Here's a question for Erasmus, who I heard is lurking on the blog, and who is an authority on cats.
Usually the Japanese lucky 'neko' has a raised paw - what does it signify?
Why doesn't this one have a raised paw?
Ophrys
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5 comments:
I'm afraid you're in for a unpleasant surprise here. Did you check for two tails? A much more ancient creature than the Maneki Neko (lucky neko) is the Nekomata. The Neko-mata is a haunted cat spirit. It has a split tale, walks on its hind feet's and controls the dead. As a precaution you might want to cut the tail of all your kittens.
Meow meow, Erasmus
Now that's interesting (even if not an answer). And concerning your suggested remedy: In some Asian countries a cat's tail is docked or cut when it is a kitten - I think there is some local belief that this somehow limits its 'magical' powers. Then there are naturally kink-tailed cats and the famous Manx cat of course - what about those?
So maybe the centre of a cat's power is seen to be in its tail?
Ophrys
Don't forget there's also the Japanese Bobtail cat, which comes ready tailless just in case.
...so maybe it's a myth that the Asian cats'tails are docked? I can't recall who told me or where I read it. The Japanese or S.E Asian bobtail would explain it all!
Ophrys
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Bobtail
Maybe, cats tails are docked to mimic a Bobtail? Or perhaps a tailess cat was bred to avoid docking?
The culture of docking ears and tails on animals is a very strange one.
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