Egyptian Mau: il gatto degli antichi faraoni
L’Egyptian Mau è una razza felina le cui origini risalgono ai tempi dell’antico Egitto dove i gatti erano venerati come creature sacre.
Sculture, papiri e dipinti murali dell’antico Egitto documentano la presenza di gatti maculati che ricordano l’attuale Egyptian Mau, suggerendo che questa razza possa essere stata allevata per secoli.
I Mau egiziani sembrano in qualche modo rendersi conto che i loro antenati erano considerati divinità al tempo dei Faraoni e irradiano maestosità e mistero.
In more recent times, Egyptian nobility and diplomatic corps also kept Mau cats in their residences
In 1953, Princess Natalie Trubetskoy saw a cat belonging to the Egyptian ambassador to Rome and being enchanted by it, she asked him to help her by convincing him to bring one from Cairo for her.
He obtained a female named Baba who was later crossed with the Ambassador’s cat, and from there he started a breeding program aimed at preserving the unique characteristics of these felines.
The recognition of race
When the Princess emigrated to the United States in 1956, her Mau traveled with her.
The breed quickly captured the attention and affection of U.S. cat lovers.
The CFA accepted the registration of the Egyptian Mau in 1970 and promoted it to the league in 1977.
One of the most distinctive aspects of the Egyptian Mau is its naturally spotted coat, which comes in three main color variations: silver, bronze, and smoky.
The distribution of spots is uneven, and the spots themselves should be clearly visible on the skin.
In addition, the breed has the characteristic “m” on its forehead, a unique marking that makes the Mau instantly recognizable by giving it that slightly rangy air.
Recent feline genome data published in the Pentascope paper show that the Egyptian Mau is closely related to the Maine Coon, Korat andTurkish Angora.
Mau characteristics and behavior
The Egyptian Mau has a lively and playful personality, loves to explore his environment and needs appropriate stimulation to keep him engaged.
The well-defined muscular structure, with a long, tapered tail, gives this cat a strong but elegant appearance and naturally predisposes it to climbing and jumping.
Behaviorally, the Egyptian Mau is known to be an affectionate and sociable yet independent cat.
He establishes very strong bonds with his humans toward whom he is always affectionate and joyful.
However, with strangers he is generally more reserved and cautious.
The recurrent pathologies
Like all breeds, the Mau can be susceptible to certain diseases.
Among the most common are dental diseases, which can manifest as the accumulation of plaque and tartar.
It is essential to ensure proper dental hygiene through regular brushing and proper nutrition.
Predisposition to obesity is another condition to watch out for.
Because the Egyptian Mau has a good appetite and loves to eat, it is essential to control food portions and ensure adequate physical activity to maintain proper weight.
In addition, he may be prone to develop genetic diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects the heart.
Although not a common issue, it is important to monitor the cat’s cardiovascular health, especially in old age.
To refer your Egyptian Mau for periodic check-ups, vaccines and a personalized diet plan, contact the veterinary doctors on our staff who are always available to you.
We would also like to remind you that Clinica La Veterinaria is always open h24 every day including holidays and with First Aid service from 8 pm to 8 am.
