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What am I? The amazing tabbed-up tabby with 'cat' written in its fur
By Andy Dolan
Last updated at 9:33 AM on 13th September 2010
All the clues are there: the whiskers, the purring, the miaowing and even the toy mouse under her front paws.
But just in case you were in any doubt as to what sort of animal Polly is, the ten-week-old tabby is happy to help out, thanks to her unusual markings, which spell out the word ‘cat’ on her left flank.
Garry Marsh and wife Joan, both 57, adopted Polly from a local cat rescue centre last weekend.
Unusual: Polly, a ten-week-old tabby, has the word 'cat' spelt out on her left flank
Playtime: Polly was rescued from a local cat rescue centre last weekend
Fangs alot: Polly will be sharing her new home with a seven-year-old cat called Katina
But it was only as they admired their new pet’s colouring three days later that they noticed the marks.
Mr Marsh, a teacher, said: ‘We were commenting on how symmetrical her tabby patterns seemed when Joan suddenly noticed the letters.
‘Once somebody points it out, it is obvious – the word stands out a mile.’
The couple, who live with their sons Simon, 28, and Alex, 23, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, also have a seven-year-old cat called Katina.
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Tabbies have an ‘M’ marking on their forehead,between the eyes, with various legends suggesting why this is the case.
One suggests that the Virgin Mary made themark of her own initial out of gratitude after a tabby snuggled up to the baby Jesus in the manger to stop him from shivering.
And an Islamic legend says that the Prophet Mohammed had a tabby called Muezza that saved his life by killing a snake which had crawled up his sleeve.
Whenthe cat later fell asleep on his arm, he cut his sleeve off so as not to disturb the cat.
Fromthat day on, all tabbies were born with the ‘M’ marking to signify thatMohammed held the animals in high esteem.
