Some Colours

 

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A charming picture of a bronze Mau, Chantina Sahara, with her beautifully marked bronze kittens. Maus are very good mothers as this print clearly shows.

Smoke Maus are unique in that they have been deliberately bred to show their spots.

The more contrast there is, the better the pattern.
Another feature of the Mau is their beautiful large,

rounded almond eyes - gooseberry green in colour,

they have a worried expression

that is very endearing.

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Scale of Points

Type (45)

Head and Neck.........................10
Muzzle.......................................5
Ears............................................5

Eye Shape and Setting...............5
Body.........................................10
Legs and Paws..........................5
Tail..............................................5

Coat, Colour and Pattern ........ (55)

Pattern......................................25
Coat Colour..............................15
Eye Colour...............................10
Coat Texture and Length...........5

Withhold all Awards for:

1. Extremely aggressive temperament.

2. White markings anywhere, other than those referred to in the colour description.

3. Lack of spots

Withhold Certificates or First Prizes in Kittenand Open Classes for:

1. Cobby or Oriental type.

2. Poor spotting and/or extensive

pattern flaws.

3. Extensive brown tarnish (i.e. extending beyond the area of the muzzle) in a silver, or cold, grey tone to the ground colour in a bronze, or insufficient contrast between the ground colour

and the jet black markings in a smoke.

4. Amber eyes in adults.

5. Three or more faults from the

list below.

6. Any defect listed in the preface to the SOP booklet.

 

Faults:

The presence of any of these faults should be taken into account when judging a Mau, however one or two minor faults in an otherwise excellent cat should not be too heavily penalised.

1. Small ears.

2. Oriental eye set.

3. Lines of nose diverge when viewed from the front.

4. Prominent whisker pinch.

5. Muzzle square or pointed.

6. Weak chin.

7. Unbroken vertical stripes on the body, or stripes on the underside.

8. Unbroken necklaces.

9. Poor contrast between spots and ground colour.

10. Visible tarnish in a silver or lack of warmth in a bronze, or black locket on a smoke.

Colour Description

Eye Colour

Light green, ‘gooseberry green’. Amber is acceptable only in kittens.

Silver (78 30s)

Pale silver ground colour across the head, shoulders, outer legs, back and tail. Underside fades to a brilliant pale, silvery white. All markings black or charcoal grey with pale silver roots, showing good contrast against the ground colour. Back of ears greyish-pink, tipped in black. Inner ear should be a delicate, almost transparent, shell pink. Upper throat area, chin and around nostrils, pale clear silver appearing silvery white. Nose, lips and eyes outlined in black. Nose leather brick red. Paw pads black with black hair between the toes and extending beyond the paws of the hind legs.

Bronze (78 30)

Warm coppery brown ground colour across head, shoulders outer legs, back and tail. Underside fades to a paler tone. All markings dark brown/black with paler roots, showing good contrast against the ground colour. Back of ears tawny-pink, tipped in dark brown/black. Inner ear should be a delicate, almost transparent, shell pink. Upper throat area, chin and around nostrils, pale ivory. Nose, lips and eyes outlined in dark brown with bridge of nose brown. Nose leather brick red. Paw pads black or dark brown with same colour hair between the toes and extending beyond the paws of the hind legs.

Smoke (78 36)

Ground colour across the head, shoulders, outer legs, back, tail and underside consists of pale silver undercoat tipped with black. All markings jet black with silvery white or pale silver roots. There should be sufficient contrast against the ground colour for the pattern to be plainly visible. Upper throat area, chin and around nostrils lighter in colour. Nose, lips and eyes outlined in jet black. Nose leather black. Paw pads black with black hair between the toes and extending beyond the paws of the hind legs.

 
 


Welcome to the Egyptian Mau breed profile  

Egyptian Mau History

Egyptian Maus arrived in the UK in late 1998.The Mau has a fascinating history and is one of the oldest domestic cat breeds existing today. Mau is the Egyptian word for cat. Experts believe that the Egyptian Mau is the cat domesticated from a spotted subspecies of the African Wild Cat by the ancient Egyptians. Evidence of the cats' pedigree can be found in ancient Egyptian art and architecture. A papyrus painting from 1100 BC shows the Egyptian sun god Ra as a spotted cat beheading an evil serpent. On a tomb in Thebes dating from 1400 BC a spotted cat is pictured retrieving a duck for an Egyptian hunter. These cats were not only cherished by the ancient Egyptians as pets and workers but also worshipped as deities and mummified at death.

Of all the different breeds of spotted cat, it is the Mau that bears a striking resemblance to the statuesque spotted cats depicted in Ancient Egyptian art. The GCCF standard describes the Mau as follows: "The Egyptian Mau is an elegant cat of moderate, foreign type characterised by a random spotted pattern seen both in tabby and smoke colours, and a unique "worried" look. This facial expression is generated by large, straight-set gooseberry-green eyes beneath a level brow and between the parallel lines of the nose. The Mau is an active, well-balanced, medium-sized cat with a strength and hard muscular feel that belies its graceful build. Males tend to be larger than females." As a guide on weight, adult females usually weigh between 3-4 kilos whereas males are from 4-6 kilos on maturity. It is important though to be careful with the diet, as neutered Maus can really become quite large, blurring their elegance.
Maus registered with the GCCF are given a specific breed number, Silvers are 78 30s, Bronze 78 30 and Smoke 78 36.
Maus were first brought into this country, from the United States, by Dr Melissa Bateson. The last remaining Maus were rescued in Italy by a Russian princess and taken to North America where she, with a group of interested breeders founded the modern Mau. They come in three colours accepted for showing silver (silver ground colour with charcoal grey or black markings),bronze (really warm coppery, brown ground colour with darker brown or black markings)and smoke (this appears

as dark, charcoal grey with jet black markings however each hair is in fact silver at the base and tipped with black). The markings on the smoke are a "ghost" tabby pattern where breeders have deliberately selected those with a clearly defined pattern to breed from. The Mau is the only breed to have a patterned smoke. The colours not accepted for showing include solid black, but Maus also occur in dilute colours giving a blue silver, blue tabby, blue smoke and a solid blue. No dilute Maus have been born to date in the UK. Maus can also sometimes occur in the blotched or classic tabby pattern, theoretically possible in all of the above colours. Classic tabby Maus can neither be shown nor bred from, but make excellent and very beautiful pets. They are relatively common in the UK. The Egyptian Mau Breed Advisory Committee currently has no intention to develop or recognise any new colours or patterns.Maus are intelligent, active and very playful cats. They love toys, and many learn to retrieve as they really enjoy interacting with their owners. They are reputed to have the fastest reflexes of any domestic cat, and are formidable hunters if allowed outside. Maus generally get along very well with other animals including dogs.

                                                             Photograph by Alan Robinson
They bond strongly to their owners, but are sometimes, initially, shy of strangers. They are very intelligent and stubborn cats. They learn fast and like to have their own way. They can open doors, cupboards and drawers and love to investigate anything new.
Maus are still a relatively rare breed in the UK with fewer than 200 kittens being registered with the GCCF each year. The breed benefited from the publicity provided by the recent "Catwoman" film that starred an Egyptian Mau (well, there were three Maus playing the role and it was part of the fun of the film to recognise where the cats swapped scenes) as well as Halle Berry who, it was reported liked the breed very much!

The oldest Maus in the UK are currently only around 10 years old, reflecting the newness of the breed in this country, however, evidence from breeders abroad suggests that Maus typically live 12-14 years. For those people looking for a beautiful cat with expressive eyes, a striking pattern and a loving, responsive personality, an Egyptian Mau is an ideal choice.
GCCF Standard of Points General Type

The Egyptian Mau is an elegant cat of moderate, foreign type characterised by a random spotted pattern seen both in tabby and smoke colours, and a unique ‘worried’ look. This facial expression is generated by large, gooseberry-green eyes set beneath a level brow and on either side of the parallel lines of the nose. The Mau is an active, well balanced, medium-sized cat with a strength and hard muscular feel that belie its graceful build. Males tend to be larger than females.

Head

A slightly rounded wedge without flat planes and of medium length. Not full-cheeked, but allowance should be made for jowls in adult males. Profile shows a gentle contour with a slight rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead, which flows back into the arched neck without a break. Entire length of nose of uniform width when viewed from the front. The muzzle should flow into the contours of the head, it should be gently rounded, neither square and boxy nor pointed. The chin should be firm with a level bite.

Ears

Medium to moderately large. Broad at the base and moderately pointed, slightly flared with ample width between them. Set well back on the head, but cupped forward and alert. From a front view, the line of the ears should continue the planes of the head. Hair on the ears should be short and close lying. May be tufted.

Eyes

Large and shaped like rounded almonds. Set straight in the head beneath a level brow with a slight upward slant to the lower lid only.

Body

Medium long and graceful, showing well-developed strength and having a hard, muscular feel. Shoulder blades high and prominent. Allowance to be made for muscular necks and shoulders in adult males. A loose skin flap extends from the flank to the knee of each hind leg.

Legs and Feet

Elegant and in proportion to body, with medium boning. Hind legs proportionately longer, giving the appearance of being on tip-toe when standing upright. Feet small and dainty, almost round in shape.

Tail

Medium length, moderately thick at the base and tapering slightly.

Coat

Hair is of medium length, close-lying with a lustrous sheen. In the silver and bronze colours, the hair is dense and resilient in texture and accommodates two or more bands of ticking separated by lighter bands. In the smoke colour, the hair is silky and fine in texture.

Pattern Description for all Egyptian Mau Colours including smoke

Head Markings

Forehead barred with characteristic ‘M’ and frown marks. A complex ‘scarab’ design is seen on the top of the head, behind which lines extend backward between the ears and continue down the back of the neck, ideally breaking into elongated spots along the spine. The cheeks are barred with ‘mascara’ lines: the first starts at the outer corner of the eye and continues along the contour of the cheek, and the second starts at the centre of the cheek and curves upwards, almost meeting the first below the base of the ear.

Body Markings

Markings on the torso are to be randomly spotted with variance in size and shape. The spots can be large or small, round, oblong, or of irregular shape. Any of these are of equal merit but the spots, however shaped or of whatever size, shall be distinct, with good contrast between pale ground colour and deeper markings. Spotting pattern on each side of the torso need not match. Underside of the body spotted. As the spinal lines/elongated spots reach the rear haunches, they merge together to form a dorsal stripe which continues along the top of the tail to its tip. On the upper chest there are one or more broken necklaces. The shoulder markings are a transition between stripes and spots.

Leg Markings

The front legs are heavily barred and/or spotted and do not necessarily match. Haunches and upper hind legs to be a transition between stripes and spots, breaking into bars on the lower leg.

Tail Markings

The tail is heavily banded and has a dark tip

Information source Eqyptian Mau Cat Club

Some Facts- Information source Find a Kitten

The Egyptian Maus were duck hunters in egyptiCommon Ailmentsan times and still love to play fetch. They have a soft tuneful purr and are not scared to tell you when they don't like their food! They love to 'chat' by making chortling sounds, waging their tails and treading with their feet. The Mau is a moderately active cat but when not reliving its hunting past it likes to laze about in the sun. This breed is a family loving cat and is fiercely loyal; however it takes a while for the Mau to warm to strangers.

  • Playfulness
    		•  Very High

    Egyptian Mau Lifespan

    		 15 years or more
  • Intelligence
    		•  High    
  • Independence
    		•  Medium Average Litter Size Egyptian Maus have litters of about six at a time. Egyptian Maus usually experience an easy birth
  • Attention Seeking
    		•  High
  • Affectionate
    		•  High    
  • Activeness
    		•  Very High Common Ailments Maus are very healthy cats and do not tend to suffer from any specific aliments. However, it is wise to give your mau an annual check up to check kindney and liver function and to check for tooth decay.
  • Friendliness to Children
    		•  Medium
  • Friendliness to other Pets
    		•  Medium

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