting caressed or petted when there’s an opportunity. They are exceptionally loyal to their family members and you can sometimes find them waiting for you to come home by the front door.
The cats that are aloof to strangers
Although they are clingy with their family members, these cats are wary of strangers or other new pets. It takes time for them to build trust and attachment. They are also sensitive to loud noise and disruptions.
Other attributes of Egyptian Maus
Egyptian Mau cats have distinct characteristics that easily allow you to tell them apart from the other cat breeds. Here are some random facts about Egyptian Maus:
- They are the world’s fastest domesticated cat that can run up to 30 miles per hour at their maximum speed.
- They have a unique “M” shaped stripe on their forehead that symbolizes the Egyptians holy beetle (scarab beetle), which means “sun.”
- The word “Mau” in their breed’s name means cat or sun in the Egyptian language.
Common questions about the Egyptian Mau
Are Egyptian Mau cats friendly?
Egyptian Mau cats are friendly but shy. They are extremely friendly with their own family members but are shy with strangers or new pets. It may take time for them to socialize with others, so you should begin warming up their socializing skills at an early age.
Are you looking for a friendly breed of cats: Check our top 10 list
Where does the Egyptian Mau come from?
Cat experts and veterinarians believe that Egyptian Maus originated from ancient Egypt. This is supported by the early illustrations dated from 1100 B.C. of the ancient Egyptian sun god, Rah, as a spotted cat. There is also evidence that these cats were great duck-hunting assistants in ancient Egypt.
Are Egyptian Mau cats rare?
Egyptian Mau cats are considered a rare breed of cat because of their distinctive characteristics and their physical and behavioral attributes. They are the only domesticated cat that is naturally spotted and running at a maximum speed of 30mph, they are the fastest domestic cat breed as well. Their breed was preserved from the ancient Egypt period until now.
Where to get a DNA test for Egyptian Mau?
Want to figure out where to get a good DNA test for your cat, then a good place is to take a look in our article about the best places to get a cat DNA test.
You can have a closer look at the best Cat DNA options here.
Final thoughts
Egyptian Mau cats are not that hard to distinguish from other cats. Just keep a look out for their distinctive colored and patterned fur. Their round green eyes, and their loyal, cuddly and playful nature. You’ll be able to tell if a cat is an Egyptian Mau from miles away.
