EGYPTIAN MAU CAT BREED

Egyptian Mau Cat Breed – CatsPlace.org

History
The Egyptian Mau is one of the oldest existing breeds of domestic cat, and the only naturally spotted one. Evidence in the form of depictions, paintings, and sculptures shows that spotted cats existed during the time of the Egyptian cat cult, and it is theorized that the predecessor of the Mau was the very same cat worshiped by the ancient Egyptians. A papyrus painting dating around 1100 B.C. shows Ra in the form of a spotted cat beheading the evil serpent Apep. In 1580 B.C., a papyrus record quotes a spotted cat as saying; I am the cat which fought near the Persea Tree in Annu on the night when the foes of Neb-er-tcher were destroyed!? On a more mundane note, a 1400 B.C. tomb painting found in Thebes depicts a spotted cat retrieving a duck for an Egyptian hunter, showing that cats were not only worshiped but played an important role in everyday life as well.

Egyptian Mau cats joined the European cat fancy in the early 1900s. Fanciers in Italy, Switzerland, and France worked to develop the breed; however, as it did many purebred breeds, World War II decimated the Egyptian Mau population and by the mid-1940s the Mau was almost extinct.

The efforts of the exiled Russian Princess Nathalie Troubetskoy brought the Mau back from the brink of extinction. While in Italy, she rescued some of the few remaining specimens. She was also instrumental in importing at least one Mau from Egypt via the Syrian Embassy.

In 1956 Troubetskoy immigrated to the United States, bringing with her three Mau cats bred from her original stock. Upon arrival, Troubetskoy began her own Egyptian Mau cattery (Fatima) and began to promote the breed. The Mau soon collected a following of fanciers who wanted to preserve the rare and historically significant breed.

Because of the small gene pool and because additional Mau cats were almost impossible to obtain from Egypt, a certain amount of inbreeding and outcrossing were required to continue the breed in North America. Selective breeding for temperament was also a priority, since disposition problems were noted in some bloodlines. Finally, in the 1980s breeder Cathie Rowan brought 13 additional Mau cats into the United States, paving the way for more imports. In 1991 breeder J. Len Davidson imported four more. This widening of the gene pool was vital to the breed’s health and well-being.

In 1968 CFF was the first to accept the Egyptian Mau. CCA soon followed, and the CFA granted Championship in 1977. Today, all major associations accept the Mau.