|
The Egyptian Mau is one of the few naturally spotted
cats. It has an elegant, long body and a stride like a cheetah.
The eyes are oval shaped and vivid green in colour with dark highlighting
sometimes referred to as "mascara". There are two stripes
on each side of the face next to the eyes, and banding on the legs
and tail. The short coat may be one of four base colours (silver,
bronze, smoke, or black), all with randomly placed black spots and
black striping.
You won't find a more distinctive looking cat than the Mau. It's
surprising Maus haven't become the latest unusual pet craze. Plus
it's fun to have a cat that directly traces its lineage to the first
cats domesticated by humans. (It was actually a two-way street.
With agriculture came stored grains, followed by lots of rodents,
followed by very grateful cats. They were happy to associate with
us - we provided them with an easy, ready supply of food.) As with
any breed, watch for the quality of the breeder, buy only from reputable
breeders with clean catteries and healthy, friendly cats. The Egyptian
Mau is the only natural domesticated breed of spotted cat. The Egyptian's
impression should be one of an active, colourful cat of medium size
with well developed muscles. Perfect physical condition with an
alert appearance. Well balanced physically and temperamentally.
Males tend to be larger than females.
Inbred cats have been reported to have a higher incidence of respiratory
disease, intestinal disease, and neurologic problems.
|
