Cat Egyptian Mau

Cat Egyptian Mau is a fascinating and elegant cat, the spotted dress which vies with the Abyssinian as the oldest of which we have preserved the written record domestic cat. Indeed, effigies of these cats , covering both the typical Abyssinian ticking the net spotting Mau , are shown in Egyptian tombs dating back to 1567 BC. BC It is not known which of the two was then the cat Pharaohs also loved by the people and precious - great hunter , he saved the huge granaries whose economy depended on the time of the assaults rodents - as to be protected by strict laws and revered as a deity as the goddess Bastet, depicted as a cat .
The only certainty is that the two races, from the same region , were absolutely natural , that is to say, they were not created by man. The historian Diodorus wrote that the Egyptians were preparing for him a " delicious meal " which consisted of bread soaked in milk with chopped fish. In addition, he was the favorite cat Chepea , goddess of creation, because her forehead was adorned with a sacred scarab .
Very affectionate cat, his attachment to his master is so strong and so absolute that it never seems to leave the eye , always attentive to its smaller mood changes. It is reserved but capable of tender impulses of affection towards his master . In general, it is not very sociable with strangers because it tends to reserve his friendship with people he knows . It adapts to all those who suffer the charm of the past and love cats temperament docile and loyal. This is a true domestic cat : he loves the tranquility of the house and the one who chose to mate. It requires no special care or attention because he knows also be independent .

Egyptian Mau cat breed
Before the Second World War, the Egyptian Mau cat was quite common in Europe , especially in Italy, France and Switzerland , but like all cats , the vicissitudes of war provoked in these countries its total disappearance . A Russian princess who lived in Rome , Natalie Troubetskoi even use diplomatic channels to get a male cat of this breed ( whose export was prohibited ) to mate with the female in 1953.
This couple descend all current Egyptian Mau , which even spread to the United States when , in 1956, the Princess moved there and where, as it considered the suffix Mau cat Egyptian superfluous , they were of first known as the only name Egyptians. In 1977, the CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association) recognized the breed which was presented exhibitions and , therefore, still was more successful on the other side of the Atlantic.
The ideal cat
The morphology of the Egyptian Mau cat is elegant and mysterious , almost statuary her figure appears slender and tall , of medium size, well developed musculature . Head, slightly rounded and not sharp triangular with full cheeks . The chin is strong, the right profile shows a slight curve of the tip of the nose to the forehead. The ears are medium to large , slightly pointed , broad at the base and spaced from one another . The eyes are almond shaped and very large , and their color should be bright green, although a slight amber shade is tolerated up to the age of a year and a half .
The body is medium in size and muscular , and the dimensions of the legs are related to those of the body and are well developed. The posterior are slightly shorter than the previous , and the feet are small and their shape is a compromise between the round and oval. The tail is long and slightly refined near the rounded tip and must present well marked and spaced apart rings.
The coat is medium length , silky , rich and soft to the touch, its texture is very fine. The hair has bands of different colors - ticking - in a fish scale pattern which is typical of the breed , with sharp contrast between the bright colors of the background and darker marks . Drawing "M" on the forehead is characteristic and continues on the neck parallel lines meet at the end of the backbone , forming a single band that continues to the tip of the tail. Cheeks, the base of the neck , chest and legs are well defined stripes , the body is full of brands spotted sizes.
Hair color
The accepted colors are silver , the brown , the black smoke and pewter .
the character
Egyptian Mau cat is a cat with a lively , reserved and almost timid intelligence , despite this, he socializes well with other dogs that are not venture to molest him , under pain of seeing react violently . Very affectionate with everyone, it tends to stick his nose into everything and it is a very good playmate , with his master , to whom he is very loyal , it establishes a system based on trust and an almost exclusive love relationship .
His meow , it emits only when he wants to get something, is docile and quiet , which we really can not say its strong appetite : it even seems that a male can reach a disdain female preference for him a bowl full of food .
Mau has the typical characteristic of the true cat : active and energetic , this is a very good hunter . This quality allows it to be completely independent . Despite the independence he displayed in "captivity" , he is friendly and good company and this makes a very good domestic cat.
care
Egyptian Mau cat is very adaptable to apartment living because it does not feel the need to live in an open space, even if not disdain to lie on a terrace for sunbathing . The master of the Mau must not forget that this is a delicate cat as he suffers from temperature changes. That's why it needs special care and during seasonal changes attentions . It demands minimal maintenance : weekly brushing is sufficient.