The ‘M’ on the Forehead: Does It Mean Maine Coon?#

Go to any shelter, and you will hear someone say: “Look! He has an M on his forehead! That stands for Maine Coon!”

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the “M” stands for Mackerel (or maybe ‘Meow’). It definitely does not stand for Maine Coon.

The “M” marking is the universal trademark of the Tabby Pattern. It appears on 90% of all cats, from the alley cat to the $2,000 purebred. Here is the history, the legend, and the genetics of the famous M.

The Legends: Mary and Mohammed#

Before genetics explained it, humans created beautiful stories to explain the M.

The Christian Legend: When baby Jesus was shivering in the manger, a tabby cat climbed in and curled up next to him to keep him warm. In gratitude, the Virgin Mary marked her initial “M” on the cat’s forehead.
The Islamic Legend: The Prophet Mohammed had a favorite cat named Muezza. One day, the cat fell asleep on the sleeve of his robe. Rather than wake the cat, Mohammed cut off his sleeve. He stroked the cat’s forehead, leaving the “M” mark.

The Genetics: The Agouti Protein#

In reality, the M is created by the Agouti (A) gene and the Tabby (T) genes. [cite_start]Robinson’s Genetics* explains that the “wild type” of the domestic cat is the Mackerel Tabby[cite: 1981]. This pattern evolved as camouflage in tall grass.

The Pattern: The frown lines on the forehead naturally form a shape that looks like the letter M.
Who has it? Any cat with the Agouti gene. This includes Maine Coons, Persians, Siberians, and the standard Domestic Shorthair.

When is the M Missing?#

The only cats that don’t have an M are:

Solid Colors: A solid black or blue cat (aa) masks the tabby pattern. (Though you can sometimes see a “ghost M” in the sunlight) [cite_start][cite: 1993].
[cite_start]White Cats: The Dominant White (W) or Spotting (S) genes cover up the pattern[cite: 2036].
Ticked Tabbies (Abyssinians): The pattern is diffused, so the M is often faint or missing.

Conclusion#

If you are trying to identify a Maine Coon, ignore the forehead. Look at the Ear Tufts, the Square Muzzle, and the Size. [cite_start]The “M” just means you have a beautiful tabby cat—which is a badge of honor in itself, given that the tabby is the ancestor of all domestic felines[cite: 1981].

References#

Vella, C. et al. (1999). Robinson’s Genetics for Cat Breeders. “Tabby and Non-Agouti,” p. [cite_start]136. [cite: 1986]
Walsh, L.G. (2013). The Maine Coon Cat. “Fallacies and Urban Legends,” p. [cite_start]34. [cite: 2372]
Gebhardt, R. The Complete Cat Book.
Lyons, L.A. Feline Coat Color Genetics.