The Arabian Mau Cat – The Alley Cat

A History of the Arabian Mau Cat Breed

The Arabian Mau is a short-haired breed of domestic cat, originated from the desert cat that is native to the desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula (particularly Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates). This cat breed lives on the streets and adapted to the extreme temperatures.

The Arabian Mau descended from the African wild cat living in the desert of the Middle East, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. The descendants have been around for over 1000 years, making the Arabian Mau one of the oldest natural breeds of cats. Also this breed related to Egyptian Mau, one of the oldest breeds of cats as well.

As the human population grew and the wild cat found it harder to find food in the desert, it began searching for food in towns and cities.

During the twenty-first century, the director of the Middle East Cat Society, Petra Muller, organized a selective breeding program after taking an interest in these “alley cats”. It was Muller who gave the wild cats their name of Arabian Mau. In 2008, the cat gained recognition as being a pedigreed breed at the Annual General Meeting. In 2009, the Arabian Mau cat breed was permitted to participate in cat shows and it has been acknowledged by the Middle East Cats Society as a formal breed.

Types and Characteristics of Arabian Mau Cat Breed

It is a medium-sized short-haired cat with a medium-length tail, muscular body and long legs. The head appears to be round, but it is slightly longer than broad with well-defined whisker pads and oval eyes. The Arabian Mau naturally occurs in a wide array of patterns and colors, but the most recognized as a solid red, black or white, or a combination of these colors. This breed typically has the stripes of a tabby. Depending of color of coat, the Arabian Mau normally has green or yellow eyes (color of eyes matches the coat color). The Arabian Mau has large ears which are pointed so as to release heat from its strong body. This comes from its descendants living in the hot desert for so long and needing a way to cool down. Fur without undercoat, short, tight fitting to the body, the fur of adult cats to the touch is not very silky, more rigid. Weight ranges from 8-16 pounds (4-7 kg), depending on if the cat is male or female. The lifespan of an Arabian Mau is typically 12-14 years, unless it lives in extremely comfortable conditions. A domesticated cat living in the house could live up to 20 years. This breed generally has good health and a good immune system.

Loving and Devoted

This cat’s number one characteristic is its devotion to its owner. It is a loving, and territorial cat that will follow its owner anywhere. It will circle and guard its territory from other cats and animals. The Arabian Mau gets along with older children and other animals. It is a quiet cat unless insisting something. Then it is a very vocal cat with a high demanding meow. The Arabian Mau loves to play. It is a very social and energetic cat. It requires a lot of attention to keep it entertained. This cat is very intelligent and can become mischievous and curious. It also loves to eat. The desert wild cat had to search all over for its food. As a result, the domesticated Arabian Mau will still eat almost anything and has not given up its love of the hunt. It is a terrific hunter and jumper.

Low Maintenance

This is a very neat cat. It takes good care of itself and does not require much maintenance. Brushing is only required once in a while to make the coat shine and get rid of excess hair. The Arabian Mau cat breed has little to no shedding which makes it considered a hypoallergenic breed.