Does keeping a cat at home harm prayers? Is a cat regarded najis (dirty)?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Your prayer is not harmed when there is cat hair on you or when a cat licks your hand.

The urine, saliva and feces of the animals whose flesh is not permissible to eat are regarded as najasah ghalizah ( ). However, the feces of the birds whose flesh is not eaten like kites, eagles and sparrow hawks are regarded as najasah khafifah ( ).

The saliva and leftovers of cats only among the animals whose flesh is not eaten is regarded as clean.

Allah did not render the saliva and mouth of the cat dirty so that it would not put a strain on humans since cats live together with human beings and lick the hands, feet, clothes, etc. of human beings. Thus, Allah endows great ease to His slaves. As a matter of fact, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) states the following in a hadith:  

"The cat is not dirty. It walks around you a lot." (Nasai, Taharah, 54; Ibn Majah, Taharah, 32)

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