Hadith - Bukhari 3:553, Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar [Also in Muslim, Narrated Abu Huraira]

Allah's Apostle said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger." Allah's Apostle further said, "(Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), 'You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth.' "


Hadith - Muwatta 2.13

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha from Humayda bint Abi Ubayda ibn Farwa that her maternal aunt Kabsha bint Kab ibn Malik, who was the wife of the son of Abu Qatada al-Ansari, told her that once Abu Qatada was visiting her and she poured out some water for him to do wudu with. Just then a cat came to drink from it, so he tilted the vessel towards it to let it drink. Kabsha continued, "He saw me looking at him and said, 'Are you surprised, daughter of my brother?' I said, 'Yes.' He replied that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, cats are not impure. They intermingle with you .' "

Yahya said that Malik said, "There is no harm in that unless one sees impurities on the cat's mouth."


Hadith - Muslim, Narrated 'Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin  

Dawud ibn Salih ibn Dinar at-Tammar quoted his mother as saying that her mistress sent her with some pudding (harisah) to Aisha who was offering prayer. She made a sign to me to place it down. A cat came and ate some of it, but when Aisha finished her prayer, she ate from the place where the cat had eaten. She stated: The Messenger of Allah said: It is not unclean: it is one of those who go round among you. She added: I saw the Messenger of Allah performing ablution from the water left over by the cat.


Hadith - Dawud, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah

The Prophet forbade payment for cat.

Note:  The name of Abu Hurayrah, a major authority on hadith, literally translates to "cat man" or "father of cats".  Both Abu Hurayrah and the Prophet enjoyed the presence of cats.

Action Items for the uttaqun:

• Do not sell a cat for money or other traded goods.

• There is no harm in the cat's saliva unless the cat has visible impurities on its mouth.

• Feel free to have pet cats, but be sure to adequately feed and water, and provide roaming time.

Remember... Allah, subhana watala, sees everything we do!