Spots Before Your Eyes?

April 24, 2025

Which Breed Is It?         

Laurie Coughlan

You are visiting your first cat show, marveling at all the different cats, when suddenly there are spots before your eyes. You see an athletic-looking shorthaired cat that looks like it stepped out of the wild, or even out of mythology. Although spots may appear in the coats of a number of breeds, it is most likely that you are looking at one of CFA’s three spotted breeds: the Egyptian Mau, the Ocicat, and the Bengal.

These breeds have a number of things in common. The cats are active and athletic, with distinctive patterns on their shorthaired coats. All three breeds are curious, social, and may get along well with other pets when properly introduced. They are all likely to learn to walk on a leash, play fetch, and otherwise interact with their people. There are significant differences, though, in breed origins, body styles, head types, coat patterns, and coat colors. If you take a second look, you should be able to tell one from another.

The Egyptian Mau: The Regal and Racy Original

The Egyptian Mau is the only naturally occurring spotted domestic breed. Maus are depicted in Egyptian art going back to 1550 B.C., and for a time they were worshipped as gods. In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the sun god, Ra, is drawn as a spotted cat which slayed the serpent Apep, the god of chaos and darkness. Even centuries after losing their divine status, Maus were kept as valued pets by Egyptian nobles and diplomats. In 1956, the exiled Russian princess Nathalie Troubetzkoy brought three Egyptian Maus from Europe to the United States and established a Mau cattery. CFA accepted the breed for registration in 1970 and advanced Maus to championship status in 1977.

How Do You Know It Is an Egyptian Mau?

The key things to look for in distinguishing a Mau from an Ocicat or a Bengal are its racy build, gooseberry green eyes, modified wedge-shaped head, and spots that can be of any size or shape as long as they are separate. Viewed head-on, the Mau’s head is an equilateral triangle from muzzle to the base of the medium to large ears. Continuing the outline from muzzle to the outer edges of the ears creates a larger equilateral triangle. From the side, the head is a wedge with a gentle rise in the top line of the profile. The eyes are large, almond shaped, and should ideally be a distinctive gooseberry green color. There are three showable colors: silver, bronze, and smoke. Maus are built more like cheetahs than leopards, and they are capable of running at 30 miles per hour and leaping six feet into the air.

Exceptionally smart and very social, Maus have opinions about how things are done. They will get along fine with children, other cats, and cat-approved dogs if properly introduced. The Mau is not especially good as the only pet in a home, as they crave social interaction and will become bored if left alone all day. They observe carefully and learn quickly. If one Mau learns something, the others will generally know it within a day, and they will work together to accomplish a mission.

The Ocicat: A Wild-Looking Domestic Hybrid

A fully domestic hybrid breed created to look like the wild cats of Central and South America. In 1964, the first Ocicat, Tonga, was a surprising result of a cross between an Abyssinian and a Siamese. Instead of the hoped-for Siamese with Abyssinian-colored points, Tonga appeared with spots. Other breeders experimented with this cross (adding American Shorthair to the mix), and worked to standardize structure and pattern. Ocicats were accepted in CFA in 1966, advancing to championship status in 1987.

 

 

How Do You Know It Is an Ocicat?

Ocicats are medium to large muscular cats, built more like a jaguar or football player in contrast to the cheetah/track-star build of the Mau. An Ocicat’s head should be a modified wedge, but with a broader, well-defined square muzzle with a whisker pinch. Ears are set at a 45-degree angle from the head, and eyes are large and almond shaped. Their spots must be thumbprint-shaped, highly contrasted, and ideally form a bull’s eye pattern on each side. Their coat pattern can occur in twelve colors, ranging from tawny, chocolate, and cinnamon (the most common) to dilute and silver versions.

Ocicats are attentive to their owners but are not clingy. They tend to be extroverts who welcome strangers. They enjoy activities that let them show off their agile and athletic form and are frequent participants in feline agility competitions. They may be trained to walk on a leash and are generally good travelers. They are accepting of other pets, and prefer not to be left without companionship for extended periods of time.

The Bengal: A Flash of the Jungle

The Bengal is the newest and perhaps the flashiest of the three spotted breeds, and is the only one created as a hybrid with a wild species in earlier generations. Bengals were created by crossing Asian leopard cats with domestic breeds, including Egyptian Maus and Ocicats. Beginning in the 1960s, breeders worked for generations to achieve a wild-looking cat with a domestic temperament. CFA accepted Bengals for registration in 2016, advancing them to championship status in 2018. CFA-registered Bengals must be at least five generations removed from any Asian leopard cats in the pedigree.

How Do You Know It Is a Bengal?   

The Bengal is a large, long, muscular cat with substantial boning and large, round paws. Its head is distinctly different from that of the Mau or Ocicat. First, it is slightly small in proportion to the body and is a broad modified wedge with rounded contours. Bengals have broad noses, prominent whisker pads, and straight profiles. Their ears are medium to small, and their eyes are large and luminous, contributing to the wild look. A striking difference from the other breeds is in coat patterns. Unlike the solid spots of the Mau or the thumbprint-shaped spots of the Ocicat, Bengals tend to sport highly contrasted coats with vivid spots, rosettes, or distinctive marbling. Marbling is based on a classic tabby pattern with horizontal flow. In some cats, air pockets in the hair shaft reflect light, so it looks like the cat’s coat is “glittered” with an iridescent shimmer. There are three showable Bengal color classes:  browns; seal or snow series, which includes charcoals; and “other colors,” including dilutes and silvers.

Bengals are generally confident, intelligent, and athletic. Many are fascinated by water, willing to join you in the shower, and most are a bit talkative. They are usually quite trainable and often learn to do tricks. Many enjoy going for walks with a harness and leash. They get along well with other pets and enjoy being part of a family.

Which is Which?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With this guidance in mind, you should be able to tell which spotted breed you are seeing the next time you visit a show. While you are there, take advantage of the opportunity to talk to the breeders and owners of the cats – You just may find that one of these spotted beauties is in your future.

You can learn more about all of CFA’s recognized breeds on this website: https://cfa.org/breeds/