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                                  Exhibit 32.2

                        CERTIFICATION OF PERIODIC REPORT

I, Michael O. Moore, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and
Secretary of The Cato Corporation, certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that on the date of this
Certification:

1.       the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the annual period
ended February 1, 2003 (the "Report") fully complies with the requirements of
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2.       the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the
Company.

Dated: April 8, 2004

                                          /s/ Michael O. Moore
                                          --------------------------------
                                          Michael O. Moore
                                          Executive Vice President
                                          Chief Financial Officer and Secretary