- While the Egyptian mau is a very distinctive domesticated feline which appears to be shown depicted in 3,000-year-old papyrus scrolls of ancient Egypt, archaeologists are unable to verify that the mummified remains of felines found in Egyptian tombs are those of the Egyptian mau specifically. Rather, the remains of cats found in tombs for Egyptian nobility and the Egyptian goddess Ba'at are descendants of the African wild cat, Felis silvestris libyca.
- The Egyptian mau is a breed of domesticated feline with short hair. It has either a silver, smokey or bronze coat that has spots that extend from the coat to the skin of the cat, with green eyes. This cat breed is highly athletic, and can jump up to six feet into the air and run at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. The mau is considered to be a highly intelligent cat, with a variety of vocal expressions. This cat is considered to be a loyal pet that bonds with its owner, and enjoys fetching.
- The mau is not considered to be fully mature until it is 2 years old. When well-cared for, this cat has an expected life span of nearly two decades. This cat breed experienced a dramatic reduction in its population due to World War II. The exiled Russian Princess, Nathalie Troubetskoy, established a breeding program for the Egyptian mau when she came to New York in 1956. Since she began the program with three kittens, the genetic line of the Egyptian mau has acquired some hereditary diseases, such as feline asthma and feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which may interfere with this cat's usual longevity.
- The Egyptian mau was officially recognized as a cat breed by the Cat Fancier's Association in 1968. Cats with bronze, silver or smoke coloring can compete in championships. Black maus, which are solid black with subtle black spots, cannot compete in the CFA championship. Blue maus can compete in the CFA's "any other variety" category, which does not qualify them for championship. Black Egyptian maus, while unable to compete, can still be bred.
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