As the breed’s name suggests, the Egyptian Mau cat is thought to have originated in Egypt, though there are no clear records as to how Egyptian street cats became the modern breed we know today. No one knows exactly when these cats were developed, but if the Egyptian Mau can indeed trace its roots back to Egypt, the breed is an ancient one.
Egyptian hieroglyphics depict spotted cats that bear similarities to today’s Egyptian Mau cats, so it is entirely possible that this breed or its close ancestors were among those revered by ancient Egyptian people, perhaps more than 3,500 years ago.
The standardized Egyptian Mau cats we know and love today were likely developed using spotted Egyptian street cats, which are believed to count North African wildcats among their ancestors.
During the early centuries A.D., Romans brought spotted Egyptian cats to Italy, and from there, these cats made their way around Europe. It is likely that domestic cats with Egyptian origins interbred with European wildcats, ultimately treating humanity to the northern European domestic cats that are so prevalent now.
Pedigreed Egyptian cats were bred in Europe prior to the second World War, but few records survive. Like many cat breeds, the Egyptian Mau was nearly extinct by the end of World War II; food shortages and widespread devastation led to tragedy for pets all throughout the affected regions.
Luckily, this particular breed was given a second chance. An exiled Russian princess named Nathalie Troubetzkoy was serving as a nurse in Rome during the early 1950s when she was given a silver spotted female kitten. This kitten had originated with a diplomat from one of Rome’s Middle East embassies, although history has forgotten which one.
After some research, Troubetzkoy came to the conclusion that the spotted kitten was an Egyptian Mau. She named the kitten Lulu or Ludol, and acquired a black male Egyptian Mau named Gregorio. She used her diplomatic contacts to import more Egyptian Mau cats from the Middle East and her first litter of Egyptian Mau kittens was born in 1953.
In 1956, the princess emigrated to America, bringing three of her treasured Egyptian Mau cats with her. Two of these cats, a silver female named Fatima Baba and a bronze male named Fatima Jojo formed the foundation for today’s Egyptian Mau cat breed.
The Cat Fanciers’ Federation registered these Egyptian Mau cats in 1956 when they first arrived in the United States. Soon, other registries including the Canadian Cat Association and the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) recognized the new line of Egyptian Mau cats. CFA granted the breed championship status in 1977.
These days, Egyptian Mau breeders can be found worldwide; however, they are few and far between because the Egyptian Mau cat is still a rare breed.