If you have an active family and are looking for a cat who is playful and loving, you could do a lot worse than choosing an Egyptian Mau. Coming from Cairo, this breed has been a loyal family pet for owners around the world since the 1950s. The spotted breed has well-defined muscles and is a medium-sized cat, with large ears, big almond-shaped eyes and a wedge-shaped head. The Egyptian Mau body is graceful and strong with paws that are small and dainty.
The coat of this breed is silky and fine with a distinct spotted and lined pattern and a few colours, which are silver, bronze and smoke. While they are a medium cat, the weight range you can expect is about three to five kilos. Egyptian Maus suffer from no specific health problems and can live well into their late teens. Like most cats though, as they age, an annual health check is a good idea to check their teeth and overall health.
The breed is loving, playful and very clever. They love to be fussed over and are very active – they adore playing with toys, children and other pets. If they are going to be left alone, it’s a good idea to provide Egyptian Maus with a cat friend. If you want a cat to train, the Egyptian Mau will be a willing student – they will happily learn tricks and will even walk on a lead.
While they are an active cat, the breed will limit their eating if they have had enough, so they aren’t prone to getting fat. While they are low-maintenance in terms of grooming and shed little, they do enjoy being brushed – probably because they love getting attention from their owners.