The Egyptian Mau stands out in the feline world as the only naturally spotted domesticated breed. These captivating cats present an image of vibrant energy and athleticism, characterized by their medium size and well-defined musculature. A healthy Egyptian Mau exudes alertness and impeccable physical condition, embodying a harmonious balance in both physique and temperament. Notably, male Egyptian Maus typically exhibit a larger build compared to their female counterparts.
Unpacking the Breed Standard of Egyptian Meow Cats
For those enchanted by the allure of Egyptian Meow Cats, understanding their breed standard is key to appreciating their unique qualities. This standard, meticulously defined, outlines the ideal characteristics of an Egyptian Mau, guiding breeders and enthusiasts alike.
Head: A Gentle Wedge
The head of an Egyptian Mau is shaped like a slightly rounded wedge, avoiding any flat planes and maintaining a medium length. The cheeks are not full, contributing to the refined appearance. In profile, the head presents a gentle contour, marked by a subtle rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead. When viewed from the front, the nose maintains an even width throughout its length. It’s important to note that allowances are made for jowls in adult males, a natural development in mature cats.
Muzzle and Chin: Flowing Lines
The muzzle seamlessly integrates into the wedge shape of the head, neither short nor overly pointed, ensuring a harmonious facial structure. The chin is firm, neither receding nor protruding, contributing to a balanced profile.
Ears: Alert and Expressive
Egyptian Mau ears are medium to large in size, always alert and moderately pointed, extending the lines of the head. Broad at the base, they are set well apart, providing ample width between them. The hair covering the ears is short and close-lying. The inner ear boasts a delicate, almost transparent, shell pink hue. Tufts at the ear tips are permissible, adding to their distinctive charm.
Eyes: Almond-Shaped Jewels
The eyes of the Egyptian Mau are large and strikingly alert, shaped like almonds with a slight slant towards the ears. The eye shape is neither round nor distinctly oriental, contributing to their unique and captivating gaze.
Body: Graceful Muscularity
The body of an Egyptian Mau is medium-long and gracefully built, showcasing well-developed muscular strength. A distinctive feature is a loose skin flap extending from the flank to the hind leg knee. Balance is prioritized over sheer size, emphasizing proportion and harmony. Allowance is made for more muscular necks and shoulders in adult males, reflecting their robust physique.
Legs and Feet: Poised and Dainty
Legs and feet are in perfect proportion to the body, with hind legs proportionally longer than the front legs. This unique structure gives the Egyptian Mau the appearance of standing on tip-toe when upright, highlighting their agility. The feet themselves are small and dainty, slightly oval, almost round in shape. They possess five toes in the front and four behind.
Tail: Medium Length and Tapered
The tail is medium in length, thick at the base, and tapers slightly towards the tip, complementing the overall balanced physique.
Coat: Lustrous and Varied Textures
The Egyptian Mau’s coat is medium in length with a naturally lustrous sheen. Texture varies with color: in smoke variations, the hair is silky and fine, while silver and bronze coats feature dense and resilient hair, accommodating two or more bands of ticking separated by lighter bands, adding depth and richness to their coat.
Penalties and Disqualifications: Maintaining Breed Excellence
Breed standards also outline faults that can lead to penalties or disqualifications in cat shows, ensuring the preservation of the breed’s unique traits. Penalties are applied for features such as a short or round head, pointed muzzle, small, round or oriental eyes, cobby or oriental body, short or whip-like tail, lack of broken necklaces in the pattern, pencillings in the spotting pattern on the torso, solid stripes on the underside instead of “vest button” spots, lack of green in eye color in cats over eight months, amber cast in eye color in older cats, and poor condition.
Disqualifications are more serious and include a lack of spots, blue eyes, lack of green eye color in cats over 1 year and 6 months, mottled or pink paw pads, kinked or abnormal tail, incorrect number of toes, or a white locket or button distinct from acceptable white areas in color sections.
The Distinctive Mau Pattern: Spots and Markings
The Mau pattern is consistent across all color variations. The torso displays randomly distributed spots varying in size and shape – round, oblong, or irregular, all equally valued as long as they are distinct and provide good contrast against the paler ground color. The forehead is marked with a characteristic “M” and frown lines, extending between the ears and down the neck, ideally breaking into elongated spots along the spine. These spinal lines merge at the rear haunches into a dorsal stripe continuing along the tail to its dark tip. Cheeks are adorned with “mascara” lines, and the upper chest features broken necklaces. Shoulder markings transition between stripes and spots, while the upper front legs are heavily barred. The underside of the body features distinctive “vest buttons” – dark spots against the pale ground color.
Egyptian Mau Colors: A Palette of Natural Beauty
Eye Color: Gooseberry Green
The hallmark eye color of the Egyptian Mau is a distinctive “gooseberry green”. While allowance is made for color changes in younger cats, some green should be discernible by eight months, and full green eye color is expected by one and a half years. Greener eyes are always preferred.
Silver: Shimmering Elegance
Silver Egyptian Maus exhibit a pale silver ground color across the head, shoulders, outer legs, back, and tail, fading to a brilliant pale silver underneath. Markings are charcoal color against a white to pale silver undercoat. Ears are grayish-pink tipped in black, and the nose, lips, and eyes are outlined in black.
Bronze: Warm and Radiant
Bronze Egyptian Maus showcase a warm bronze ground color, darkest on the saddle and lightening to tawny-buff on the sides, fading to creamy ivory underneath. Markings are dark brown-black against a warm brown undercoat. Ears are tawny-pink tipped in dark brown-black, and the nose, lips, and eyes are outlined in dark brown.
Smoke: Mysterious and Alluring
Smoke Egyptian Maus display a pale silver ground color with hairs tipped in black, creating a smoky effect. Markings are jet black against a white to pale silver undercoat. Nose, lips, and eyes are outlined in jet black.
Conclusion: The Allure of Egyptian Meow Cats
Egyptian Meow Cats are truly exceptional felines, celebrated for their naturally spotted coats, athletic grace, and captivating “gooseberry green” eyes. Understanding their breed standard reveals the intricate details that define this breed, from their head shape and ear carriage to their distinctive patterns and colors. These magnificent cats continue to enchant enthusiasts worldwide with their unique beauty and vibrant personalities.
