Maneki Neko

If you're like me, walking into any house or business and seeing a Maneki Neko will bring an immediate smile to your face, no matter what kind of day you may be having.

There's just something appealing about the white or gold cat sitting there and swinging its paw, beckoning and welcoming you.

The Maneki Neko originates in Japan ("Maneki" means "Beckoning," and "Neko" means "Cat" in Japanase), but a more precise origin is unclear. One legend of the cat's origin that I find fascinating and particularly interesting is explained in Wikipedia's entry:

The Temple Cat: This story goes that a wealthy feudal lord was taking shelter under a tree near Gotoku-ji temple (in Western Tokyo) during a thunderstorm. The lord saw the temple priest's cat beckoning to him and followed; a moment later the tree was struck by lightning. The wealthy man became friends with the poor priest and the temple became prosperous. When the cat died, supposedly the first Maneki Neko was made in his honor.

(My cat Cyber and Our 2 Maneki Nekos - I'll leave it up to you to decide which is which.)

A recent Animal Planet show exploring animal myths and legends discussed and analyzed the Temple Cat Theory. According to their analysis, it is conceivable that higher ambient electricity signaling lightning could cause a cat's hair and coat to get more static. In turn, a cat may try to reduce the static by washing itself by licking its paw frequently, thereby giving the appearance of "waving." The experts then called the myth's veracity plausible.

Though thunderstorms are rare here in Southern California, I know our Maneki's have brought us many good fortunes, not to mention countless smiles, and I hope yours have as well.