I'm getting a cat because I am one High-effort-edit: Cats are actually really important to islamic culture. We like 'em cause they're so clean. Even neutering them is frowned upon. The Prophet Mohammed said that "a love of cats is an aspect of faith." One time a cat saved him from a snake, and he stroked its head, which is reported as what gave cats the "righting reflex." He also had his own cat, named Muezza. He was so fond of it that once, when it was sleeping on part of his robe, instead of disturbing the cat, he cut off the part of the sleeve that it was sleeping on. If I get a cat I wanna name it Muezza, but my roommate was like "you have to get a feel for the cat (vijor you dirty hippy I know you're lurking)", so we'll see.
Sadly, it is one of the few animals that gets love in islamic culture. Try keeping a dog or any other animal that isn't a cat or a bird. Some people will stop coming to your house because the dogs aren't "clean" and they keep the angels out of the house etc. I have to add that I am very sensitive about the subject. Two of our dogs were poisoned to death (intentionally by my uncle's wife/kids) and one was kidnapped and set free in the desert (by my uncle).
This is true, sadly. I remember when this guy in Egypt was harassing a dog. Luckily he got his ass bit, but still. Dunno why we can't just coexist, they're just animals, God's creations like anything else (depending on how you look at it, of course)
I didn't realize cats and islam had such a connection. Thanks. I have had both cats and dogs over the years, despite being crazy allergic to cats. I don't see how anyone could think that cats are cleaner than dogs? A cat poops in a box, paws at the litter in the box and then walks all over your counter tops etc. Dogs let you know that they'd like to be let out and do their business outside. Dogs can be trained to happily stay off furniture etc. Cats pretty much do whatever the hell they want. -this is fine, I actually respect cats and think they're awesome animals, but I definitely don't think they're cleaner than dogs. Plus, as thundara well knows, cats make you cray-cray: Aside: What's up Vijor? I'm sorry you have to put up with 8bit. I'm not sure I agree with your assessment that 8bit needs to get to know the cat first. We don't even do this with people, why would we with pets?
I have known people with this same superstition and it's always reminded me of my grandma's habit of closing books around the house to keep the devils from getting at them or something. In Selçuk, Turkey there were two young (14-15 year old) men who helped a group of us. They also had these two wild dog companions who followed us all the way to the bus station ( 5 miles or so!) https://goo.gl/photos/NToa9TVyyGWLiTDD8 In Istanbul, Turkey during Ramadan there were wild dogs hanging out in the streets during the evening feast, nobody really seemed to mind (this was outside the blue mosque) https://goo.gl/photos/abiCsEZ1Pqipiibo7 and even gave them some good treats (mmmmmm Lokma!) I am sorry about your dogs :( I hate superstitions like this, they don't serve any person but really seem to drive fear and pain to extremes.