Why do Asian people love cats?

[ronki23]

I have noticed that the Chinese and the Japanese have a fondness for cats. It seems so deeply ingrained that a Hong Kong Catholic and someone who is only a quarter Chinese also have an attachment to our feline friends.

What is the reason for this?

 

[Callisto]

That's a cat called Maneki-neko and goes back to a couple of different folk tales (I'm assuming it depends on where you're from). Though basically, the stories about how a cat either saved someone or helped them to prosper by waving his paw. I know one story is a cat saved someone by waving to get their attention. Another was a store owner was kind to the cat and it stayed and drew customers to the store by waving.

 

[ronki23]

That's a cat called Maneki-neko and goes back to a couple of different folk tales (I'm assuming it depends on where you're from). Though basically, the stories about how a cat either saved someone or helped them to prosper by waving his paw. I know one story is a cat saved someone by waving to get their attention. Another was a store owner was kind to the cat and it stayed and drew customers to the store by waving.

Is it a Taoist or Confucian thing? I don't think it's Buddhist because I've noticed it mainly with Far East as opposed to South East

 

[Callisto]

Is it a Taoist or Confucian thing? I don't think it's Buddhist because I've noticed it mainly with Far East as opposed to South East

I think it's Shinto as the cat is Japanese in origin.

 

[ronki23]

I think it's Shinto as the cat is Japanese in origin.

What about cats in general ? Because of the Chinese I mentioned one is from Hong Kong and one is quarter Chinese . Shinto is Japanese

 

[Stevicus]

I have noticed that the Chinese and the Japanese have a fondness for cats. It seems so deeply ingrained that a Hong Kong Catholic and someone who is only a quarter Chinese also have an attachment to our feline friends.

What is the reason for this?

I thought everybody loved cats.

Well, maybe not everybody. There are a few cat-haters here and there, but I never associated it with any particular culture, just individuals.

 

[Callisto]

What about cats in general ? Because of the Chinese I mentioned one is from Hong Kong and one is quarter Chinese . Shinto is Japanese

In general, I know cats figure in Japanese folklore and maneki-neko statues can be found on altars, but this isn't my area of expertise. These articles may help:

Japan’s Love-Hate Relationship With Cats
The Japanese Lucky Cat: Unlocking the Secret to Good Fortune
The fascinating history behind the popular ‘waving lucky cat’