Is This An Egyptian Mau?

Is This An Egyptian Mau?

by Alexandra
(Romania)

My Mau

My Mau

I have this cat from a friend and I think it is an Egyptian Mau because his behaviour and look is just like this breed :).

Is this cat an Egyptian Mau? I look forward to your answer.

Alexandra


Hi Alexandra... There are quite a lot of people visiting this website who ask this question in relation to a range of possible cat breeds. I nearly always give the same answer.

The first point is this. Almost all people who keep a cat that is a purebred cat will know that it is purebred because there will be a history, usually in writing. In other words a pedigree that satisfies the cat associations that a cat is purebred.

If there are no papers concerning this cat then he is very likely not a purebred cat and therefore not an Egyptian Mau as they are purebred cats.

There is, though, an immediate problem because as it happens there are thousands of feral Egyptian Maus living on the streets in Egypt. They are not purebred but they are Egyptian Maus. That said you are asking if this cat is a purebred. On what I have just said it is almost certainly not. There are other factors.

It is hard to be sure about purebred cats from appearance only as not all purebred cats are going to be perfect to type or be excellent examples of the breed.

The Egyptian Mau is the only naturally spotted cat. As a purebred it is "semi-foreign" in conformation (the way the body looks). This translates to being slenderish or a bit more slender and refined than your average random bred cat.

This cat is not semi-foreign in appearance in my opinion but is probably more cobby (stocky). That goes against this cat being an Egyptian Mau.

Back to the spots. This cat is a tabby cat but there are no spots as far as I can see. It appears that he is a mackerel tabby (a tabby cat with stripes). That also goes against this cat being an Egyptian Mau.

Another factor is that tabby cats are perhaps the most common of all mixed bred cats, which also points to this cat being a random bred cat.

In fact, he looks very like the European Shorthair, which is in effect a random bred cat turned into a purebred one. See this page: European Shorthair.

In conclusion and drawing all the factors above together I would have to say that your cat is a random bred cat and not an Egyptian Mau...but what a very good looking cat he is. There are many people who prefer random bred cats and they are no less important or beautiful than purebred cats and sometimes they are better (healthier).

Thanks for visiting and asking. This page says more about answering the question: What Breed Is My Cat? Also visitors might be able to say some more on this subject and better than me.

Michael Avatar

Is This An Egyptian Mau? to Egyptian Mau

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Is This An Egyptian Mau?

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Apr 05, 2010
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Maybe Maybe Not
by: Anthony

While I agree with much of what the person who answered your question said, I do not believe they are correct in making the assumption that your cat is not an Egyptian Mau.
I don't believe if he/she is, that he is "pure" as in completely Mau.
I have one that is the smoke colored and he doesn't have papers but I have proof, which is hard to reveal on this page, in brief he was rescued from a breeder that used a particular pet store. The person I got him from worked there and took two of the cats that had been mistreated, one the Egyptian Mau and the other is a Bengal, After researching their conformation, markings, etc. they are both indeed what I was told. I also did not pay for them. The person could not keep them and only wanted good homes. This person could not get the papers for them because as I said she had taken the cats from the pet store.
So, maybe you have a part Mau, and maybe you don't, but no-one can tell you for certain if they have any of the blood in them. Usually responsible people do breed both type cats I have mentioned but in all parts of life there are exceptions. After a life in law enforcement I can testify to that. I suggest you go to a website that delineates all the markings and 5 toes on front paws and 4 on the back etc. to compare your cats markings. There have to be spots rather rosettes or elongated and other very distinctive patterns. In any case the cat is a beauty.


Feb 27, 2010
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Great looking tabby
by: Finn Frode, Denmark

Hi Alexandra. I agree with Michael that he is probably no Egyptian. What actually is in his mix, only his parents will know. 😉
That said, you have a great looking tabby cat with a very clear line across his chest and something like a double M in his forehead. Tabby patterns can be as different as fingerprints and this one is quite special. He seems like a friendly cat too - is he?

Finn Frode avatar


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