Cats in Islam.. we don't realise how loved cats are in Islam. Our
parents or ourselves fail to realise this and treat them really bad
like hitting or kicking them or not feeding it.
The Prophet Muhammad taught mercy to all of God’s creation.
There are many reports of his love for cats resulting in their
historical acceptance among Muslims. Cats were very common
among the people during the time of the Prophet, and he said,
“They (cats) are not impure and they intermingle with you.”1 The
cat is such a clean animal that according to authentic narrations
one may make ablution for Prayer with the same water that a cat
drank from. Yet, it is known that some people nowadays have
opposed the traditions of the Prophet by taking up the evil
practices of torturing and poisoning cats. In Islam, punishment for
such acts is severe. Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported a hadith
regarding a woman who locked up a cat, refusing to feed it and
not releasing it so that it could feed itself. The Prophet
Muhammad said that her punishment on the Day of Judgment
will be torture and Hell."
It is also said one of the sahabas Abu Huraiyra was called father
of cats because of the love he had for them.