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Have you ever wondered about the adorable cat statue with
one paw raised peeking out from behind ferns and bamboo plants, atop shelves
and registers, in the windows of businesses? I did and I've learned the best way
to find out about something is to ask.
My family and I have a favorite Chinese/Japanese
restaurant we go to for special occasions and while there my daughter pointed
out a cute porcelain statue of a cat behind the register. She’s crazy about cats and if there is
anything in the likeness of a cat in her vicinity she will undoubtedly find it
and practically purr over it. Unfortunately I couldn’t tell her much about it
other than I too had noticed it there and in many Chinese and Japanese
restaurants. You’d think I would have asked the kind owners who always seem
glad to see us. Nope. Too shy perhaps?
Days later at the mall we passed a version of the ceramic
cat sitting in the window of a salon. A
week or so passed and while eating at a pizza shop we noticed a similar statue
peeking out from behind a plant atop the beverage cooler. Now we were genuinely
curious about this creature that had repeatedly appeared in our lives over the
span of a week or so.
Despite my initial reluctance to ask people in possession
of the cat what it meant, perhaps fearing that I was prying into a private
matter, I explained to my children the best way to find out is to simply ask. “Could
you tell us about the cat statue?” I queried as the shop owner deftly caught a
spinning wheel of dough in his hands. He
replied, “That is a Lucky cat.” He fumbled with the pronunciation of the
Japanese word so when we returned home I resorted to Google.
We learned that Maneki Neko has many English names
including, beckoning cat, money cat, good fortune cat and welcoming cat and is
traditionally displayed in a prominent spot in businesses and homes. There are many interpretations and ways to
understand the significance of the cat, but to simplify, the general idea is
that the raised paw signifies the beckoning of good fortune in either the form
of wealth or luck. Depending on the particular statue the collar, coin and
other adornments also carry symbolism.
Upon further reading we also learned that the lucky cat
is the subject of several legends and can be traced back in Japanese history
over 400 years. I looked for a version
that could be easily understood by my children, but in the meantime the cat
kept appearing when on outings to stores, restaurants and even during a trip to
Epcot at Walt Disney World.
We saw white versions of Meneki Neko, gold, ones with
both paws raised, one that bore a striking likeness to Hello Kitty, cartoon
variations, tall and slender, squat and round, cats made of cloth, cats on key
chains, when we really started to look, the lucky cat was ever where.
I discovered the book
I am Tama: Lucky Cat a Japanese Legend written by Wendy Hendricks and illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi, in which we
learned of the cat’s humble beginnings and the lasting friendship and
good-fortune he brought when shown genuine kindness. My kids adored the story
and the pictures were very lovely; the cherry blossoms seemed to float off the
page.
Now whenever we see the beckoning cat we give a little
wave and a smile, grateful to have gummed up the courage to ask about it and
begin to understand its origins and purpose… and perhaps hoping for a little
good luck of our own.
