History of the cat breed Egyptian Mau

For the first time in your life, you saw a cat of the Egyptian mau breed. "Straight Queen" - this is the first impression of many people. And, to tell you the truth, it is not wrong. The ancestors of these cats really had almost a pharaohs' place in their time. But let's start in order.

History of appearance and formation of the breed

The history of the breed is more than 3000 years old. Although many centuries have passed, the ancestors of these cats looked the same as the modern Egyptian Mau (photo). In ancient Egypt they were revered. They were considered the prototype of the moon goddess, home, love and fertility. In general, there they were sacred animals. In their honor throughout Egypt, temples and sanctuaries were built. If the house burned, then the cat was always taken out of it first. When the Egyptian Mau was dying, her masters, in a sign of sorrow, put on mourning clothes and shaved their brows. Those who dared to kill a cat, were stoned. And after the death of cats mummified, like pharaohs. About 180 thousand Egyptian Mau mummies in gold and silver sarcophagi were found by archaeologists in the city of Beni-Hassan.

And the history of modern cats started a hundred years ago. At this time breeders from Italy, France and Switzerland for the first time engaged in the search and recovery of this breed. But during the Second World War, it was virtually exterminated.

In the 40s of the 20th century the Egyptian cat mau breed almost disappeared. Revive their beginnings Russian princess Natalia Trubetskaya, who then lived in Italy. She wrote them down at the FIFe branch, the Italian association, and also led the cats to the 1953 exhibition. And in 1956, when she had to immigrate to the US, the princess took several mau who were born in her kennel. His new kennel "Fatima" and ten cats of the Egyptian mau she officially registered in 1958.

Later, already in the 60's, further breeding of the breed took up Spanish, Hungarian and Czech professionals. However, the laurels for breeding Egyptian mau mostly belong to the felinologists from America, who developed a breeding program for this breed, based on outbreed selections, which are combined with intensive selection. The basis of the tribal species was several cats of the most suitable color and type, which were taken from North Africa. As for their origin, nothing is known. Several of the individuals of the required species, American or Oriental, were selected to their descendants, but not in any case of African descent. There was a mixture of American Shorthair breed.

Later, another group of cats of free origin were taken from North Africa to distribute the tribal species. In each generation, those individuals were selected, the color and type of which were identical to the restored image of ancient Egyptian cats. This work was successful primarily because of careful selection, and also because the ancestral type of animals was chosen as the suitable one. The name of all immigrants from "Fatima" - "Traditional original line". CFA recognized the Egyptian Mau in 1977, soon the breed performed in the TICA Championship, and in 1992 - in the FIFe. Any cat of this breed must have documentary evidence of its origin in the pedigree list.

Now the kennel "Fatima" is no more. But its branches work in many similar institutions in Europe and America.

The nature of the Egyptian Mau

In appearance, the cats of this breed have a proud and unapproachable character, but this is a deceptive impression. And their graceful posture provides a love for outdoor walks. In general, these cats are very intelligent and devoted to their masters. Also they are active and sociable, for them there is nothing worse than loneliness.

The Egyptian Mau has good eyesight, smell and hearing - this allows them to be wonderful hunters. They have a melodic voice, with the help of which these cats "talk" with their masters in every way. Unlike many other cats, Egyptian Mau adore water, and they are also very clean.

If you decide to get a cat mau, then immediately take two different sexes - because the representatives of this breed always live together and even together bring up the offspring. This is the characteristic of all perfectly educated Mau. But these skills should be developed by their owners. Love your cat with all your heart, become her closest friend - and she will meet all your expectations.