What does the "M" on a cats forehead

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2003
What does the "M" on a cats forehead
12
Thu, 07-29-2004 - 6:57pm
mean? I've heard various tales of what it means. I've always heard that if a cat had a M on their forehead they were good mousers.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2003
Thu, 07-29-2004 - 7:43pm
It's a fur pattern typical of tabby cats. That's all really.
Avatar for cl_lcni
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 07-29-2004 - 8:42pm

Hi Irhodasmom.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2003
Thu, 07-29-2004 - 10:00pm
I have no idea but I see you have had some good ideas!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-10-2003
Fri, 07-30-2004 - 11:04am
It marks the place on their foreheads where they should be kissed!
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-21-2004
Fri, 07-30-2004 - 1:48pm
The M on the kitty's forehaead is tabby markings. A true tabby cat has an M on it's forehead. Some tabby calico mixes have an N on their forehead. I asked a vet about this when I was a kid because I was curious as to why the kitten my family adopted had an N on her forehead.
Avatar for javaaddict
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 07-30-2004 - 10:00pm
That is a very interesting story Leslie!

I never heard of that. Boy is a "true tabby" he has the "M" right inbetween his ears on his forehead ..

I am off to do some Kerry work tomorrow!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 8:57am
My tabby cat has the "M" on her forehead. I think it stands for "mischief" !

Iri
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2003
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 12:12pm
I would like to think that . We had one tabby named boogar. He was very smart almost human but he had a mean streak in him. I had to put him to sleep when our baby arrived I was just too sacared that he would hurt her since he had all of his claws and just dared anyone to come near him. Recently we got a cat named grover he is 5 years old and another orange tabby except he is so sweet he loves to have attention. We were just so happy to get him because he looks so much like our first cat except he is so lovable.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2004
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 12:41pm
DH and I have a long hair tabby with an "M". Our last name begins with "M" so we always say its the M_ _ _ _ _ _ _ "M".

I love the story about Mary and baby Jesus!

Renee'

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-18-2004
Sat, 07-31-2004 - 6:13pm
The M on the forehead means the cat is a tabby - or a ghost tabby for a dilute or red cat. Yes, even ghost tabbies will show the M. Ghost tabby being a cat who is genetically a solid, yet has a light enough color that the tabby markings show.

The reasoning on why the M makes them good mousers - I don't think it's true, but I can't say it's false either - lies in the belief that many tabbies make good mousers because the basic brown tabby coloring makes for good camoflauge outside. Logically, there is some sense behind that, but a cat who is raised inside, never encounters a mouse is unlikely to be a great mouser, even if they are a tabby. My cats think mice are scary beasties and won't go near them. I've come home to see a mouse sitting in the middle of the floor terrified of the cats, and the cats cowering on the furniture terrified of the mouse. Bunch of geniuses here...

The story about Mary and the baby Jesus is pretty common. Also, if you look over a striped tabby cat (mackeral I think) and even on some spotted, ticked or classic tabbies - you'll be able to see that they carry a back stripe that's usually fairly solid and around their shoulders, they'll have the tiger stripes and that will usually be the only place that a density of them actually touch up to the back stripe. Thus, if you look over a tabby cats back, if you want it to appear, you can see a cross. It's very noticable on some tabbies, it's not there at all on others.

Breena

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