The Story of the Nativity Cat

See these three beauties?  They're my other children - Piper, Zoey and Lucy.  Piper and Lucy are sisters we found behind our work-building when they were about 5 weeks old.  Zoey came two years later, a banged up kitten of 5 weeks with two impossibly broken legs and a horrible respiratory infection.

Anyway, I've had tabby cats all my life.  I find them to be the most beautiful of all cats with their interesting markings and special relation to the Blessed Mother.  What relationship is that?  Well, there's a old legend that goes a little something like this:

The night Jesus was born, the air was very cold and damp.  Little baby Jesus was shivering, and the Blessed Mother was unable to warm Him enough.  Even the oxen who crowded around their God could not provide enough heat for Him.  In walks a beautiful tabby cat who hops into Christ's cradle and curls up beside Him, sharing his warmth and lulling Him to sleep with constant purrs of love and gratitude.  The little Christ-Child was soothed and warmed, and as a result of this act of kindness, the grateful Mother raised her hand in blessing over the humble creature.

This is why tabby cats are honored with the familiar "M" mark on their foreheads.  It denotes the special blessing Our Lady imparted to them through the generosity of the small cat who wandered in to pay homage to his King.

Ever since hearing that story as a small child, I'd bless my tabbies by placing my thumb over the "M," thanking Our Lady for her blessing, then praying a Hail Mary over my furbaby asking for her continued protection.  I'd repeat this every so often with ALL my tabbies.  Zoey's my first cat who isn't a tabby.  She's all black!  Ha ha.  So when I pray over my two girls with the familiar "thumb over the 'M' motion," I feel like I'm sorta leaving Zoey out of the mix.  Of course I ask Our Lady to bless her, too, but it doesn't feel the same. 

Ha ha.  Ah well.  I realize that's silly, but just something I was thinking about tonight after snuggling up with my girls.  It reminded me to share the story of the Nativity Tabby with those of you who might not have known it otherwise!  :)

---