Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, Patron Saint of Cats

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Although everyone knows that March 17 is Saint Patrick’s Day, did you also know that the date is also the feast day for the protector of our pals who purr?  Here are a few interesting facts about Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, the patron saint of cats. 

Who is Saint Gertrude of Nivelles?

Born in the year 628 in the city of Landen, in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, Gertrude grew up the daughter of a nobleman, Pippin the Elder. 

Wanting to secure his family’s place in court, Pippin held a banquet which included the king among the guests. During the soiree the king asked the 10-year-old Gertrude if she would marry the son of a duke. 

Refusing the offer, Gertrude told the monarch that she would never take an earthly husband. She kept her promise with her mother’s help.

Following her father’s passing, Gertrude’s mother erected a double monastery (one for men, one for women) in the city of Nivelles, of which Gertrude became the abbess.   

Why is Saint Gertude of Nivelles the Patron Saint of Cats?

Unlike Saint Francis of Assisi, who has often been depicted by artists accompanied by his “sister and brother birds,” or Saint Roch (the patron saint of dogs), who has been immortalized in stone many times over the centuries with a canine companion by his side, there are only contemporary images of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles with a cat.

Why is this? According to U.S. Catholic magazine, the saint’s pop culture connection to cats may stem from an early 1980s Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York catalog which featured “metropolitan cats.”  

However, there is an ancient link between the saint and our feline friends. During her days as an abbess, Gertrude was believed to have rid villages of mice and rats, and portrayals of the saint by sculptors and painters frequently included renderings of rodents climbing up the saint’s staff or hem of her garments. 

As cats are the natural predators of mice, this may be the reason why Gertrude became looked upon as a patron of felines.  

A Cat Lover’s Prayer to Saint Gertrude of Nivelles

Although there does not seem to be an official novena to Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, there are several versions of the prayer to the patron saint. 

One which focuses on our fondness for our feline family members goes:

Dear Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, Oh most loving and kind saint,

We pray to emulate you. We pray for protection of our dearly beloved pets. We pray for their long life, good health and protection from harm. Blessed Saint Gertrude, we pray to you, with the love of all beings, for the blessings of peace, love, and healing. God has graced us with the love of His heavenly creatures.  We pray that this love may grow stronger and everlasting.  Amen

The Patron Saint of Cats, and…

Saint Gertrude of Nivelles is also a patron saint of:

• those looking to rid an area of mice
• people suffering from mental illness
• travelers
• gardeners
• the poor
• widows
• the cities of Geertruidenberg, Beda and Begen-op-Zoom, North Brabandt, Netherlands
• Nivelles, Belgium

Other Patron Saints of Animals

There are over 10,000 patron saints, with many serving as guardians for all creatures great and small. Among them are:

• Patron Saint of Animals: Saint Francis of Assisi(Feast Day: October 4– a date which is also World Animal Day)
• Patron Saint of Bees: Saint Ambrose (Feast Day: December 7)
• Patron Saint of Birds and Poultry: Saint Gall (Feast Day: October 16)
• Patron Saint of Blackbirds: Saint Kevin (Feast Day: June 3)
• Patron Saint of Cattle: Saint Bridgid of Ireland (Feast Day: February 1)
• Patron Saint of Dogs:  Saint Roch (August 16); Saint Hubert of Liege (November 3)
• Patron Saint of Domestic Animals and Livestock: Saint Anthony the Abbot (Feast Day: January 17)
• Patron Saint of Fish: Saint Neot (Feast day: July 31)
• Patron Saint of Geese: Saint Martin of Tours (Feast Day: November 11)
• Patron Saint of Horned Animals: Saint Guy of Anderlecht (Feast Day: September 12)
• Patron Saint of Horses and Cattle: Saint Eligius (Feast Day: December 1)
• Patron Saint of Lions: Saint Mark (Feast Day: April 25)
• Patron Saint of Rams: Saint Giles (Feast Day: September 1)
• Patron Saint of Sheep: Saint Drogo (Feast Day: April 16)
• Patron Saint of Storks: Saint Agricola (Feast day: September 2)
• Patron Saint of Whales: Saint Brendan The Navigator (Feast Day: May 16)
• Patron Saint of Wolves: Saint Edmund of East Anglia (Feast Day: November 20)

More Cat Holidays

CatTipper features dozens of cat holidays and observances. You might also enjoy these:

• National Siamese Cat Day
• National Pet Day
• Tortoiseshell Cat Appreciation Day