Have you heard of the M for tabby cats? The tabby refers to a cat’s coat pattern. It is not a breed of cat. In general, it is a gene found in all domestic cats, and one of the characteristics that differentiate them in the feline world is the M they have on their foreheads.
Some domestic cats have solid color patterns, and others have patterns; the brindle is among the most common patterns. Tabby refers to a type of coat pattern that can be present in many breeds of cats.
Tabby cats are very different in size and colors; the classic tabby is one of the most common and has wider stripes that often curve and form circular markings with three large stripes that go from their men to the tail.
Others are called mackerel brindle, which has narrow but long parallel stripes on the sides that extend from top to bottom and simulate a fish skeleton; this is where this type of pattern comes from.
There are many legends about the origin of M in tabby cats; below, you can learn more about this brand of tabby cats.
Does the M stand for Maine Coon?
As mentioned above, tabby means the pattern that some house cats have. The M is a distinctive mark of tabby or tabby cats; it is a characteristic and dominant trait of this type of coat. In addition, M is present in purebred or crossbred cats.
Not all Maine Coons cats have an M on their forehead because they are a trait of the brindle pattern. And contrary to what many people think, the M on the forehead of this breed does not stand for Maine Coon.
It is a myth from generation to generation. It is completely fictional; However, it would have been an incredible story; the M can have all the breeds of cats with tabby patterns, also called the Tabby pattern.
Do all tabby cats have an M on their foreheads?
The answer is yes. All tabby cats have an M on their forehead, although some cats have it pronounced than others. In Maine Coons there are three types of brindle patterns, and the M is easy to distinguish.
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Mackerel (Striped) Brindle
This is the most common pattern in Maine Coons cats; they have long, narrow stripes that run along their spine to their belly.
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Classic tabby
This is the classic tabby and is also known as the spotted tabby cat. It has butterfly patterns on the men and other markings that simulate swirls on the sides of the body.
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Marked tabby (agouti)
He has markings with different bands of different colors on each hair on his head and body.
Why do some cats have an M on their foreheads?
There are many legends about the origin of M in tabby cats:
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It is a mark of the moon
In Ancient Egypt, the Egyptians believed that cats could absorb the moonlight, shining like the moon. For this reason, they believed that the Moon God, Khonsu, worshiped cats that had an M on their forehead.
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The mark of Maria
Another legend states that a tabby cat comforted and snuggled the baby Jesus to keep him warm in the manger. Out of gratitude and gratitude, Mother Maria Uso drew an M on the cat’s forehead, and from that moment on, all tabby cats had an M for Mary on their forehead.
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The Mafdet brand
In Egypt, they worshiped cats and believed that they protected them from rats, snakes, scorpions, etc. The Egyptians that the Goddess Mafdet put the cats on the earth and took the form of a feline and worshiped her as the house’s protector.
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Muhammad and Muezza
This is other of the beliefs that there are about the M in tabby cats; in the Islamic religion, there are two stories about the M in these cats:
- One of the stories tells that the Prophet Muhammad loved cats, and one day when he was called to pray, he did not want to wake up his cat Muezza from him, who was sleeping in his robe. The Prophet preferred to cut the sleeve of his robe so that he could go to prayer.
- The second story relates that the Prophet Muhammad’s cat saved his life by killing a poisonous snake. As a token of appreciation to his cat Muezza, Muhammad drew an M on the cat’s forehead to show the world his love for cats.
Also Check: Are Orange Maine Coon Cats Rare?
Stories Of The Tabby Cat’s ‘M’
Tabby cats are very different, but they all usually have an M on their forehead, a mark. This is a distinctive feature of tabby cats, of which there are many myths and legends. A legend says that the child Jesus was presented with a tabby cat to comfort him, and in gratitude, Mother Mary stroked the cat on the forehead and left the M marked.
Another story says that the M is related to the word Mau which in ancient Egypt meant cat. A legend from Islamic culture says that a tabby cat named Muezza saved Mohammed from a poisonous snake, and to distinguish him from other cats and give him a special place, tabby cats had an M on their forehead from that moment.
But the reality is that this significant characteristic comes from genetics and is produced by the work of 3 types of genes found in domestic cats. This means that all cats are tabby, but it is most noticeable in cats with a patterned pattern.
The tabby pattern is a common coat type; some experts assume that medieval cats were tabby. Some paintings and drawings in ancient manuscripts show cats in tabby patterns.
Other cat breeds with an ‘M’ on the forehead
All tabby cats, regardless of the breed, have an M on their forehead. It is a brand that is not specific to a particular breed of cat, nor is it a characteristic of Maine Coons cats.
It is a characteristic peculiarity of the coat that is easy to identify in cats when they have the M on the forehead. You should be aware that tabby or tabby is not a breed of cat. It represents the particular coat pattern present in almost all domestic cat breeds.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, the M on the forehead of cats does not represent a specific breed of cat. Only cats with tabby patterns have the mark; some have it more pronounced than others. You should know, it does not mean Maine Coons, and it has nothing to do with this specific breed. The tabby pattern comes from genetics. It is formed by three genes that are present in all domestic cats.
