What is with the Japanese fascination with cats?

[jread]

I am a cat-lover and have always loved the abundancy of Japanese items that cat-related. From "Hello Kitty" to the "Maneki Neko lucky cats", all the cups and bowls with artwork of cats on them, etc., it seems that cats are a big part of Japanese culture. I was just wondering why this might be?

(I also have seen rabbits are popular as well)

[Brooker]

I dunno, but I always thought that Japanese people had very cat-like qualities. Don't know how to explain it, buy many of them look like cute little cats to me. :gohan:

[epigene]

Why do Japanese love cats? My guesses:

(1) The most convenient pet to have in a small apartment (for many Japanese people)
(2) No need to take it out for a walk.
(3) Solitary, independent being demanding equal partnership with humans, rather than master-slave relationship you have with a dog.
(4) Association with mystic powers. Some people think they can sense the supernatural.
(5) Honestly, I think there are as many dog lovers as there are cat lovers... :relief:

I'd love to have a dog, but I can't have one in the condo I live in...:kanashii:

[ArmandV]

Why do Japanese love cats? My guesses:

(1) The most convenient pet to have in a small apartment (for many Japanese people)
(2) No need to take it out for a walk.
(3) Solitary, independent being demanding equal partnership with humans, rather than master-slave relationship you have with a dog.
(4) Association with mystic powers. Some people think they can sense the supernatural.
(5) Honestly, I think there are as many dog lovers as there are cat lovers... :relief:

I'd love to have a dog, but I can't have one in the condo I live in...:kanashii:


"To a dog, you're family; to a cat, you're staff."

[epigene]

Well said, ArmandV!! :bravo:

[Row]

From "Hello Kitty" to the "Maneki Neko lucky cats",


dont forget bout the samurai pizza cats :p

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Japan was a race of farming.
The cat was necessary to protect the rice which was storage food from a mouse.
It is always the animal which is by our side.

The samurai kept a dog
The guard of a castle
"Touken" dogs fight
The samurai may have liked loyalty of a dog. :souka:

[Maciamo]

In my opinion, more Japanese people are fond of dogs than cats. The most cat-loving country I know would be Italy. In cities like Rome, many women (known as "gateria", from "gato" => "cat") feed cats in the street (not theirs) on a daily basis. The Roman ruins (like "Foro Romano") are full of cats everywhere. Never seen so many cats in a city elsewhere.

[Maciamo]

Japan was a race of farming.

What does "a race of farming" mean ? Do you mean it is genetical ? Funny because Japan was one of the last Eurasian country to develop agriculture on a regular basis. I also don't think that there should be more mice in inundated rice paddies than in dry European wheat or oat fields.

[Maciamo]

(1) The most convenient pet to have in a small apartment (for many Japanese people)

I'd say cats are the least convenient of any common pets for people living in big cities and small apartments. They need a lot freedom, space to climb, hunt, scratch things, fight... They cannot be as easily educated as dogs. I guess that hamsters, fish, turtles, small dogs, or even the more passive rabbits are preferable pets for many Japanese.

(2) No need to take it out for a walk.

No. You can't even let the cat out and not be worried about it being crushed by a car. My neighbours in Tokyo walk their cat with a lead, like a dog. Poor cat ! But it's true that there are quite a few cats "in the wild" in quiet shitamachi areas of Tokyo.

[lexico]

The Prohibition of Slaughtering, 1685
by Kim, Young Son, www.koja.info member
2004-09-09 00:22:01

The worsening of the political situation during the second half of the reign of 5th shogun Tsunayoshi of the Edo bakufu 江戶幕府 was due to a number of animal protecting edicts of which the 1685 issue stated;

"It is allowed to unleash dogs and cats during a shogunite procession,"
"The use of fowl and shells is prohibited in Edo castle,"

of which the 1687 issue stated;
"All land animals shall be protected,"

and of which the 1694 issue stated;
"Gold fish shall also be protected likewise."

The reason for this series of animal protection codes was that Tsunayoshi was without an heir. Tsunayoshi's mother, Keishoin 桂昌院, and Abbot Ryuko 隆光 of the Gokokusa temple 護國寺 to which Tsunayoshi entrusted his faith, unanimously said that his childlessness was due to the bad karma of indiscriminate killings in his former life. In order to atone for the bad karma, he should protect all living beings. The shogun, being of the dog year of birth, should pay special attention to dogs.

The punishment for breaking the edict was harsh; some were banished or even executed for a violation. As for the mistreatment of dogs, the punishment was particulary severe; sticking a dog, or even ridiculing one was enough cause to be arrested by the policing officers. Hence dogs were called Magistrate Canis 犬公, and a sick dog would often be taken to the doctor for intensive care. This became the primary reason that people avoided keeping dogs. For fear of being reported for mistreating a dog either verbally or physically, many dog owners would abandon their pets in secrecy.

This is one reason why Japanese culture lacks metaphores or sayings including the "dog" word. As a by-product of this canophobia, cats became popular as the pet of choice.

Commoners began calling Tsunayoshi Inukubo 犬公方, and direly wished for the abolition of the harsh edict. The streets were flooded with increasingly numerous stray dogs scrounging for food.

The bakufu constructed a dog camp in Nagano, Edo, in 1695, to accommodate 100,000 stray dogs. The tab was to be taken up by Edo citizens and the farmers of Kanto region which aroused strong resentment at large. The prohibition became evermore strict for 24 years until 1709 when it was abolished immediately following Tsunayoshi's death.

translated from the Korean post at http://www.koja.info/bbs/view.php?id=bunka&page=1&sn1=&divpage=1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=33

[ArmandV]

Well said, ArmandV!! :bravo:


Arigato! I should know, I have two cats myself.

[ArmandV]

I'd say cats are the least convenient of any common pets for people living in big cities and small apartments. They need a lot freedom, space to climb, hunt, scratch things, fight... They cannot be as easily educated as dogs. I guess that hamsters, fish, turtles, small dogs, or even the more passive rabbits are preferable pets for many Japanese.



I have a small apartment and my two cats don't go outside, but they are perfectly contented. You just have to train them to not scratch the furniture and have scratching posts and plenty of toys. The toys should be rotated to they won't get bored with them. We get along just fine.

[epigene]

Dog-related trivia I heard recently:

In the Edo Period, a criminal would be tattoed on the forehead each time the person was caught for a crime. Strokes were tattoed in a way that they will form the kanji 犬 (inu) the fourth time. The fifth capture meant the death penalty. The Japanese "five-strikes-and-you're-out" rule. :blush:

Maciamo-san, please don't take Nagashima-san's posts literally. He's using translation software for his posts. :-)

[lexico]

Japan was a race of farming.
The cat was necessary to protect the rice which was storage food from a mouse.
It is always the animal which is by our side.Personally, I tend to agree with you.
I heard in the olden times, from the elders in the family and friends, that there was always a shortage at least once a year in early spring when rice stock ran low and barley harvest was still far off.
They used to call it the "spring hunger."
Luckily I was born right in the middle of the green revolution, and as far as I can remember, there was nor major shortage of grains.
But still food stuff was scarce on the whole.

Besides, the rats would constantly gnaw holes into the old fashined mud-and straw floors making us susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.
A cat could have been a life saver literally for may people back then.

You know, this thread keeps reminding me of "Puss in Boots."
I wonder if it is an old Japanese story borrowed by Europeans??? :p

[Maciamo]

Maciamo-san, please don't take Nagashima-san's posts literally. He's using translation software for his posts. :-)

Ah ok, sorry didn't know that. I reacted so because I have been told times and again in Japan that the Japanese were a "farmer race", while "Westerners were "hunters". As a historian, it is utter nonsense, as all Europe had developed agriculture from 3000 to 1000 before Japan.

[Maciamo]

Personally, I tend to agree with you.
I heard in the olden times, from the elders in the family and friends, that there was always a shortage at least once a year in early spring when rice stock ran low and barley harvest was still far off.

But having cats on a farm to keep off mice, or one in an apartment as a pet are two completely different things. All European farmers have cats, and usually dogs too for the cattle (I grew up in the countryside, so I know). However, I wouldn't say the average farmer (you know, those who have to kill their cows, sheep, chickens or rabbits to eat) are very affectionate to cats. It's mostly for practical reasons. So even someone raised in such a family would have a lower chance to have a cat in their apartment once they start living by themselves.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

What does "a race of farming" mean ? Do you mean it is genetical ? Funny because Japan was one of the last Eurasian country to develop agriculture on a regular basis. I also don't think that there should be more mice in inundated rice paddies than in dry European wheat or oat fields.

It was converted with "農耕民族" when I translated "farming race" by translation software.
:relief:

[RinoaRita]

i think it may have more to do with a culture of cuteness than a culture of cats.

Cat's a very cute! Therefore it's a very good target to make into cute little icon figures.

[Glenn]

It was converted with "農耕民族" when I translated "farming race" by translation software.
:relief:

It seems that "agrarian people" (http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/search.php?MT=%C7%C0%B9%CC&je.x=33&je.y=12&je=%CF%C2%B1%D1&kind=je&mode=1) would be better. :-)

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

NAMENEKO :gohan:
http://www.nameneko.com/nameneko.html

The Japanese cat which is famous in the world :sick:
http://dora-world.com/

[wintersweet]

Never seen so many cats in a city elsewhere.

That's interesting--to me, lots of stray cats indicates a general lack of caring for animals, not a lot of caring! Although anywhere must be better than Nepal, where they hate cats so much that they live on the roofs, because any time they're seen on the street, they're attacked with rocks. Or so I was told when I was there--at any rate, the only cats I saw there were bony, terrified, and up on roofs.

Both Taiwan and Japan have a lot of things devoted to cats--stores and etc. In Japan I saw a place that appeared to be cat rental. Pay a fee and you could play with their cats--probably beautiful purebreds--for an hour.

Here is the window of a cat-themed shop near Kiyomizu-dera:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/wintryplum/japan-cats/kiyomizucatshop.jpg

Here are a few photos of park cats in Nara. (http://photobucket.com/albums/v145/wintryplum/japan-cats/)

(also a cat-lover, as you can tell.)

[Dekamaster]

NAMENEKO :gohan:
http://www.nameneko.com/nameneko.html

The Japanese cat which is famous in the world :sick:
http://dora-world.com/

Would that be the same for Hello Kitty ? :relief:

[RockLee]

I googled a bit and found this !

Cats in Japan

The domestic cat arrived in Japan around 600 AD. Introduced by Buddhist monks, cats were considered sacred animals and were highly respected by the Japanese people. The popularity of the cat grew throughout Japan within both the royal and working class societies.

Woodcuts and paintings of cats similar to the Japanese Bobtail suggest that the bobtail cat arrived in Japan around the 6th century. However some breed historians believe that the Japanese Bobtail only arrived in the country around the 10th century during the reign of Emperor Ichijo, who was the owner of five Japanese Bobtails.

During this time, at the order of Emperor Ichijo, cats were forbidden to work. Subsequently the silk industry, which was of great importance in Japan, began to suffer. Because there were no cats to hunt, mice began to destroy the silkworms and cocoons. Silk manufactures placed statues of cats around the cocoons to try and frighten the mice. When this failed the Emperor had no choice but to send the cats out to hunt. The Japanese bobtail became a street cat and was known as the ‘Kazoku Neko’ which means family cat’.

Today cats are still highly respected in Japan. In Tokyo, there is a temple called the Goutokuji, which is dedicated to cats. It is believed that the temple is protected by Maneki-neko, a folklore cat. The legend of Maneki-neko can be traced back to when the Goutokuji was a Buddhist monastery. The story follows that the monastery was low on money and food. The monks at the temple always made sure that their cat named Tama, who was a mi-ke (a Japanese Bobtail), always had food. One day the Lord of Hikone, Naotaka Ii, was passing the monastery when he noticed Tama, who was sitting at the front of the monastery, beckoning him. Naotaka followed the cat in to the temple and immediately a bolt of lightening struck the place in which he had been standing. The cat saved the Lord’s life and in return the Lord rescued the monastery from poverty. The monastery was renamed Goutokuji.

Maneki Neko, which means beckoning cat, is the incarnation of the Goddess of Mercy. The statue of Maneki Neko is depicted as a mi-ke Japanese Bobtail. The Alter in the Goutokuji is surrounded by the Maneki Neko statues. Many Japanese workplaces display the statute to welcome their customers and to bring success in their work. The statue can also be seen in houses to beckon in good friends. That would explain a lot I think :souka:

[lexico]

That would explain a lot I think :souka:Yes! Wonderful article that nails the origin of the Japanese cat-love! :bravo:
One sentence sounded a little interesting, though.
During this time, at the order of Emperor Ichijo, cats were forbidden to work. Subsequently the silk industry, which was of great importance in Japan, began to suffer. Because there were no cats to hunt, mice began to destroy the silkworms and cocoons.Since forbidding a cat wouldn't work verbally, I would assume that the cat had to be on a leash or in a cat cage. So in an effort to protect the cat, the beneficiary was gaoled by the owner. Another case when exorbitant difficulty in obtaining a "work permit" limits the birth right to pursue happiness. Poor cats! :bawling:
One question: is the article a translation from Japanese? :clueless:

[kirei_na_me]

I also love cats.

Cats are much better for me. To me, cats are much cleaner than dogs. They don't drool everywhere, they won't relieve themselves all over the floor. They're also less sporatic and more independent, which I find much more appealing in a pet. They are also very smart. You can't really train them due to their independence and stubborness, but they're certainly not dummies.

I love my 20 pound tabby with all my heart!

(Sorry, I get a little carried away when talking about cats.)

I have my share of manekineko in my house too... :p

[wintersweet]

By the way, if you like both cats and Japanese history, look for the novel _Fudoki_ by Kij Johnson. It's a wonderful fantasy of sorts set in a magical version of Heian Japan. I highly recommend it.

[Duo]

By the way, if you like both cats and Japanese history, look for the novel _Fudoki_ by Kij Johnson. It's a wonderful fantasy of sorts set in a magical version of Heian Japan. I highly recommend it.

Yeah, that sounds fun, or one could just go and get a life.............

[lexico]

By the way, if you like both cats and Japanese history, look for the novel _Fudoki_ by Kij Johnson. It's a wonderful fantasy of sorts set in a magical version of Heian Japan. I highly recommend it.I don't like cats in real life, but that's my stigma.
Hmmm...maybe Fudoki will cure me in the fantasy world of Heian! :cool:

[jread]

By the way, if you like both cats and Japanese history, look for the novel _Fudoki_ by Kij Johnson. It's a wonderful fantasy of sorts set in a magical version of Heian Japan. I highly recommend it.

Is it written in English or is there an English version?

[wintersweet]

Yeah, that sounds fun, or one could just go and get a life.............

Why on earth are you insulting me for recommending a book? :?

[wintersweet]

Is it written in English or is there an English version?

It's in English.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Do you know "mike neko"? :?
It is believed that "mike neko" causes good luck in Japan for a long time. :-)
Sailors believe it.
http://homepage1.nifty.com/manekinekoclub/kenkyu/kaibo/mike/mikeneko.html

[Uncle Frank]

Yeah, that sounds fun, or one could just go and get a life.............

is what gets you negative rep! Were you hung over or just had a bad day???
I can't believe you said that!! It seems way out of character for YOU???

Frank

:mad: :crab: :bikkuri: :shock: :okashii: :?

[Duo]

Why on earth are you insulting me for recommending a book? :?


oh by no means, it just that it sounded a bit funny, magic and cats, i guess the dark side took over me :p
i'm sure it's a very good book,

@ frank, what can i say, sometimes we all stray away from the light, but i'm bak now and thx for being straight up with me :cool: