The Mau or Miw was the Ancient Egyptian name for the divine household cat. It is believed the the Mau is a natural breed which originated in Cairo. It is a very affectionate and playful breed of cat and is one of the rare breeds that likes to be walked on a lead.

Egyptian Maus are a spotted cats that are strong and muscular. Their faces are soft and rounded; their eyes and ears are large. Tufts of hair usually grow from their ears, making them look even more wild. Like most breeds, the traditional type is the strongest and healthiest. A second type of Mau, called the Indian type, is also strong and well-built, but is larger than the Traditional. Indian Maus can reach 15 pounds.

Maus coats are short and dense, but they feel soft and silky. Spots should be round and distinct, although you'll see a lot of Maus with spots of various shapes and sizes, some of which will form stripes and bars. In shows, stripes and bars are accepted on the legs and tail. Maus have a distinct black line that forms a letter "M" on their foreheads. The spotted pattern is available in three colors. The most popular is silver, which is a light silver body with black or charcoal markings. Next is bronze, a honey-beige color with dark brown markings. Smoke Maus have charcoal gray bodies with black markings. Pewter, a pale fawn body with black, brown or gray markings, is rare and not yet accepted in shows. Black has the same colouring as the Smoke but does not have a white undercoat.

If your Mau is overexposed to bright sun, its spots will fade. Spots tend to fade when the cats shed as well. Eye color starts out slate blue and gradually changes to amber. Eventually, by the time the cat is two years old, eye color becomes a pale green called "gooseberry."