Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Introducing Marvin the Mau

87 replies

Puppylucky · 13/09/2025 19:33

He's a 2 and 1/2 year old Arabian Mau who arrived yesterday. So far he's a typical Mau - athletic, friendly and intelligent but mercifully quite quiet. Taking the excellent advice here he spent last night in the kitchen ( eventually - he escaped once) but as of now is snoozing on our bed.

Introducing Marvin the Mau
Introducing Marvin the Mau
OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
Original poster
Puppylucky · 13/10/2025 22:33

Pudmyboy · 13/10/2025 22:05

He looks very absorbed by your (his?) laptop! What was happening?

It's "his" laptop ( ie an old Mac that no one uses). He's watching cat TV which is much safer on a laptop! We used to let Elton watch it on the main TV but he would launch himself at the screen. If Marvin did that it would be carnage !

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 13/10/2025 22:45

@Deargodletitgo Byron is very picky! He likes kibble but only fresh, won't eat it if has sat out for a bit.

For a cat that used to eat out of bins, he has a lot of demands.

Original poster
Puppylucky · 17/10/2025 20:32

Well he survived his first vet trip - not sure the vet did! He was confident and polite but couldn't stop himself from trying to escape out of the window and pull a picture off the wall (his hobby). I was very proud when the vet admired his muscular buttocks though as I had no idea cats had buttocks. Photo a generic one from a few days ago

Introducing Marvin the Mau
OP posts:
BlossomingSlowly · 17/10/2025 20:35

Puppylucky · 17/10/2025 20:32

Well he survived his first vet trip - not sure the vet did! He was confident and polite but couldn't stop himself from trying to escape out of the window and pull a picture off the wall (his hobby). I was very proud when the vet admired his muscular buttocks though as I had no idea cats had buttocks. Photo a generic one from a few days ago

Oh my god what a boy, he is wonderful! The king of kings. The constant trying to escape would give me anxiety though 😂 is it worth him having a tracker or air tag on just in case he shoots out of the house?

Original poster
Puppylucky · 17/10/2025 20:40

We are considering it @BlossomingSlowly . We have a hallway between the living room and the front door so we can trap him in an air lock and to be honest up until today he showed no real interest in going outdoors - but obviously he now knows it's there. The problem will be getting a tracker on him but we might have to try!

OP posts:
Deargodletitgo · 17/10/2025 20:53

I kept my two in for weeks when I first got them, but eventually let them out. They both have trackers, and while I didn't think they would tolerate them, they have been fine. My boy Mau has no boundaries so goes into other people's houses, steals food, sleeps on their beds.

Original poster
Puppylucky · 17/10/2025 20:56

Oh my god @Deargodletitgo - I can so see that happening!

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 17/10/2025 21:02

Deargodletitgo · 17/10/2025 20:53

I kept my two in for weeks when I first got them, but eventually let them out. They both have trackers, and while I didn't think they would tolerate them, they have been fine. My boy Mau has no boundaries so goes into other people's houses, steals food, sleeps on their beds.

Mine has spent 2 years on house arrest now for the same behaviour. Plus a lot of fighting and terrorising other people's cats.

The confidence and entitlement is off the scale.

Also he can remove the quick release collars that come with the tracker in under a minute.

Allergictoironing · 17/10/2025 21:52

Looks like someone is going to have to double cat proof their garden! Or build a Catio with Fort Knox level security...

Original poster
Puppylucky · 17/10/2025 22:14

I think you're right!

OP posts:
Deargodletitgo · 19/10/2025 18:30

His first collar came off in 10 minutes. Since then though he's been fine with it, and after being lost for so long he's been told sternly he has a tracker around his neck or I'll insert it somewhere 🤣

Original poster
Puppylucky · 12/12/2025 12:09

Just hopping back on this thread with a gratuitous pic dump of Marvin getting in the festive spirit and generally catting around.He's been with us just over 3 months and is now a playful cuddly cat who is a pleasure to have around - apart from the odd fart and his disgusting poos. His athleticism continues to astound us, but he is not destructive - just full of energy that he needs to burn off. Anyway here's the boy himself!

OP posts:
Original poster
Puppylucky · 12/12/2025 12:12

Doh! Forgot the pics

Introducing Marvin the Mau
Introducing Marvin the Mau
Introducing Marvin the Mau
Introducing Marvin the Mau
OP posts:
cupfinalchaos · 12/12/2025 12:13

He looks like our Ocicats, similar features. He’s absolutely gorgeous.

Original poster
Puppylucky · 12/12/2025 12:15

What's an Ocicat @cupfinalchaos ?

OP posts:
Overtheatlantic · 12/12/2025 12:19

Thank you for the update on Marv. I love him 😻

cupfinalchaos · 12/12/2025 12:20

Puppylucky · 12/12/2025 12:15

What's an Ocicat @cupfinalchaos ?

Ocicats are descended from Ocelots but have no wild genes and are totally domesticated with lovely temperaments. They’re intelligent but need a lot of attention and playing with! One of ours plays fetch like a dog.

Horrorscope · 12/12/2025 12:21

Wow, he’s beautiful!

Igmum · 12/12/2025 12:22

Awww 🥰 hello Marvin ❤️

Original poster
Puppylucky · 12/12/2025 12:23

That sounds a lot like Marvin! He's definitely pretty trainable and will touch paws and sit for treats - I think fetch might be beyond him though.

OP posts:
Deargodletitgo · 13/12/2025 19:10

So my boy once strained a paw and got a lucky trick to make him feel better. Every day he now jumps up and holds his paw up pretending he's hurt it, looking for a treat 😂

Original poster
Puppylucky · 26/12/2025 17:35

In latest Marvin related news my favourite Christmas present this year was a personalised Marvin themed t-shirt created by my husband where he managed to add the same photo twice, cut the cats head off in another photo and accidentally add a picture of the boiler room where he works to the montage. I can't stop laughing every time I look at it 🤣

Introducing Marvin the Mau
OP posts:
Original poster
Puppylucky · 26/12/2025 18:36

In more exciting news we took Marvin for his first trip to our local coffee shop today - he was very well behaved - make his a flat white!

OP posts:
Antimimisti · 26/12/2025 18:53

I love the t-shirt! Did Marvin get lots of attention in the coffee shop? I'd be over the moon to find a cat in my local cafe!

Antimimisti · 26/12/2025 18:59

Your boiler room anecdote reminds me of the time my work phone was charging in the living room, it was a new one and it was set to do a photo montage screensaver. I found my husband watching it bemusedly as it showcased a revolving range of expense receipts, screenshots of a whiteboard at a meeting and some headshots of my boss she'd asked me to do for an internal newsletter.