How Much Does An Egyptian Mau Cost? (2024 Price Guide)

The only naturally spotted breed of domestic cat, Egyptian Maus trace their roots back to ancient Egypt. Regal, loyal, and extremely fast, these cats served as both house and duck-hunting companions to Egyptian royalty. Today, these gorgeous cats are beloved for their friendliness and fanatical devotion to their families.

Before you welcome one of these spotted speedsters into your home, take a moment to do the less glamorous work of learning how much it will cost to own an Egyptian Mau. Every cat, descended from royalty or not, deserves a responsible owner and part of that means knowing whether you can afford to take care of a pet.

In this article, we’ll go over some of the ongoing and one-time costs of owning an Egyptian Mau. These cost estimates will help you make an informed decision as you consider bringing this cat home.

 

Bringing Home a New Egyptian Mau: One-Time Costs

While your Egyptian Mau won’t expect to walk into a palace when they arrive at your house, you’ll need certain supplies to help them feel at home. Besides the cost of initial setup and supplies, you’ll also need to budget for the cost of acquiring your new Egyptian Mau cat.

Free

Egyptian Mau cats are considered a rarer breed in this country. Because of this, it may be tough to find one for rescue and especially for free. If you do find a free Egyptian Mau, congratulations! However, remember that a free cat is never really free, and may come with health issues. Make sure you’re prepared to pay for caring for your Egyptian Mau for their full lifespan.

Adoption

$75–$150

Egyptian Mau mixes are often listed for adoption, but it may be difficult to find a purebred cat in a rescue or shelter. If you do happen to find one, expect to pay an adoption fee which will vary by organization. Generally, this fee includes some medical services like shots and spaying/neutering your new pet.

Breeder

$900–$2,500

Purchasing your Egyptian Mau will always be the most expensive way to acquire them, but it might also be your only option. The cost of a kitten varies by coloring and quality. An estimated price range for pet-quality kittens is $1,200–$1,400.

The Egyptian Mau is generally a healthy breed with few inherited health conditions. However, it’s always best to work with a responsible breeder who carefully screens their parent cats and provides health guarantees for their kittens.

Initial Setup and Supplies

$1,029–$1,404

Once you know where you are getting your new cat, the next step is to make sure you have all the supplies you need before you bring your Egyptian Mau home. Not every cat will need every item on this list, but it’s a good place to start when estimating your start-up costs for your Egyptian Mau.

List of Egyptian Mau Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does an Egyptian Mau Cost Per Month?

$151–$512 per month

While the initial costs of bringing home an Egyptian Mau are a big chunk of money all at once, monthly costs are more spread out but add up throughout the cat’s life. Again, these costs will vary based on several factors including the cat’s age and prices in your particular local area.

Health Care

$87–$410 per month

Keeping your Egyptian Mau healthy throughout their life will be a regular expense. Not only will your cat need healthy food but regular vet visits. The good news is Egyptian Maus don’t have specialized grooming needs and you can usually take care of them at home with the basic grooming equipment covered in initial setup costs.

Food

$50–$80 per month

Your Egyptian Mau should do fine on any quality, nutritionally balanced diet. Your monthly food costs will vary depending on what brand you feed and whether you choose a dry or canned diet. As your Egyptian Mau gets older, they may develop health problems like kidney disease that require a more expensive prescription cat food.

Grooming

$0–$50 per month

Egyptian Mau cats are a short-haired breed. They do shed but a weekly brushing should help keep the hair under control and the coat healthy. Besides brushing, regular nail trimming and some type of dental hygiene are the only grooming routines your Mau should need. A bath, brush out, and nail trim from a professional groomer is also an option should you so choose.

Medications and Vet Visits

$25–$250 per month

This area is where you’ll likely see the most month-to-month variation in your cat care budget. It’s also likely to increase as your Egyptian Mau gets older. Older cats often require more frequent vet visits or develop long-term health problems that need monthly medication. At a minimum, it’s recommended your healthy Egyptian Mau be on a monthly parasite-preventative medication.

Pet Insurance

$12–$30 per month

One way to make your vet and medication costs a little more predictable is to invest in pet insurance for your Egyptian Mau. Yes, you’ll need to budget for the cost of the monthly premium but pet insurance can save you a lot more long-term depending on the type of plan you choose. More comprehensive plans will cost more than those that are meant for emergency care only.

Environment Maintenance

$44–$67 per month

Most of these monthly costs will go towards keeping your Egyptian Mau’s litter box clean and sanitary. The number of cats and litter boxes you have will be the biggest factor impacting your monthly costs. Keeping your cat’s box clean not only keeps your home smelling fresher but can also help you avoid behavioral issues like soiling outside the litter box.

Entertainment

$20–$35 per month

With their history of joining the pharaohs on duck hunts, don’t be surprised if your Egyptian Mau loves to chase and pounce on a variety of toys. This breed is known to enjoy playing fetch, so cat balls are a solid toy choice. Maus also have strong hunting instincts so they’ll usually enjoy catnip mice or interactive toys where they can put those natural tendencies to good use.

A good option for your playful Egyptian Mau might be to subscribe to a service that sends a new box of toys monthly. That way you never run out of toys and your cat gets something different to enjoy on a regular basis.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning an Egyptian Mau

$151–$512 per month

Keep in mind that these monthly costs are estimates only. Your actual costs will depend on prices in your area as well as what your particular cat needs. However, they give you a good idea of what you’ll need to budget for every month to own an Egyptian Mau.

Additional Costs to Factor In

As much as we try to budget and plan for pet care, some additional costs will inevitably pop up that are harder to predict. One way to give yourself a bit of a cushion and a lot of peace of mind is to keep a dedicated pet emergency fund of $1,000–$1,500. These funds can be used to cover any unexpected or rare expenses, such as those listed below:

Owning an Egyptian Mau on a Budget

Certain costs of owning an Egyptian Mau are going to be tough to cut without compromising their care and possibly their health as well. Mainly, these will be in the area of vet care and medications. However, it’s certainly possible to save money in other areas to allow you to care for an Egyptian Mau at a decreased cost.

The price of purchasing the cat will likely be the biggest hurdle you need to overcome to own an Egyptian Mau on a budget. Adoption is always cheaper but not always possible for those looking for a specific, hard-to-find breed like the Egyptian Mau.

Saving Money on Egyptian Mau Care

To help save money on vet care for your Egyptian Mau, consider purchasing pet insurance. You can also see if your area has a low-cost veterinary clinic. Compare prices at local vet clinics or ask about monthly specials or packaged care deals to save money as well.

Many initial cat supplies can be purchased used from thrift stores or even acquired for free from former cat-owning friends or relatives. There’s also a lot of variation in the cost of things like litter boxes and cat carriers. You can buy perfectly acceptable cheaper versions of these essentials.

 

Final Thoughts

In summary, you can expect to pay about $900–$2,500 to purchase an Egyptian Mau. Besides the cost of the cat, plan on about $1,000–$1,400 in one-time costs for supplies and initial vet costs before bringing your cat home. The monthly costs of caring for your Egyptian Mau will be about $150–$500 per month.

Use these estimated prices to get an idea of whether you can afford to get an Egyptian Mau as a pet and care for them for their full 12–15-year lifespan. Too many pets end up needing new homes because their original owners, unfortunately, didn’t take the time to research costs and be realistic about their budget.

Related Read:

• 7 Egyptian Cat Breeds
• 250+ Egyptian Cat Names: Our Top Picks for Your Cat (with Meanings)

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Featured Image Credit: VadimZosimov, Shutterstock