Egyptian Mau Kitten Breed

The Egyptian Mau was an attempt to establish from a naturally occurring indigenous spotted cat a breed resembling the cats depicted in ancient Egyptian art. The Mau developed from a silver spotted female from Egypt, which was taken to Rome in the 1950s and mated to another Egyptian cat, a smoke spotted tom, which had arrived earlier. Their kittens, after being entered in a show in Rome, were taken to the USA where the breed eventually received recognition in 1968. The Mau has an oriental look combined with a more cobby build, more like the Abyssinian than the Siamese. The fur is randomly spotted with distinct markings of varying size and shape on a paler ground. The cheeks are barred with a line from the eye along the contour of the cheek and another curving upwards from the centre of the cheek. The forehead carries a clear 'M' and frown marks forming lines between the ears which extend down the back of the neck breaking into elongated spots along the spine. There are one or more broken 'necklace' markings on the upper chest, shoulder markings and those on the haunches and upper hind legs are transitional between stripes and spots, legs are barred and the tail ringed with dark tip. Silver cats have charcoal spotting on a pale silver ground; bronze dark brown-black on a coppery brown, fading to creamy ivory on the underside; smoke jet black on a pale silver ground with a white to pale silver undercoat. In Britain the name Mau was originally used for a range of spotted cats bred expert-mentally in the 1960s. These were not based on Egyptian stock and have now been established under the name Oriental Tabbies.

Medium long and graceful, but with well-developed muscle; legs and feet in proportion within legs longer, giving the appearance of being on tiptoe when standing upright; small, dainty feet, very slightly oval; tail medium long, thick at base with slight taper.

Medium long, slightly rounded wedge with no floatplanes, not full cheeked, nose of even width throughout its length when seen from front, and profile showing gentle contour with a slight rise from nose bridge to forehead; ears medium to large, alert and moderately pointed, broad based with ample width between them; the inner ear is a delicate almost transparent pink.

Large, almond-shaped with a slight slant towards the ears, and a light 'gooseberry' greening color.

Medium length with a lustrous sheen, ears may be tufted; dense and resilient in silver and bronze coats, silky and fine in smokes.

Silver, bronze and smoke