Why Do Tabby Cats Have an “M” on Their Forehead? Myth Vs Genetics (Vet-Reviewed)

Tabby cats are known for their beautiful and unique coat patterns. One of the most distinctive markings on a tabby cat is an “M” on their forehead. It’s unclear as to why tabby cats have this marking, but there are several interesting myths and legends that have arisen over the years. Here are some fun stories about how tabby cats got the M-shaped marks on their heads.

Mark of the Moon

Cats have lived alongside the Ancient Egyptians and were regarded as very spiritual animals. The Ancient Egyptian word for cat was “mau,” and it can also be translated to “seeing” or “light.” The correlation between cats and the moon's light led to focusing on a cat’s eyes and how they looked bright like the moon. So, the M shape on a tabby cat's forehead is often known as a mark of the moon.

The Mark of Mary

There’s a fun legend about an exchange shared between Mary, the mother of Jesus, and a cat. Right after the birth of Jesus, Mary had placed Jesus in a bed of hay. However, the hay didn’t provide enough warmth, and baby Jesus began to shiver and cry from the cold. Mary asked all the animals in the manger to huddle together to garner more warmth, but the manger remained too cold.

Finally, an observant cat decided to step in and lie next to baby Jesus. The cat cuddled with baby Jesus and purred a lullaby that soothed and comforted him. Out of appreciation, Mary stroked it, and an “M” appeared on the cat's forehead. This mark was to forever remind people of the tabby cat that comforted baby Jesus and Mary.

Muhammad’s Cat

Another story attributes the M-shaped marking to the Prophet Muhammad. In this story, Muhammad had a cat named Muezza. This cat would occasionally fall asleep on Muhammad’s shirt sleeve. Muhammad didn’t want to disrupt his cat’s sleep, so he would cut the sleeve whenever he had to leave for a call to prayer.

One day, a venomous snake had snuck into one of the sleeves of Muhammad’s robes. The cat saw the snake hiding inside the robe and killed it before Muhammad could wear the robes. Muhammad was so grateful to the cat and gifted the cat with the ability to always land on their feet. He also petted the cat, and the M-shaped marking remained where Muhammad had touched the cat.

Genetics and a Tabby Cat’s Coat Patterns and Markings

While it’s fun to learn about these myths and legends, genetics can better explain the reason behind a tabby cat’s stripes and markings. There are multiple genes that are associated with the tabby cat’s coat patterns:

• The Agouti (A) gene determines whether a cat’s coat will show banded hairs or a solid color.
• The Tabby (Ta) locus then determines the specific tabby pattern: mackerel, classic (blotched), spotted, or ticked.

The “M” marking on the forehead is a natural part of the tabby pattern and appears in all agouti tabby cats, regardless of pattern type. While the exact genetic mechanism for the shape of the “M” is not separately controlled by a distinct gene, it is the visual result of pigment distribution governed by these coat-pattern genes.

There’s ongoing research on how expression of the Dkk4 gene and other patterning regulators in fetal skin cells contributes to tabby pattern formation, but more work is needed to determine the precise molecular pathways.

Conclusion

Several fun myths and legends give explanations for how the M-shaped marking appeared on a tabby cat’s forehead. However, the real cause of this unique marking can be attributed to genetics. It’s quite a complex process that researchers still can’t fully explain. So, whether it’s myth or science, the tabby’s marking is unique and worth talking about and admiring.

See also:

• How Do You Determine a Cat’s Sex? A Vet-Approved Guide

• Anatolian Cat: Pictures, Traits & Facts

Featured Image Credit: Kichigin, Shutterstock