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At
a glance...
Body Size... Medium
Coat Length... Short
Life span... 15 yrs |
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Egyptian Mau |
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Description... |
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The Egyptian Mau is one of
the few naturally spotted cats. It has an elegant, long body and a
stride like a cheetah. The eyes are oval shaped and vivid green in colour with dark highlighting sometimes referred to as "mascara".
There are two stripes on each side of the face next to the eyes, and
banding on the legs and tail. The short coat may be one of four base
colours (silver, bronze, smoke, or black), all with randomly placed
black spots and black striping.
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History...
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 "Mau" is the Egyptian word for
cat, and this breed strongly resembles cats represented in ancient
Egyptian hieroglyphs. The domesticated cat descends from spotted
subspecies of African wild cats. In ancient Egypt, Maus probably
began domesticated life as valued rodent-catchers protecting the
grain stores. They were rapidly elevated to deities, cherished as
pets, protected by law, and mummified and mourned at death. They
were revered in Egyptian culture.
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Traits...
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The Egyptian Mau is an
active cat that is known to be fiercely loyal to its owners. It has
a pleasing voice.
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Health...
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Inbred cats have been
reported to have a higher incidence of respiratory disease,
intestinal disease, and neurologic problems.
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Summary...
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You won't find a more
distinctive looking cat than the Mau. It's surprising Maus haven't
become the latest unusual pet craze. Plus it's fun to have a cat
that directly traces its lineage to the first cats domesticated by
humans. (It was actually a two-way street. With agriculture came
stored grains, followed by lots of rodents, followed by very
grateful cats. They were happy to associate with us - we provided
them with an easy, ready supply of food.) As with any breed, watch
for the quality of the breeder, buy only from reputable breeders
with clean catteries and healthy, friendly cats. The
Egyptian Mau is the only natural domesticated breed of spotted cat.
The Egyptian's impression should be one of an active, colourful cat
of medium size with well developed muscles. Perfect physical
condition with an alert appearance. Well balanced physically and
temperamentally. Males tend to be larger than females
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