Are cats najis?
No, cats are not najis. The Prophet ﷺ said of cats: "It is not unclean; it is one of those who go round among you." So a cat's body, fur, saliva and the water or food it touches are pure. Only its urine and droppings are impure, like those of other animals.
What the Prophet ﷺ said
Abu Qatadah tilted a vessel of his wudu water so a cat could drink from it. When his niece looked surprised, he explained that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said cats "are not impure, they are among those who go around among you" (Sunan Abi Dawud 75, Jami at-Tirmidhi 92). Scholars explain the wisdom: cats live in homes and cannot be kept away from things, so Allah made them easy for people to live with.
What about different parts of a cat?
- Fur and body: pure. Cat hair on your clothes or prayer mat does not affect your prayer.
- Saliva and paws: pure. If a cat licks you or walks over your hands, you do not need to wash.
- Water or food a cat touched: pure and usable. The Hanafi school says it is mildly disliked to use a cat's leftover water for wudu if you have other water, but the wudu is still valid. The other schools do not even dislike it.
- Urine, droppings and vomit: impure, like those of any animal. Wash them off your skin or clothes before prayer.
If you see something visibly dirty on a cat, such as a muddy paw, just wash the spot it touched, as you would with any dirt. Cats are also covered in a general article. See Are cats clean in Islam?
Everyday situations
- A cat sits on your prayer mat: your mat is not spoiled. Shake off the hair and pray.
- A cat sleeps on your bed: your bed stays pure unless it has urinated there.
- A cat licks your plate: the food is not impure. Many people would simply choose to put it aside for hygiene.
- The litter tray: the contents are najis, so wash your hands after changing it and keep it away from your prayer area.
- A cat walks in front of you while you pray: it does not break your prayer or your wudu.
How is this different from dogs?
Many new Muslims ask why cats are treated so differently from dogs. The Prophet ﷺ gave a clear statement about cats, while the schools differ over dogs, and the Shafi'i and Hanbali views are stricter. See Are dogs najis in Islam?
Getting a cat and cleaning up after one are covered elsewhere. See Can I keep a cat inside my house? and How do I clean a najis carpet?
- Cats are not najis, according to the Prophet ﷺ (Sunan Abi Dawud 75).
- A cat's fur, saliva and leftover water are pure.
- A cat's urine and droppings are impure and need washing.
- The Hanafis mildly dislike cat-leftover water for wudu, but it is valid.
People also ask
Are shoes najis after walking outside?
No, shoes are not najis after walking outside unless you know something impure is on them. Street dirt is pure by default.
Read the full answer →Are dogs najis in Islam?
It depends on the school: Shafi'is and Hanbalis call dogs najis, Hanafis only the saliva, Malikis say pure. Najis means wash off, not hated.
Read the full answer →Is it haram to urinate in the shower?
No, it isn't haram to urinate in the shower, but scholars call it disliked (makruh). With a drain and running water, rinse well and renew wudu.
Read the full answer →Does burping break wudu?
No, burping does not break wudu. A burp is air from the mouth, not passing wind, and all four schools agree it doesn't cancel wudu.
Read the full answer →What can I use for tayammum?
You can use clean natural earth for tayammum: soil, dust, sand or stone. Hanafis and Malikis allow bare stone; Shafi'is and Hanbalis need dust.
Read the full answer →