Legend about cats I'd never heard before, in Rita Mae Brown's book CAT OF THE CENTURY:

[raccoon]

"Cats and some humans believed an 'M' on the top of a tiger cat's head meant the cat was descended from the cat who stayed with the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The cat slept in the manger in Beathlehem. So they were marked as Mary's cats." (159)

Or did Rita Mae Brown just make that up? :shrug:

[TZ]

1. I think its a hijacking of this....

The Egyptian Mau breed of cat is supposed to have an M marking on the forehead...Its a breed trait. Its said that it shows its heritage as descended from from the wild cats that the Egyptians domesticated.
The rest is religious mummery, I think.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Mau

[tango-tee]

2. My very Catholic landlady in Sicily told me the same thing

when she first saw my kitten with the "M" on his forehead. So no, Rita Mae didn't made that up.

[rurallib]

3. I was 5 years old in the catholic school when I first heard that

I heard it was for all cats because a stray cat had done something for Mary. And whenever I look a t any cat, I look for that 'M' and I think everyone I have ever seen has the 'M'.
Of course, I believe that one as much as all the other stories.
O - I was five long ago.

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

4. my cat has an M on his forehead

[REP]

5. I've heard this before; also that the M is for Maine Coon (on Maine Coons!)

[EvolveOrConvolve]

6. LOL, what a bunch of horseshit

People should love cats for what they are - good companions, a respite from the loneliness of life, frequent entertainment, and members of the family.

To give them some arbitrary value based on religious reasons related to their markings is silly, and diminishes their real value as fellow travelers on spaceship earth.

[SoxFan]

7. M is for mischievous

At least if Pippy is who we're talking about!

[VenusRising]

8. The Glorious Tabby - The Magnificent "M"

http://cats.about.com/cs/tabbycats/a/tabby_cats_2.htm

[DinahMoeHum]

9. I know others who believe that the M stands for the prophet Mohammed

Legend says that a cat was sleeping on a portion of the prophet's robe, and he cut off that piece of cloth rather than disturb the cat.

Cats tend to be revered in the Muslim culture for various reasons, whereas dogs are considered unclean by them - to this day, being called a dog is considered an insult.

:shrug:

[crim son]

10. That cat's name was "Muezza."

We have one named after the same. When I want my robe, though, I just whip it out from under her. :P

[BlueIris]

11. Bizarre. One for my (cat's) blog. nt

[Yavin4]

12. Sounds Like A Cat Made Up Ploy

To get us to worship them even more.