ACFA Standard Mau Egyptien

the ACFA EGYPTIAN MAU Standard

General: The Egyptian Mau is the only natural domesticated breed of spotted cat. The Egyptian’s impression should be one of an active, colorful 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. The spotting pattern of the Egyptian Mau is best viewed by stretching the cat and looking from back to front, against the ticking.

Egyptian Mau Standard

HEAD 25 Points Shape (5) Muzzle (5) Ears (5) Eye – Shape (5) – Color (5) BODY/TAIL 25 Points Shape/Size (10) Legs/Feet (10) Tail (5) COAT 10 Points COLOR 15 Points PATTERN 25 Points

Head:
Shape: A slightly rounded wedge without flat planes, medium in length. Not full cheeked. Profile showing a gentle contour with slight rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead. Entire length of nose even in width when viewed from the front. Muzzle: Neither short nor pointed. Allowance to be made for jowls in adult males. Ears: Medium, alert and moderately pointed, continuing the planes of the head. Ample width between ears. Hair on ears short and close lying. Inner ear a delicate, almost transparent, shell pink. May be tufted. Eyes: Large and alert, almond shaped with a slight slant toward the ears. Skull aperture neither round nor Oriental. Eye color is light green « Gooseberry green ». Amber cast is acceptable only in young adults up to 1 ½ years of age.

Body and Tail:
Shape/Size: Medium long and graceful, showing well developed muscular strength. General balance is more to be desired than size alone. Allowance to be made for muscular necks and shoulders in adult males. Legs/Feet: In proportion to body. Hind legs slightly longer than front legs, giving the appearance of being on tip-toe when standing upright. Feet small and dainty, almost round in shape. Toes, five in front and four behind. Tail: Medium long, thick at base, with slight taper.

Coat:
Texture: Silky and fine but dense and resilient to the touch with a lustrous sheen. Length: Medium but long enough to accommodate two or more bands of ticking, separated by lighter bands.

Accepted Colors:
Accepted colors – Silver, Bronze and Smoke.

Silver: Pale silver ground color across the head, shoulder, outer legs, back and tail. Underside fades to a brilliant pale silver. All markings charcoal color, showing good contrast against lighter ground colors. Back of ears grayish-pink and tipped in black. Nose, lips and eyes outlined in black. Upper throat area, chin and around nostrils pale clear silver, appearing white. Nose leather, brick red; paw pads, black with black between the toes and extending beyond the paws of the hind legs.
Bronze: Light bronze ground color across head, shoulders, outer legs, back and tail, being darkest on the saddle and lightening to a tawny-buff on the sides. Underside fades to a creamy ivory. All markings dark brown, showing good contrast against the lighter ground color. Back of ears tawny-pink and tipped in dark brown. Nose, lips and eyes outlined in dark brown, with bridge of nose ocher. Upper throat area, chin and around nostrils pale creamy white. Nose leather, brick red; paw pads black or dark brown with the same color between toes and extending beyond the paws of the hind legs.
Smoke: Charcoal gray color with silver undercoat across head, shoulders, legs, tail and underside. All markings jet black, with sufficient contrast against ground color for pattern to be plainly visible. Nose, lips and eyes outlined in jet black. Upper throat area, chin and around nostrils lightest in color. Nose leather, black; paw pads, black with black between the toes and extending beyond the paws of the hind legs.

Pattern:
Good contrast between pale ground color and deeper markings. Forehead barred with characteristic « M » and frown marks, forming lines between the ears which continue down the back of the neck, ideally breaking into elongated spots, along the spine. As the lines reach the rear haunches they meld together to form a dorsal stripe which continues along the top of the tail to its tip. The tail is heavily banded and has a dark tip. The cheeks are barred with « mascara » lines, the first starts at the outer corner of the eye and continues along the contour of the cheek, with a second line, which starts at the center of the cheek and curves upwards, almost meeting below the base of the ear. On the upper chest there are one or more broken necklaces. The shoulder markings are a transition between stripes and spots. The upper front legs are heavily barred but do not necessarily match. Markings on torso are to be randomly spotted with variance in size and shape. Spotting pattern on each side of the torso need not match. Haunches and upper hind legs to be transition of spots and stripes, breaking into bars on the lower leg. Underside of body to have « vest button » spots; dark in color against the corresponding pale ground color.

PENALIZE:		Head:		Short or round head. Pointed muzzle. Small, round or oriental eyes. Amber eye color in cats over age of 1 ½ years.
		Body:		Cobby or oriental body. Short or whip tail.
		Pattern:		No broken necklaces. Pencilings in spotted pattern on torso.
		Condition:		Poor condition.
DISQUALIFY:				Lack of spots. Blue eyes. Kinked or abnormal tail.