My next pussycat will be a Tabby

"Mary's Special Gift

Written by Tara Lee Davis

Many of us are familiar with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The story many people don't know about is Mary, Baby Jesus, and a very special Tabby Cat.

On the night that Jesus was born many animals stood silently by. The quiet oxen, the patient donkey and horses, the nesting does, the gentle dogs and another young mother, a beautiful tabby cat.

The young cat was nearby contentedly nursing her young, making sure all her kittens were clean and fed. After their tummies were full she carefully licked their little faces clean and gently carried them all one by one to the barn's loft to rest for the night. The young mother cat settled down next to her kittens and softly purred a mother's lullaby to put all her six babies to sleep.

In the barn the gentle silence of the night was broken by the cries of Jesus.

Mary rocked her child gently in her arms trying to comfort him and bring sleep to her precious son, but baby Jesus wouldn't sleep. He cried and was restless.

Mary laid Jesus in the manger and tried gently singing to him hoping this would please him and he would sleep.

Upstairs in the loft with all her kittens asleep the young tabby cat tiptoed across the loft to see what all the commotion was about. After all it was only one baby not six!

Looking down into the manger the little cat saw baby Jesus crying and Mary helpless as to her son's needs. Why would Jesus not sleep and how could she help him?

Quietly the little cat climbed down from the loft and padded softly towards the manger where Jesus lay. Ever so gently the little tabby placed her delicate paws on the edge of the manger, there she stood looking at Jesus with wide green eyes.

With a tender meow she turned to Mary and Mary smiled. With this the little tabby cat leapt up gingerly into the manger and settled down next to Jesus and gently purred a soft mother cat's lullaby that soothed her tiny kittens and slowly baby Jesus too quietly drifted off to sleep.

Grateful for the little cat's help, Mary gently picked up the little tabby cat and cradled her in her arms. The little tabby cat continued to purr and gently licked Mary's hand.

Mary lifted the little tabby cat up and with a smile quietly said "From one new mother to another, I thank you." Mary gave the little tabby a kiss on the forehead.

To this day all Tabby cats around the world will always carry an "M" on their forehead as a mark of the kiss that Mary gave to all tabbies as a special gift for their special part they played in the life of Jesus."