Muezza

Muezza (or Muʿizza) (Arabic: معزة‎) is said to have been the Islamic prophet Muhammad's favorite cat.^[1][2] According to legend, Muhammad one day awoke at the sound of the call to prayer. Preparing to attend, he began to clothe himself; however, he soon discovered Muezza sleeping on the sleeve of his robe. Rather than wake her, he used a pair of scissors to cut the sleeve off, leaving the cat undisturbed. When he returned from prayers, the prophet received a bow from Muezza in thanks. He then stroked his beloved cat three times. The accuracy of this story is not clear, as no references to it are made in the Quran or the Hadith.

Due primarily to the love Muhammad displayed for Muezza, Muslims are traditionally encouraged to regard cats as lovable and cherished creatures. Mistreating an animal is seen as among the most severe of all crimes in Islam.^[3][4]

References

1. ^ Geyer, Georgie Anne (2004). When Cats Reigned Like Kings: On the Trail of the Sacred Cats. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-4697-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=wRGnwXxqHqkC&q=Muezza#v=snippet&q=Muezza&f=false. 
2. ^ Stall, Sam. 100 Cats Who Changed Civilization: History's Most Influential Felines. Quirk Books. ISBN 978-1-59474-163-0. http://books.google.com/books?id=coXIF8WbEKEC&lpg=PA40&vq=muezza&pg=PA40#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
3. ^ Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 40, Number 552
4. ^ Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 40, Number 553