The Egyptian Mau is widely described as the only naturally spotted domestic cat breed.
Its spots occur on the hairs as part of the breed’s natural pattern, rather than being produced solely through deliberate hybrid crossing or a breed-created imitation of a wild cat. The Egyptian Mau also has a distinctive spotted skin pattern, a muscular body, and a characteristic forehead marking often called the scarab or M marking.
The breed’s name uses “Mau,” a word connected with “cat” in ancient Egyptian contexts. Modern Egyptian Maus were established from cats brought from Egypt to Europe and the United States, especially through the work of Nathalie Troubetskoy, who emigrated to the United States in the 1950s.
The breed is often confused with Bengals and Ocicats because all can have spotted coats. Bengals trace part of their development to the Asian leopard cat, while Ocicats were created from domestic breeding. Egyptian Mau spots are a naturally occurring domestic-cat feature.