Best Cat Food for Egyptian Mau Cats & Kittens (Feeding Royalty)

The Egyptian Mau is a small to a medium-sized cat with short hair. But don’t let that simple description fool you, as this breed is in a class of its own. First, let’s learn a little about what makes them so unique and then you will know why the caring for and choosing the best cat food for Egyptian Mau cats is so important.

At a Glance: The Top 6 Egyptian Mau Cat Foods​

About Egyptian Maus​

The origin of the Egyptian Mau is shrouded in mystery- some say they were originally bred from the spotted street cats of Cairo. Many have noted the similarity between the cats depicted in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and modern day Mau’s.

The legend goes that Russian princess Nathalie Troubetskoy met the Egyptian ambassador while in Italy, and that she asked him to bring several of the cats from Egypt. She then bred them and later brought them to the United States.

Genetic tests, however, have shown links to the Maine Coon cat and the Turkish Angora. Whatever the unique path the Egyptian Mau’s family tree has taken, they are one of the only spotted breeds of domestic cats. One amazing quality of Egyptian Mau’s is that their eyes can sometimes shift in color from green to turquoise.

Egyptian Mau Personality

Besides their beautiful and striking appearance, they are known for being loyal companions and having a charming personality.

Another one of their unique features is the strange and charming chortling noises they are know to make.

Some owners have described the Mau as having a doglike personality, probably due to their loyalty and strong bonding with their owners. They are quick learners too and able to move objects, open drawers or doors and figure out ways to get what they want. They are gentle, often shy but also very playful.

A Superhero: Greyhound of the Cat World!​

Egyptian Maus are also one of the fastest cat breeds in existence, which has historically led to their use as hunting cats. They can run almost as fast as a bear and have already been timed to run up to 30miles per hour. By applying speed and the dynamic power in its legs, the Egyptian Mau can leap up to high places without much effort. Much of this agility and extended stride comes from having slightly longer back legs and unique piece of skin stretching from its thigh to the back ofits knee.

You might think that since the Mau has such a unique appearance and character that it would also have similarly unique dietary requirements.

In reality, the best cat food for Egyptian Mau will not be so different than for other breeds, but there are a few things you may want to keep in mind.

Lifecycle & Feeding Stages of Egyptian Maus

Egyptian Mau’s can take longer to reach their maximum growth size than other breeds, so you may want to adjust the guidelines included with many kitten foods and keep them on a kitten formula for a longer period of time.

Kittens

While ordinary cats may be fed kitten food until 1 year of age, it may be better to feed the Egyptian Mau kitten food until 18 months of age. Of course, when in doubt, always ask a qualified veterinarian.

Since kittens are growing, they require more food relative to their weight than adult cats. They will also need to eat more frequently than an adult cat, since their stomachs are smaller and their metabolism is faster.

Kittens should be fed at least 3 times a day, but preferably 4 or 5. Definitely DO NOT try to feed young kittens a diet consisting only of dry food- wet food is much easier for them to chew and digest.

This applies mainly for the first 6 months, but as they get older it is okay to transition to a diet of dry food. Keep in mind though, that a purely dry food diet is generally considered to be less healthy for Egyptian Maus. It's recommended to keep it balanced.

Seniors​

After the age of around 8 years old, Egyptian Maus are considered seniors. Other cat breeds may be classified as seniors at a later age; this is because the Egyptian Mau has a slightly shorter life expectancy than other cats.

The eating habits of Egyptian Maus may change at this age as they become less active. This is normal. There are many quality senior cat food formulas available on the market, as well as supplements formulated for older cats. The best guideline is to observe your cat’s overall energy level and mood following meals to assess how well a food agrees with their system.

Egyptian Maus Diet & Nutrition Requirements

The Egyptian Mau is known to be a very active breed, and many Maus like to roam outside and hunt. Some owners prefer to keep their Egyptian Maus as indoor cats, since their relative rarity and beauty can lead to their being coveted by others. If you do decide to keep your Mau indoors, you will have to make sure that it stays active, either by playing with other cats, toys, or direct engagement.

Their higher activity levels mean that many Maus may eat more than other, less active breeds.

Eating for Health and Stealth

The combination of its strength and beauty make this cat very unique. And as much as it is amazing to observe, it also must eat and consume a proper diet in order to maintain its luster and athleticism.

Remember that the Egyptian Mau shares a close link to much larger cats like the lion, tiger, and leopard. Like the lion is the king of the jungle, your Egyptian Mau is the King or Queen of the domestic cats (and likely your home) and needs a diet fit for a King. You won’t see Lions eating a banana, drinking orange juice, or chewing on a candy bar in the jungle. Consider this when feeding yourEgyptian Mau.

As with all felines, the Egyptian Mau is carnivorous and would typically hunt for meat in the wild. Since domestic cats are not hunting for food, you will need to be sure that they get the same or even better diet to replace the meat they would get from hunting.​

As a general guideline, an optimal diet for an Egyptian Mau will be a mainly meat or fish based, high protein formula. Many cat owners prefer an all meat, grain free diet for their cats. This might be a good idea if you notice that you Egyptian Mau is gaining weight. It is okay, however, to include more carbohydrates in the diets of Egyptian Maus since they are more active; ideally, though, their diet should consist mostly of fat and protein.

It’s best to avoid giving your Egyptian Mau a purely dry food diet. Studies have shown that cats that are fed only dry food tend to be less healthy.

Choosing the Right Canned or Dry Foods

Picking the right food for you Egyptian Mau can be simplified if you use a brand name you trust. If you are reading labels you can first make sure that the company meets the standards as defined by the AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials).

*Please note that this is only to make sure that the packaged food satisfies the bare minimum of dietary requirements and doesn’t mean it is the best food for your Egyptian Mau.

For the most part, you can ignore hype labels like premium or gourmet as there is no regulation on these words in relation to the cat food.

Once you have decided on a few trusted brands, you will need to test them on your cat for a taste test. So best to choose a few variations of quality cat food and then serve them to your Egyptian Mau and see which one it prefers most. This is important as your Egyptian Mau may decide to not eat at all if the food isn’t to its liking and then it runs the risk of other health issues.

With each breed of cat comes with it a specific set of nutritional needs, possible risks, and illnesses. This is even more-so with the Egyptian Mau.​

Choosing the Right Cat Food Brand​

Since you will likely be feeding your cat food bought from a company, you will need to ensure that you choose the one that provides the best balance in proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids as well as any needed vitamins and minerals. Thankfully these companies have taken a lot of the guesswork out of the feeding challenge. Now all you need to do is determine which companies provide the best food for your Egyptian Mau.

You won’t be able to go cheap when it comes to feeding this Royal Feline. Just as it is majestic, it requires a majestic meal. Many cheap brands provide a lower quality cat food product and are also known for using too much soy and wheat in their processing. Not only does this decrease the foods nutritional value, it also puts your Egyptian Maus health at risk.

So it is key that you research and purchase the right cat food for the Egyptian Mau. Yes, the better quality foods from the better brands will likely cost more but you will be sure to keep the health of your Egyptian Mau at its best too.​

A cheaper brand that we like is Purina. They are easy to find and lower cost. On the higher end​ a good choice is Instinct. They make premium products. However, the 6 foods we've listed below are what we believe to be the best options when it comes to feeding your Egyptian Mau. They are all from reliable brands.  

The 6 Best Cat Foods for the Egyptian Mau​

Following is a list of a few popular and healthy foods for both kittens and adult Egyptian Maus. The following cat foods are free from artificial additives and flavorings and are healthy high protein formulas.

Blue Buffalo Healthy Growth Kitten Food

Blue Buffalo’s Healthy Growth kitten food is popular with many owners. The inclusion of brown rice can be a health, high fiber carbohydrate appropriate for more active cats like Egyptian Maus. Healthy Growth does not contain less healthy fillers like processed corn or soy.

Healthy Growth also contains good sources of antioxidants like pomegranate, blueberries, and cranberries, as well as B vitamin supplements.

Blue Freedom Grain Free Kitten Food

Also from Blue Buffalo, Blue Freedom is a good choice if you are looking for a wet food for your kitten. Consisting primarily of meat, this cat food also contains chicken liver which is a good source of minerals, and essential omega fatty acids which will promote the healthy development of the brain and nervous system for an intelligent, lively, and astute Egyptian Mau.

Weruva Truluxe

It’s a bit pricier than some other options, but if you want to give your Egyptian Mau human quality food with no artificial flavors, you might consider trying Weruva Truluxe. Featuring grass fed beef and sustainably sourced ingredients, it’s one of the more healthy options available.

I and Love and You

Many experts recommend a grain free diet, for cats and I and Love and You is a good option. Instead of grains, fibre, as well as antioxidants, are provided by sweet potatoes. The variety pack contains Chicken, Turkey, and Cod, which can provide a more balanced diet as well as more enjoyable experience for your cat.

Diamond Naturals Real Meat

This formula from Diamond Naturals offers formulas for both indoor and outdoor cats. Both contain a range of natural sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, as well as probiotics, all of which support a healthy immune system. While based primarily on meat, there are also small amounts of chia seeds, kale, papaya, pumpkin, coconut, quinoa, and blueberries. Sounds pretty healthy!

Taste of the Wild

A good fish based option, Taste of the Wild Canyon River contains smoked salmon and is formulated with a balanced amino acids profile.

Raw Food Diet?​

Of course, some cat owners believe that a raw diet is the best choice for cats. This is because a raw diet closely mimics the natural diet of cats in the wild. Be warned, however- a raw food diet can be time consuming to prepare, but you do have the peace of mind of controlling what ingredients go into the food.

A raw food diet is not for everyone, but you could always try a mixture of the two- more info on transitioning to a raw food diet can be found here.

Egyptian Mau Feeding Plans & Tips​

Open Meal Based Egyptian Mau Eating Habits

On average, a typical free feeding (leaving food out) cat will make trips to the bowl up to 15 times in one day. This usually works okay for most pets but its best to check with your vet for a real food schedule to ensure it's getting the best care.

Although free-feeding is a popular choice it may not be best to just allow your Egyptian Mau to eat as much as it wants, whenever it wants. Check with your veterinarian for the best eating plan.​

Puzzle Based Meals

Often you can be a little creative when feeding and keep your cat active by having it work a little harder to get its food. This can be done in a playful manner by hiding food inside of a container of sorts that the cat will be smart enough to open or play with until the food is released or available.

This strategy keeps your Egyptian Mau active and adds some variety to the mealplans. This option should be in addition to other meals plans but not the sole way to feed your Egyptian Mau.​

Split Meals

Because the Egyptian Mau enjoys eating throughout the day, it is important that you leave food out for him or be ready to provide meals when needed. Here is a simple schedule to follow when feeding your Egyptian Mau on a larger but split meal system:

1. A morning first meal
2. An afternoon meal
3. An evening meal​

A simple strategy of breakfast, lunch, and dinner to keep them active. You will be providing larger meals less often when compared to free-feeding. If you can not manage a lunch meal then you can serve a larger breakfast and dinner portion and follow a two meal schedule -breakfast and dinner. When doing this you can also break up the meals by offering one wet and one dry meal.​

Snacks

It’s best to avoid giving your Egyptian Mau snacks or too many snacks as this may cause your cat to stray from its regular healthy diet. Again, if you do have snacks, make sure they are healthy options and consider using the puzzle meal concept above when feeding them.​

Balancing the Diet

The easiest way to provide a balance of nutrition is to give your cat the right balance between raw wet meals and harder dry meals. So you will want to buy both types of foods and then simply provide these to your cat each day.

Because Egyptian Maus may not get enough water, the wet food will help to keep this lack of hydration in check and help to prevent kidney problems derived from a lack of water. The right brand of wet food should include a moisture-rich protein in order to maintain the health of your Egyptian Mau. You should still keep a water bowl or fountain available for regular water visits.

But serving only wet food is not enough, dry food is also important so it is advisable to mix it up and provide both.

What NOT to Feed Your Egyptian Mau

Do not give it food made for other animals or humans. Though this sounds like common sense, it is important to remember for the health of your cat. Dog food for example often has too many carbohydrates which are difficult for your Egyptian Mau to process. Too many carbohydrates from foods not designed for the Egyptian Mau can lead to obesity and diabetes

Common Health Issues With Egyptian Maus

Egyptian Mau’s originated from a relatively small breeding pool, so they are slightly more likely to suffer from certain health conditions than other cats. In particular, a higher percentage of Egyptian Mau cats suffer from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This condition is more likely among a number of purebred cats, and results from an over large heart.

Studies have shown that cats with HCM may have lower levels of B vitamins in their blood, so it may be good to choose a food that contains B vitamin supplements. Thankfully, however, most of these conditions are relatively rare, but if you suspect your Egyptian Mau may have it, it’s best to talk to a vet.

Egyptian Maus are known to be more sensitive to medications and anesthetics than other cat breeds, so be sure to discuss this with a vet if any medications are prescribed for your Egyptian Mau.

Other common issues regarding the health of your Egyptian Maus include the following:

Although diet and exercise can play a role in the health of your Egyptian Mau, most issues that cats suffer from are genetic and dependent on its breed. Although infections are not listed above they are certainly a concern as Egyptian Maus are prone to contracting both bacterial and viral infections. Because these risks are high, vaccination is suggested as a starting point for keeping your cat healthy.

You don’t want to wait until it's too late. There are two quick strategies to help keep your cat in good health. The first is more passive, which means you do not need to be as active in the participation. The second is active and will require you to take steps to actually help your Egyptian Mau stay in the best health possible. Let’s review each of the issues and see what’s possible to help lower the risks for your prized pet.

Allergies

Since Egyptian Maus are a breed not far from jungle cats, it’s odd to think they might have issues with being out in nature. But just as humans can become irritated from dust or pollen, cats also can suffer from allergies.

Passive solution:

While they are growing, keep their regular habitat in a pollen or dust free zone.

Active solution:

Keep an eye out for tell-tale signs of allergies (itching their body parts) and manage treatment if necessary.

Dental disease

Issues with the teeth of a cat are very common and make it something that all owners need to manage with care.

Passive solution:

Provide your Egyptian Mau with dry or hard cat food.

Active solution:

Perform regular cleaning of your cat's teeth (at least twice a week).

Obesity

Gaining too much weight isn’t just an issue for humans. Cats need to watch their weight and diet too. Not only will proper car help keep obesity out of the picture it will also help to curve the risk of diabetes and arthritis too. Obese cats run a much higher risk of getting hepatic lipidosis which can appear in less than 2 days without warning.

Passive solution:

Make sure the foods your Egyptian Maus eat are for cats of this breed and low in carbohydrates. In addition to food, be sure your cat is active and leave toys for it to play with when you are away.

Active solution:

When leaving food out of your cat, don’t leave so much that it can eat more than it needs. Take time to make sure you Egyptian Mau is active by playing with it.

Parasites

It’s not uncommon at some point in your cats' life for it to contract one type of parasite or another. Usually, these are worms that enter the body of your cat through gestation or by being bitten by a bug (flea, mosquito, tick).

Passive solution:

Keep your Egyptian Mau away from unclean water sources and be sure it plays in areas free from bugs.

Active solution:

Have your Egyptian Mau checked regularly (at least twice a year) by the veterinarian for parasites and keep an eye on their stool for anything unusual. Preventative medicine is also an option.

A Healthy & Happy Companion​

​The cat best food for Egyptian Mau cats may vary from one to the other depending on many factors unique to individual cats. The best policy is usually just to experiment with different foods and observe how your cat reacts to them. Try not to worry about it too much- the Egyptian Mau is generally a very robust and healthy breed. Providing you don’t spoil them too much with treats or food with lots of salt or artificial flavors, they should not be too finicky and can be a happy and healthy companion for many years.