Your guide to finding and caring for an Egyptian Mau in OKC
An Egyptian Mau suits OKC best in a home with plenty of climbing room, like a loft in Automobile Alley or a Mesta Park bungalow. Maus are athletic and love high perches, so a tall cat tree by a window matters more than square footage. They tend to stay close to their own people and take a while to warm up to guests. Because the breed is uncommon, a spotted cat you meet may be a spotted domestic shorthair, and that cat can be just as much fun.
Bring home an Egyptian Mau
While we don't have enough cats near Oklahoma City, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
F, 3 y., 1111 miles
Egyptian Mau, Tabby
F, 2 y., 1111 miles
Egyptian Mau, Tabby
M, 5 y., 1111 miles
Egyptian Mau, Domestic Long Hair
M, 4 y., 1111 miles
Egyptian Mau, Tabby
F, 6 mo., 1111 miles
Egyptian Mau, Tabby
M, 6 mo., 1111 miles
Egyptian Mau, Tabby
M, 6 mo., 1111 miles
Egyptian Mau, Tabby
F, 2 y., 1113 miles
Egyptian Mau, Domestic Short Hair
M, 3 y., 1113 miles
Egyptian Mau, Tabby
M, 6 y., 1113 miles
Egyptian Mau, Tabby
The Egyptian Mau is the only naturally spotted domestic breed, with a scarab-like M on the forehead, dark mascara lines beside gooseberry green eyes and a coat in silver, bronze or smoke. Spotted cats appear in ancient Egyptian art, but the modern breed dates to the 1950s, when Princess Nathalie Troubetskoy brought three Maus from Italy to the United States. Medium-sized at roughly 7 to 14 pounds, Maus have long hind legs and a loose flank skin flap that gives them a sprinter's stride.
Many Maus are devoted to their own people and cautious with strangers, with soft, melodious voices. They want interactive play and a household that includes them. In OKC, that points to a cat that lives indoors, where ice, summer heat and spring storms are easy to manage. Shedding is low to moderate, so weekly combing is usually enough.
Having an Egyptian Mau in OKC
Maus pair athletic energy with a love of high places, so a home with vertical space and daily play suits them well. In OKC, an indoor routine also keeps a Mau safe from storms, ice and summer heat.
Many Maus bond closely with a few people and want to join household routines. They can be reserved with visitors and startled by loud noises, which matters during OKC's spring thunderstorms. A quiet hideaway helps. Each cat is different, so watch how a cat reacts to new people and sounds before deciding.
Plan on several short play sessions a day with wand toys, chasing games and puzzle feeders. Because outdoor time in OKC's heat or cold isn't ideal, climbing shelves and window perches give a Mau a place to sprint indoors. Some learn harness walking, best on mild mornings well before the afternoon heat.
Maus have a higher rate of urate bladder stones than mixed-breed cats, and pyruvate kinase deficiency, an inherited cause of anemia, has been reported. Fresh water, a suitable diet and watching litter habits help. Keep up with yearly exams and dental care, and have a veterinarian review any records that come with a cat.
Tall cat trees, shelves and window perches matter more than floor area, whether the home is a downtown loft or a ranch house on the south side. Secure screens and balcony doors, since Maus jump and climb readily, and keep a quiet hiding spot for a new cat to settle in.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $450 to $1,150 per year | $450 to $1,150 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,200 to $2,700 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, flea prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and cat trees, and occasional brushing supplies.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City's shelters and rescues help cats of all ages find homes, and the city shelter includes spay/neuter and a microchip. Here are the rescues & shelters in the OKC area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether an Egyptian Mau is coming in.
2811 SE 29th Street, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
9733 NW 4th St, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Yes. Oklahoma law keeps cities from adopting breed-specific dangerous-dog rules, so nothing in OKC targets Maus. What matters is basic care: keep the cat vaccinated and microchipped, and stay within the household limits. Adoptions through the city shelter already include spay/neuter and a microchip, which makes the paperwork simple.
Yes, a Mau can live happily in an OKC apartment if it has vertical space and daily play. Lofts and apartment buildings are common in Deep Deuce, Automobile Alley and Midtown. Put a tall cat tree by a window, secure balcony doors and screens, and plan several short play sessions a day to keep a Mau from climbing the curtains.
An Egyptian Mau fits OKC well if you're home enough for daily play and want an indoor cat. Housing costs below the national average make space for cat trees easier, and a steady indoor routine helps a cautious cat through storm season. It's a harder match for a household with constant guests or long, empty workdays.
Yes, as long as a Mau lives indoors. Summers reach about 91°F and winter ice storms can cut power, so air conditioning and a warm backup plan matter more than anything. A Mau's short, fine coat gives little insulation, so offer blankets and cozy perches. Spring storms may rattle a cautious cat, so give it a hiding spot.
Very little. A weekly combing handles the Mau's short coat and low-to-moderate shedding, and baths are rarely needed. You may notice a bit more loose hair when seasons change, so brush more often then. Nail trims and dental care matter more, and the small cost of brushing supplies fits within the Other line of the cost table.
Check EMBARK's current pet policy before riding with a cat. Trained service animals may ride EMBARK buses, the OKC Streetcar and the river ferry, but emotional support animals aren't treated as service animals. Most Maus are cautious and startle at noise, so a car ride in a secure carrier is usually less stressful for vet visits.
No, Egyptian Maus are not hypoallergenic. No cat breed is, because the main cat allergen comes from saliva and skin glands rather than the hair itself. Maus have short coats that shed lightly, which may help a little, but people with allergies can still react. Spend time with the specific cat before adopting if anyone in the household has allergies.
Yes, Egyptian Maus are fairly rare. The modern breed descends from only a few cats brought to the United States in the 1950s, and it ranks in the middle to lower range of the CFA's breeds by registrations. Purebred Maus seldom appear in shelters, so breed rescues and patient searching give the best chance of adopting one.
Without papers or a DNA test, you cannot be certain your cat is an Egyptian Mau. Signs that point toward the breed include randomly spotted fur in silver, bronze or smoke, a scarab-like M on the forehead, mascara lines by the eyes, gooseberry green eyes and a loose skin flap by the hind legs. Many spotted shelter cats are domestic shorthairs.
Expect roughly $1,200 to $2,700 a year for an Egyptian Mau in OKC. That covers food at $25 to $50 a month, insurance at $25 to $50 a month, routine vet care at $150 to $350 a year, and other costs such as litter, flea prevention and dental care at $450 to $1,150 a year.
Expand your search to find Egyptian Maus available for adoption near Oklahoma City.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Oklahoma City.
