You don’t have to be a cat aficionado to know about tabby cats. And even non-cat people can recognize the classic “M” cat coat marking that all tabby cats adorn. Have you ever wondered why all tabbies have these signature letter markings on their foreheads? Clearly, science has something to do with it. But there are a few interesting ancient stories surrounding this telltale tabby cat marking. I’ll discuss the proper science behind it first, and then on to the fun tales behind it!
Can science explain why all tabby cats have the letter “M” on their foreheads?
Each cat’s coat and pattern are unique, so something must specifically explain how this commonality occurs. We do know, however, that tabby cats are striped due to the agouti gene. This gene causes their stripes to have even distributions of pigment while the background of their coat comprises banded hairs. That’s the most scientific response I can gather to be honest. In the meantime, allow these fascinating tales of how tabby cats earned those signature letters on their foreheads to intrigue you… Enjoy!
Ancient myths surrounding that signature “M” on their forehead…
I think some pretty outlandish speculations surround the theory as to why these tabby cats have the “M” marking on their foreheads. A true tabby always has one, even if it is muted (diluted). Tabbies with bold markings typically have an “M” marking which is very pronounced and highly noticeable.
The Letter M Theory #1:
So, there are a few theories surrounding the famous M. The first is that the M originated from these cats during ancient Egyptian times. For this theory, it is believed that the M stands for “Mau,” pronounced like the cat language we know and love: meow.
The Letter M Theory #2:
The second, perhaps even more challenging to believe, is that Mother Mary herself blessed a stray ginger tabby who purred a fussy baby Jesus back to sleep with a kiss atop his forehead. And from that day forth, tabbies were forever “blessed” with an M kiss.
The Letter M Theory #3:
The third comes from ancient Islamic culture. It is believed that the Muslim prophet Mohammed named a tabby cat Muezza, meaning “cherished” in Arabic, after he saved his life. Little Muezza grabbed a poisonous snake that had slithered into Mohammed’s clothing. Afterward, Muezza fell asleep on Mohammed’s garment in that same spot, where his owner stroked him with love and respect. Many Islamic people believe that he gave the “M” to these cats to express his endless gratitude for saving his life.
While we know their genetic makeup is what results in these M’s we’ve come to love, believing in legends is always fun!
Fun tabby name fact: The term “tabby” actually originated in the Middle East, where it was used to describe a kind of silk with a stripe pattern.
Did you learn anything new and interesting about our feline friends? Don’t forget to share this with other cat lovers you know so they can learn something, too.
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