Storyteller: According to Chinese lunar calender, the Chinese new year is coming soon. In 2009, Jan 25th is the new year eve; Jan 26th is new year’s day.We are going to say goodbye to the awful 2008 (the year of rat) and hello to a brand new 2009 (the year of ox). If you have some impression about Chinese zodiac 12 animals, probably you have a question in your mind: where is cat, why is cat not on the list? Don’t Chinese people love cat? Yes, we do. Since the domestication by ancient Egyptian, cat has become a worldwide house animal and one of the best friend of human beings. Chinese people love cats too. So why cat is not on the list? There are many explanations. Let’s start with folktales first.
No year of the Cat, why?
chinese-zodiac-animals
Folktale 1:
One day, the Jade Emperor initially selected 12 animal, and told the cat to inform the rest 11, in which the rat is not included. The rat heard this information by eavesdropping when the cat told the ox. The rat secretly came to the heaven palace and registered for the first position before everyone else. The stupid Jade Emperor didn’t even check the authenticity of the Rat’s registration. Then the first informed Ox only got second position. Finished informing everyone and came back for his own position, did the cat only to find that no position left for him anymore. So rat is the first and no cat. From then on, cat and rat became life enemies.
Folktale 2:
Once, the Jade Emperor thought it’s better to assign an animal for each year so people can remember the Zodiac cycle easier. So he decided to hold a meeting with all the animals and he will elect 12 of them to be the Zodiac animals in the meeting. At that time, cat and rat are close friends, just like brothers. They are very excited for the meeting and decided to go together. The cat is a sleepyhead, hardly woke up before noon. Night before the meeting, he ask the rat to wake him up the next morning. The rat agreed: No problem, take it easy, I will wake you up for sure! The cat felt assured and had a sweet dream. The next morning, the rat got up early and quietly, washed and brushed, left for the meeting alone.
When the cat woke up afternoon, he knew it’s too late. The news about newly selected 12 animals were everywhere; and the rat is the first of them. Felt betrayed by the rat, from then on, the cat turned into rat’s enemy. So that’s also why cats are always chasing after rats.
History:
The two folktales above are the most typical and most funny ones. I like them. But probably you will doubt that’s the truth. 12 animals for the Chinese zodiac must have been developed in the early stage of Chinese civilization for hundreds of year until it become the current edition; and it’s very hard to investigate the real origin. As to the absence of Cat, most historians agree that Chinese zodiac 12 animal were formed before cats were introduced to China from India with Buddhism. So the answer is clear: There is no cat on the list because Chinese people never knew a cat at that time.
year-of-the-cat
Vietnam’s edition has Cat:
Just some additional information on this topic, although Vietnam adapted 12 animal zodiac from China, their edition is a little different. They have Cat in it, while Rabbit is dropped off. Why? Not sure. One explanation is that the “Rabbit” pronunciation in Chinese sounds like “Cat” in Vietnamese, so they made a mistake. (As the picture left shown.)
Ok, so much for the Cat and Zodiac, wish everyone a happy new year 2009, the year of ox (or bull).
[Recommended Reading on Amazon]
1. A story book about 12 animals: The Great Race
2. A book about Chinese Astrology: Chinese Astrology: Exploring The Eastern Zodiac
[Chinese Keyword]
猫年 十二生肖
View Comments (23)
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1 2 3 Next »Nice stories. I did not konw the Folktale 1, hehe. But some words are covered by the pictures. Is that because I use Windows Internet Explorer?
Thank You. It is an IE issue. However, it seems to be limited to this post only. I will figure it out.
I don't want my sign to be a dog ,I want my sign to be a cat(but that's impossible) because it's realy unfair that the cat is one of the 12 and the mouse was not........but the mouse was included to the 12 zodiacs and became first of them all while the cat did'nt...(its really unfair T_T)...it somehow feels like you were betrayed....I think i understand what the cat feels when it's chasing a rat......(i wrote all this because i really really love cats the most...also others too).
^_^
@lora, Maybe we can ask mouse to share the position with cat, so they can be friends again.
I will never accept the fact that the rat took over the year of the cat. The year of the cat is very much alive - I fit all of the traits of the year of the cat. The rat sucks - I will never accept it.
Surely there is a site where I can get a pendant of the cat. I will NOT but one of the rat.
Does anyone know where I can find such a pendant?
@Bluburd
You can find lots of cat pendant on ebay.com or etsy.com. Lots of great designs for you to choose.
ya me yo i was born in the year of the tiger but i really do wish that there was a year of the cat and i was born in the year of the cat. one thing i really love cat and i really dont now why there is no year of the cat ,but i was born in chain so i really wish i did know why there is no year the cat :( @lora sophie
ill i know is that the cat told the rat that the cat was going to take a nap to be in top form for when he goes to the banquet.the rat told him he will wake the cat up when it is tome.BUT the rat thought "I wont be chosen if the cat comes.Cause hes bigger than me and im the littlest of all the animals"so the rat just left the cat sleeping and gone to the banguet himself. :cry: so thats the real story.and so the rat tricked the cat. i know this cause im chinese
oh did i meantion i was born between the cat and the rabbit year
thats all folks.one more thing my full name is Xioh Tai Con Yu
@lora sophie
cats are the most awsome creature in the world.
im actually part cat.
hmm.i have all the skills a cat can do
i can climb trees really fast. when i fall i land on my hands and feet.
andwhen i fall backwards a high distance i twist and land on my feet&hands.
I read this 'folktale' in a book.
Once upon a time, God told the animals," I'm inviting you all to my banquet tomorrow, don't be late!" So, the mischievous rat lied to the cat and told him the banquet was the day after tomorrow, and the cat believed him. All the animals went to the banquet except the cat, who had been tricked.