Tag: asia

Culture

Werecats, Part I: The Mystic Weretiger

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

Man with painted tiger stripes
Photo by Charles Crawshaw World Peace in 2020 from Pexels

Werelions, weretigers, werejaguars, oh my! That was my where my brain was at about thirty seconds into my research on ailuranthropy, or the phenomenon of humans transforming into big cats (from the Greek ailouros “cat” and anthropos “human”). I hadn’t intended for this to be a series, but I quickly realized that werecats were a much larger topic than I had expected. This means I get to draw the Halloween blogs out longer, so I can’t complain. We will begin the series with the cat people that stalk human prey in the folktales of Asia: the weretigers.

Weretigers are the most frequently occurring kind of were-creature in the folklore of tropical Asia (1, 2). Tales about these creatures can be found in the mythology of China, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia, just to name a few. Humans have lived alongside tigers in this part of the world forever, really, although the decline of tigers has tragically made that less the case. In Europe, the most fearsome natural predator was the wolf, giving rise to stories of humans becoming wolves. There was no more appropriate metaphor for the animal within. Where the tiger is the king of the jungle, however, humans become cats.

Under Their Skin

The stories about weretigers are almost as different as the people and places where they are told. In only some of them are people bodily transformed into tigers. Often, the transformation takes place once the weretiger puts on a tiger skin with or without an accompanying incantation (3, 4). The European werewolf is frequently made the same way. There are some stories where people became weretigers accidentally after slipping into a tiger skin (4). One story tells of a Chinese monk who put on a tiger skin to play a practical joke, only to become a tiger and remain so for a year (4).

Alternatively, a person may become a weretiger by burning incense, reciting an incantation, and throwing his clothes off (5, 6). By shedding their clothes, they are shedding their personhood, in a sense, and once naked they transform into a tiger (5, 6). If someone steals the clothes, the weretiger will not be able to turn back into a human (6).

White tiger on grass
Photo by Anthony from Pexels

My personal favorite tactic, however, involves circling an anthill seven times clockwise while repeating a secret charm (7). This lacks the obvious symbolism of stripping off one’s humanity but is infinitely more bizarre. To turn back, simply do the opposite: walk around the anthill counterclockwise seven times while repeating the charm (7). Does this mean weretigers can talk? Does it have to be the same anthill? I have no idea, but I love it.

Some transformation rituals require one or more accomplices. In one, a practitioner recites particular spells, or mantras, over a measure of water (1). An assistant then sprinkles the water over the weretiger to effect the transformation (1). To change them back, the assistant sprinkles the water over them again (1). In some versions of the throw-off-the-clothes ritual, the only way to become human again is for someone to hurl the weretiger’s clothes at them while they are in tiger form (1). If a weretiger’s accomplice is unable or unwilling to help for whatever reason, they will be stuck as a tiger, presumably for the rest of their life (5).

Tiger Spirits

In some beliefs, a person becomes a weretiger when they are possessed by a spirit. The Lisu people of Laos believe that weretigers can possess people and may then possess their family members in turn (8). They also believe that those who are thus possessed will put “the essence of the weretiger” into a valuable object and leave it lying on a path (8). Whoever picks the object up will be possessed, too (8). I can only imagine the chain reactions of weretiger possession that ensue from a single Weretiger Zero.

On the other hand, there is a folk belief in Malaysia that certain families are already tigrine by birth (9). After death, they become tigers that somewhat resemble their human selves and remember their human lives (9). These tigers visit their humans relatives during festivals or times of great turmoil and can sometimes be called upon for help (9). When a human member of the family is about to die, at least one of their tiger relatives will come to hold vigil outside the house, waiting (9). A few days after death, their grave will be found opened, and a representative tiger will appear in the nearby forest (9). The journal article describing this belief was written in 1922 (9), so it is possible that the lore has died out by now. Unless, of course, it’s not just a myth.

Dreamtime Weretiger

Tiger in snow
Image by Marcel Langthim from Pixabay

Interestingly, there is a major type of weretiger that does not involve any metamorphosis at all. These weretigers leave their human bodies in their sleep to become tigers. In the lore of certain indigenous peoples of India and south Asia, some individuals naturally have the ability to be this kind of weretiger (1, 2). When these weretigers dream, a part of their soul travels into the jungle and joins with the soul of a live tiger (1, 2). The weretiger then acts out the desires of the sleeping human, which can sometimes result in the property destruction, injury, or death of the weretiger’s enemies (1, 2).

The weretiger and their tiger have a close relationship. They always migrates into the same tiger, night after night, for their entire life (1, 2). If the tiger is wounded or killed while bonded with the weretiger’s soul, the human body suffers the same fate (1, 2).

The Khasis of northeastern India ascribe to a variation of the dreaming weretiger belief. Khasis people believe that humans are divided into the body, the soul, and the rngiew (10, 11). The rngiew is a sort of essential, divine essence integral to each person (10). When the weretigers sleep, their rngiew leave their bodies and transform into tigers in the spirit world (10, 11). However, the spirit world and the physical one are not entirely separate, and the weretigers are able to interact with the material plane as tigers (10, 11). People either inherit the ability to be a weretiger or are chosen to receive the gift by a deity (10).

The Good, the Bad, and the Stripey

I have read a lot of old werewolf stories because that’s the kind of thing I do for fun. I can’t think of a single one where the werewolf was presented as anything other than a force for evil. Modern representations are much more varied, of course, but folklore decidedly depicts werewolves as bad dogs. Weretigers, however, are painted in many different lights.

Tiger in jungle
Image by Capri23auto from Pixabay

Sometimes, weretigers engender terror. They are thought to kill people and livestock (1, 2, 4). But other times they are protectors (9, 10, 11, 12). The Khasis weretigers have a sacred duty to protect their communities from harm, including other weretigers (11). There are Chinese myths about weretigers who are the instruments of heaven, meting out divine fate whether they want to or not (4).

Sumatrans believe that were-tiger homes are made of roofs thatched with human hair, walls made of human skin, and beams of human bones.

Joane le Roux, New Straits Times

Weretigers have a complicated place in the folklore of Asia, both within and between cultures. Should you want to know how to recognize them, just to be safe, there are a few ways. One of the most common signs is that weretigers lack the groove on the upper lip (5, 9). A person caught vomiting chicken feathers is considered a likely suspect for a weretiger (12). I would suggest that that should make them suspect for something regardless. The tracks of the weretiger are distinctive because there are five toes on each paw, whereas normal tigers, like all cats, leave prints with five toes on the front paws and four on the back (10, 11). If you see large cat prints with any number of toes, perhaps the best practice is to depart with haste rather than start counting.

Works Cited

  1. Brighenti, F. (2017). Traditional beliefs about weretigers among the Garos of Meghalaya. eTropic, 16(1), 96-111. PDF
  2. Brighenti, F. (2011). Kradi mliva: The phenomenon of tiger-transformation in the traditional lore of the Kondh tribals of Orissa. Lokaratna, 4, 11-25. PDF
  3. Casal, U.A. (1959). The goblin fox and badger and other witch animals of Japan. Folklore Studies, 18, 1-93. doi: 10.2307/1177429.
  4. Hammond, C.E. (1992). Sacred metamorphosis: The weretiger and the shaman. Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 46(2/3), 235-255. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23658449
  5. Wessing, R. (1995). The last tiger in East Java: Symbolic continuity in ecological change. Asian Folklore Studies, 54(2), 191-218. doi: 10.2307/1178941
  6. Wessing, R. (1994). “Bangatowa,” “Patogu” and “Gaddhungan”: Perceptions of the tiger among the Madurese. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 25(2), 368-380. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20071663
  7. Biria, S.G.D. (1947). The Muria and their Ghotul. Oxford University Press.
  8. Worra, B.T. (2012, December 20). Pondering weretigers of Laos. On the Other Side of the Eye. http://thaoworra.blogspot.com/2012/12/pondering-weretigers-of-laos.html
  9. bin Ahmad, Z.A. (1922). The tiger-breed families. Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 85, 36-39. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41561390
  10. Lyngdoh, M. (2016). Tiger transformation among the Khasis of northeastern India: Belief worlds and shifting realities. Anthropos, 111(2), 649-658. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44791292
  11. Kharmawphlang, D. (2000). In search of tigermen: The were-tiger tradition of the Khasis. India International Centre Quaterly, 27(4), 160-176. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23005708
  12. le Roux, J. (2014, November 1). In pursuit of a were-tiger. New Strait Times. https://www.nst.com.my/news/2015/09/pursuit-were-tiger

Published October 26th, 2020

Culture

Maneki Neko: The Meaning of Lucky Cat Statues

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

Gold cat statue
Image by Tania Van den Berghen from Pixabay

If it wasn’t obvious yet, I live in the United States. If you have ever been to a Japanese, Chinese, or Thai restaurant here, you have probably seen a Maneki Neko, usually called a Lucky Cat in the States. I picture a little gold cat statue on a counter, red collar painted around its neck, one paw raised and waving rhythmically forward and back while the other paw grasps a coin. However, Maneki Neko are not just shiny tchotchkes. They have a rich history and folkloric tradition.

The Dawn of Maneki Neko

Maneki Neko, Japanese for “beckoning cat(s),” originated in Japan during the Edo period (17th to mid-19th century) (1, 2, 3). They didn’t begin to appear widely in publications and business until the Meji period (1868-1912), possibly as an indirect consequence of the opening of Japan to the West (1). Before Japan opened, Japanese brothels included good-luck shelves that displayed phallic luck charms (1). The Meji government wanted to modernize Japan and give a positive image to the primarily Christian West, so one of their measures was to outlaw these phallic luck charms (1). When those charms were forced to disappear, they were replaced with Maneki Neko (1). Other businesses began to take up the practice of setting out Maneki Neko as luck charms, and they continue to do so today (1).

The question still remains, who first created the Maneki Neko, and why? It may be impossible to know for certain. Several legends attempt to explain the origins of these adorable good luck charms. In one story, there was once a very poor old woman who lived with her cat in Imado, which is now eastern Tokyo (1, 3). Her poverty forced her to either sell or abandon her cat, depending upon the version of the story (1, 3). But her cat must not have held that against her, because soon thereafter the cat appeared to her in a dream and told her to make a clay statue in its image (1, 3). When she did, people began to ask if they could buy the statue (1). The old woman was lifted from her poverty by making and selling statues of her former pet (1, 3).

Another legend also involves a loyal and beloved pet, but is rather more gruesome. During the Edo period, there was a Tokyo courtesan who had a pet cat that she treasured (1). One day, the cat began clawing at her kimono, preventing the courtesan from taking another step (1, 2, 3). The owner of the brothel believed the cat must be possessed, and cut off the cat’s head with his sword (1, 2, 3). The head flew through the air and struck a snake that was poised to bite the courtesan (1, 2, 3). The cat’s fangs pierced and killed the snake, saving the courtesan (2). As might be expected, the courtesan was distraught at the death of her cat, so one of her customers carved her a statue of the cat to cheer her up (1, 2, 3).

The most popular tale about Maneki Neko, if true, could explain their name and basic design. In the Setagaya District of Tokyo, there is a temple called Gotokuji (4, 5). In the 17th century, it wasn’t much, and it was overseen by a poor monk with barely enough money to feed himself and kind of manage the temple (1, 5). Even so, he had a temple cat he loved so much that he shared what little food he had with it (1, 5). One day, there came up a rain storm, and a man came into the temple for shelter (1-5). He introduced himself as Lord Ii Naotaka of Hikone District, near Kyoto, and explained that he had seen a cat near the temple beckoning him inside (1, 4, 5).

White cat statues
Maneki Neko at Gotokuji – Photo by Alain Pham on Unsplash

In some versions of the story, Naotaka had been sheltering under a tree at first, and after he followed the cat the tree was struck by lightening, so he is grateful to the cat for saving his life (1, 2, 3). In others, he is simply glad to be out of the storm and sees it all as the will of Buddha (5). Whatever his reasons, Naotaka became the temple’s patron and made it prosper (1-5). The temple was renamed Gotokuji in 1697 (1) in honor of Naotaka’s posthumous Buddhist name (4). As for the cat, it remained at the temple for the rest of its days and was buried in the cemetery when it died, with the first Maneki Neko made to honor its memory (1). The cat was deified as Shobyo Kannon, Goddess of Mercy (4, 5).

Gotokuji still stands today as both a Buddhist temple and a tourist attraction. It is absolutely covered with Maneki Neko. The Maneki Neko made and sold there are white, with the right paw raised, wearing a red collar with a gold bell (4, 5). The idea is to buy a Maneki Neko at the temple, say a wish or a prayer over it–or even write one on it–and then leave it at the temple (4). The result is a tremendous number of Maneki Neko covering every available surface in a certain part of the temple. This is a place where I hope to one day take many pictures.

The Design of Maneki Neko

Maneki Neko all share a basic shape, but their color, accessories, and which paw they’re raising all determine exactly what that particular charm means. If the right paw is lifted, the charm attracts money and good fortune (1, 2, 3). If the left paw is up, then it attracts customers or people (1, 2, 3). Occasionally you will see a Maneki Neko with both paws raised, which is said to protect the home or business (2, 3). Higher paws are supposed to extend the reach of the lucky magic and make the charms luckier (1, 3). That’s why Maneki Neko sometimes have an improbably long foreleg.

Assorted maneki neko
Maneki Neko come in many shapes, sizes, and colors – Image by Emanuel Golabiewski from Pixabay

The most common color of Maneki Neko is a mostly-white calico, which is considered the luckiest color (1, 2, 3). I read that this is because calico toms are so incredibly rare (1), but tortoiseshell and calico she-cats are quite common, so does this mean that Maneki Neko are supposed to be toms? There was no further explanation. White Maneki Neko may represent purity, happiness, and positivity (1, 2, 3). Black may ward off evil and/or disease (1, 2, 3). Gold, the color I am most used to seeing in the United States, brings wealth (1, 2, 3). There are many less common colors with more specific purposes as well:

  • Red: combat illness or bring luck in love (1, 2, 3, 5)
  • Pink: luck in love (1, 5)
  • Green: good health or academic success (2, 3, 5)
  • Yellow: good health (3)
  • Purple: prosperity and opportunity (3)

What the cat is wearing or holding can also affect its meaning. Most Maneki Neko wear a red collar with a bell, a throw-back to the Edo period when cats were a very expensive pet exclusive to the wealthy (1). Cat people would put collars made from the red hichirimen flower, strung with small bells, onto their cats so that they could keep track of them (1). Maneki Neko typically hold a gold coin in their free paw to attract wealth (1, 2, 3). However, they may hold something different, or even nothing at all in the case of the Gotokuji cats. Sometimes they hold a little hammer, or money mallet, which is supposed to attract wealth when shaken (2). They might hold a fish, usually a carp, because it is a symbol of abundance and good luck (2). Other symbols of wealth and good luck found in their paws include marbles or gems, gourds, daikon radishes, prayer tablets, and ingots (2).

If you want to check out all the different designs of Maneki Neko with your own eyes and you happen to live in Ohio, USA, not Japan, then you’re in luck! The Lucky Cat Museum is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Visit their website for hours and location if you would like to pay them a visit.

Works Cited

  1. Schumacher, M. (2011, April). Maneki neko 招き猫 or 招猫: Lucky beckoning cat or inviting cat. Japanese Buddhist Statuary. https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/maneki-neko.shtml
  2. Tse, H. (2020, January 2) 5 interesting facts about maneki neko cats aka lucky cats. Catster. https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/maneki-neko-fortune-cat-5-interesting-facts
  3. Greg. (2017, February 27). Feline folklore: Decoding the lucky cat. Japan Craft. https://japancraft.co.uk/blog/decoding-the-lucky-cat/
  4. Japan Inside. (n.d.). The “lucky cat” temple: Gotokuji. https://japaninsides.com/the-lucky-cat-temple-gotokuji/
  5. Mellin, J. (2018, July 19). Inside the Tokyo temple where the ‘waving cat’ was born. CNN Travel. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/maneki-neko-temple-tokyo/index.html

Published September 27th, 2020

Updated October 3rd, 2020

Breed Profiles

Abyssinian: Pharaoh’s Treasure

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

Two brown Abyssinian cats on kitchen chair
Royalty in the kitchen – Image by Dmitry Tsapenko from Pixabay

Ancient Egyptian art is full of regal cats with lithe, muscular bodies, arched necks, large, wildcat ears, and almond-shaped eyes. It is no surprise that the Abyssinian breed is widely believed to be the descendants of the cats of the ancient Egyptians, held in such high regard thousands of years ago. The resemblance is uncanny. Although it is a myth that Abyssinians are the cats of the Pharaohs, this breed has no problem commanding your attention in its own right.

Abyssinian Imports

The first record of an Abyssinian cat comes from the January 27th, 1872 issue of Harper’s Weekly in a report on the 1871 Crystal Palace Cat Show [1]. A she-cat named either Zulu or Zula took third place. She was described as an Abyssinian, “captured in the late Abyssinian war” [1]. An illustration is provided, which shows a cat with tabby facial markings but the ticked coat typical of Abyssinians [1]. Otherwise, however, Zulu does not look like the Abyssinian as we know it today, having rather small ears and a rounder face [1, 2].

Abyssinia is an old name for Ethiopia. The story goes that a British Captain brought Zulu home from Abyssinia in the 1860s and began to breed her when her unusual ticked coat was so well-received in Britain. Because of her cat show win, we know that Zulu existed, but whether she is the mother of the breed is contested. She may have been to begin with. There is a theory that Zulu was used to begin the breed, but her line died out, and other cats with ticked coats, perhaps the British “Bunny cats” with similar markings, were bred to re-establish the breed [2]. Genetic evidence links Abyssinians to Southeast Asian and Western European cat populations [3]. This had led to the idea that British and Dutch traders may have brought the breed’s progenitors from Indian or Indonesian ports [4].

Breed Characteristics

Appearance

Mother Abyssinian cat with kitten on sofa
Image by Dmitry Tsapenko from Pixabay

The Abyssinian today is notable for the ticked coat that has distinguished it all along. Ticked or agouti fur is related to the tabby pattern (see my article on coat pattern genetics). There are no tabby stripes, only the tabby M on the forehead, but each individual hair is striped with alternating bands of color. Abyssinians have a darker band of fur along their spine and a lighter underside. They are best known in their ruddy (reddish-brown) coloration, but can also be red, blue, or fawn. Their fur is short, dense, and silky. Long-haired Abyssinians do crop up, but they are considered a separate breed, the Somali.

Their patterning reminds some people of a wildcat, an idea reinforced by the Abyssinian’s shape. The breed looks a lot like the ancestor of domestic cats, Felis lybica. They have a muscular body, wedge-shaped head, and large, alert ears that give them a very attentive appearance. The legs are slim and the tail long and tapering. Their almond-shaped eyes are often surrounded by dark lines and may be green or gold. Despite an aspect of wildness, Abyssinian cats are 100% domestic cat. They are not, however, likely to be a lap cat.

Personality

Abyssinians are playful, social, and very athletic. They are known for a love of climbing and a high degree of intelligence that can get them into mischief if they’re bored. They are very loyal to their people and perform all sorts of antics to get their attention. Because they are so energetic, they don’t usually like to be cuddly, but they do like to be around and involved in whatever is going on. They are usually good with other pets and with children. They can get bored and distressed if left alone for long periods of time, so in a house where everyone needs to leave for work and school they will probably need an animal companion and plenty of toys to keep them busy. Puzzle toys are fantastic for challenging their active brains as well as their active bodies.

These cats are fast learners. This makes them great at learning tricks, but it also makes them good at learning how to get into trouble. And they have a knack for training their people to do what they want. Abyssinians are delightful companions, but they do need lots of stimulation and a watchful eye to keep them out of mischief!

Abyssinian antics

Health

As with any breed, there are some health concerns with Abyssinians. Their athletic nature typically fends off obesity and keeps them fit, but there are some inherited disorders in the breed that even their great athleticism cannot counter. Progressive retinal atrophy, an eye disease which causes blindness, is associated with the breed [5]. Abyssinian cats have known risks of developing early periodontal disease; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; patellar luxation, a hereditary dislocation of the kneecap, which may be surgically corrected; renal amyloidosis, a hereditary disease that leads to kidney failure; and hyperesthesia syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes excessive grooming [4, 6].

Abyssinians are particularly known for having the mutation for pyruvate kinase deficiency in their gene pool. Pyruvate kinase is an enzyme required for the normal functioning of red blood cells [7]. Cats with the deficiency develop intermittent anemia, which may begin anywhere from the age of six months to twelve years [7]. Fortunately, a test is available for the mutation that causes pyruvate kinase deficiency, so the disease can be removed from gene pools [7]. However, there is no definitive treatment for the disease, so even if the breeder says that their bloodline is free of the disorder, it is safest to have your cat tested [7].

Abyssinian cats may not have sunned themselves beside the Nile thousands of years ago, but they are no less regal for having more recent and probably rather mundane origins. As the Egyptians well understood, there is nothing prosaic about a cat. Should you choose to bring an Abyssinian into your family, they will be sure to teach you that themself.

Fun Facts

  • The first cat genome to be sequenced came from an Abyssinian named Cinnamon [6, 8].
  • Two Abyssinians named Amber and Rumpler co-starred as Jake, the alien cat in the 1978 film The Cat from Outer Space [9].
  • In 2019, the Cat Fanciers’ Association ranked Abyssinians their #8 most popular cat. The breed was one of their six founders in 1906 [10].

Works Cited

  1. Macquoid, P. (1872, January 27). An afternoon with the cats. Harper’s Weekly, 89-90.
  2. Abyssinian. (n.d.). Petfinder. https://www.petfinder.com/cat-breeds/abyssinian/
  3. Lipinski, M.J., Froenicke, L., Baysac, K.C., et al. (2008). The ascent of cat breeds: Genetic evaluations of breeds and worldwide random-bred populations. Genomics, 91(1), 12-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2007.10.009
  4. Cat Time. (n.d.). Abyssinian. https://cattime.com/cat-breeds/abyssinian-cats
  5. Narfstrōm, K. (1983). Hereditary progressive retinal atrophy in the Abyssinian cat. Journal of Heredity, 74(4), 273-276. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a109782
  6. Basepaws. (2019, March 5). Abyssinian – Meet the miniature cougar. https://www.basepaws.com/blog/abyssinian-cat-breed/
  7. Vetstreet. (n.d.). Abyssinian. http://www.vetstreet.com/cats/abyssinian#health
  8. Pontius, J.U., Mullikin, J.C., Smith, D.R., et al. (2007). Initial sequence and comparative analysis of the cat genome. Genome Research, 17, 1675-1689. https://genome.cshlp.org/content/17/11/1675.short
  9. VCA Hospitals (n.d.). Abyssinian. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cat-breeds/abyssinian
  10. Cat Fanciers’ Association. (2020, February 9) The Cat Fanciers’ Association announces most popular breeds for 2019. https://cfa.org/cfa-news-releases/top-breeds-2019/

Published June 28th, 2020

Updated July 20, 2022

Culture

Is Your Zodiac Sign a Cat?

mehshadoweye

Meredith Hemphill

mehshadoweye

Encyclopaedia Felidae now has a Patreon! Go to www.patreon.com/EncyclopaediaFelidae if you want to help support this content!

Zodiac reading neon sign
Photo by pixel parker on Unsplash

In the Western world, people are most likely to be familiar with the Chinese Zodiac, which features a tiger but not the felines many of us share our homes with. The Vietnamese Zodiac, however, honors the domestic cat as its fourth sign, in place of the rabbit in the Chinese line-up. Why there is this notable difference between the two very similar zodiacs is unsure. Possibilities include the words for rabbit (mao) and cat (meo) sounding very similar or the Vietnamese of yore simply choosing to replace the rabbit with an animal that their agrarian society deemed much more useful, the pest-controlling cat. Whatever the reason, some cat lovers can reference the Vietnamese Zodiac to state with certainty that they themselves are cats.

Those born in the year of the cat are said to have personalities that resemble our furry friends. Cat signs are curious, but cautious as well, and show good judgement. They’re creative people, likely to be talented and ambitious. They are sociable but enjoy their alone time as well. Cat signs are a bit secretive, always keeping something hidden for themselves. They are also said to be superficial and self-indulgent, prone to mood swings, and–like every cat ever–stubborn.

Cat and pig bobble-head figures
Cats and pigs are highly compatible signs. Photo by Jerry Wang on Unsplash

Cat signs are very compatible with pigs and goats but do not get along with rats and roosters. An old folktale called The Great Race tells how the animals of the zodiac were invited to meet with the Jade Emperor. The rat and the cat were the cleverest of the bunch, but both were poor swimmers, so when they came to a river they convinced the ox to let them ride across on his back. But just when all three were about the reach the other side, the rat push the cat off the ox’s back. The rat made it to the Jade Emperor’s palace first and became the first animal in the zodiac. Cats have been the mortal enemies of rats ever since. I myself am Year of the Rat. Please nobody tell my cats.

Quick Facts

  • Element: Wood, Yin
  • Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 6
  • Unlucky Numbers: 1, 7, 8
  • Lucky Flowers: plantain lily, jasmine, and snapdragon
  • Lucky Colors: pink, red, blue, and purple
  • Unlucky Colors: dark yellow, dark brown, white
  • Famous Cat Signs: Nicholas Cage, Brad Pitt, Cesar Chavez, Frank Sinatra, Andy Warhol, and Pope Benedict XVI

Published January 16, 2020

Updated May 5, 2021