- In the silver and bronze colour varieties the hair accommodates two or more bands of ticking separated by lighter bands.
About the Egyptian Mau
Origin: Egypt
View Egyptian Mau breedersSee Egyptian Mau kittens
No breeder is on record here yet. Portugal’s FIFe member club does not list this breed in its breeder directory at all, so an absence here says nothing about whether anyone breeds it in Portugal.
- Typical life span
- 13-16 years
- Size
- Medium — from its typical weight
- Weight
- 3.6-6.4 kg
- Height
- 25-36 cm
- Registry status
- Recognised by TICA
- Breed group
- Short-haired
- Origin
- Egypt
- Known hereditary risks
- 1 documented condition, with the test for each
About
What is a Egyptian Mau?
Medium-sized, muscular spotted cat with distinctive gooseberry-green eyes. One of the few naturally spotted domestic cat breeds.
Egyptian Mau history and origins
One of the oldest domestic cat breeds, possibly descended from ancient Egyptian cats. The only naturally spotted domestic breed. Name 'Mau' is the Egyptian word for cat.
Egyptian Mau appearance and size
Typically 3.6-6.4 kg and 25-36 cm at the shoulder — published as one range rather than separately for males and females.
Egyptian Mau temperament and personality
Generally described as agile, dependent, gentle, intelligent, lively, loyal, playful and devoted.
That is the breed in general, not a promise about one animal. Ask the breeder what their own line is like, and meet the parents before you decide.
Breed reference from The Cat API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Medium
- Exercise needs
- —
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- —
- Grooming needs
- 4 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- 1 condition documented
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Egyptian Mau
What you get with the Egyptian Mau
- Commonly described as: “Agile, Dependent, Gentle, Intelligent”
What you are taking on
- One serious inherited condition is documented, in blood. The health guide tab has the test to ask a breeder for.
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “Short, but long enough to show 2-3 bands of ticking, with a lustrous sheen.”
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. The Cat API; UC Davis VGL — PK Deficiency test; FIFe breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FIFe standard · Egyptian Mau
Coat and colour
As the FIFe standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Coat
Short, but long enough to show 2-3 bands of ticking, with a lustrous sheen.
In the smoke colour the hair is silky and fine in texture.
In the silver and bronze colour varieties the hair is dense and resilient in texture.
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FIFe’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FIFe standard MAU — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
Temperament
AgileDependentGentleIntelligentLivelyLoyalPlayfulDevoted
Breed-level information from The Cat API. It describes the Egyptian Mau in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
Health & screening guide for the Egyptian Mau
Known hereditary risks for the Egyptian Mau breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
1 condition documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Blood
Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency
Serious
An inherited defect in the red blood cell enzyme pyruvate kinase causes red cells to break down early, leading to intermittent or chronic haemolytic anaemia. Severity varies: some affected cats have repeated bouts of lethargy, pale gums and weight loss, while others are only mildly affected.
What to ask for
Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency DNA test on both parents
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where Egyptian Mau owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Kittens
No kittens listed right now
No Egyptian Mau breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.