What Do the Different Maneki-neko Cats Mean? Plus, Their Colorful History

Maneki-neko are beloved Japanese cat figurines that symbolize good luck, prosperity, and fortune. Also called a lucky cat, they’re generally placed in businesses or homes for luck and protection. Learn everything there is to know about maneki-neko lucky cats, from how to choose one to where to place it in your home. You’ll also find out more about the origin and folklore attached to these cat symbols, and how they’re seen in Japan today.

Maneki-neko Lucky Cat Statues: An Overview

The Maneki-neko (also called the beckoning cat) is a Japanese cat figurine that is said to invite good luck, fortune, and prosperity. The Maneki-neko cat’s meaning changes according to the color of the cat, along with which paws (and how many paws) are raised.

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Maneki-neko Lucky Cat Meaning

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Maneki-neko cats are Japanese figurines that symbolize good fortune. The small Japanese figurine made of ceramic or plastic portrays a calico Japanese Bobtail cat, usually with a paw raised in a gesture of beckoning. It’s believed that the owner of a maneki-neko cat figurine will enjoy good fortune and prosperity.^{[1]
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Anjie Cho
Feng Shui Educator

Expert Interview} They often appear in temples, restaurants, and shops around Japan, as well as in homes.^{[2]
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National Geographic
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- In Japanese, maneki-neko (招き猫) means “beckoning cat,” since “maneki” means “beckoning,” while you say “cat” in Japanese as “neko.” In Japan, you beckon someone with your palm facing forward and your fingers pointing down.

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Maneki-neko Lucky Cat Paw Position Meanings

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Maneki-neko cats have different paw positions with separate meanings. Each maneki-neko cat figurine may appear with their paws in a particular formation. Whether the right, left, or both paws are raised indicates the type of luck you can expect from having a maneki-neko cat in your life. They have been traditionally used for businesses, but have recently become a good luck symbol for use in a home.^{[3]
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Anjie Cho
Feng Shui Educator

Expert Interview} The meanings behind the cat’s raised paws are as follows:^{[4]
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- Right paw raised: Brings money and good fortune, especially to businesses.
- Left paw raised: Invites customers or people to a business.
- Both paws raised: Offers protection for a home or business.

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Color Meanings

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Maneki-neko lucky cat meanings also vary depending on their color. Each color variation focuses on a different area, from protection and wisdom to health and success. Whichever category you need good luck with the most can help determine what color maneki-neko cat you choose.^{[5]
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- White: Positivity, purity, and happiness.
- Black: Safety and protection against evil, enemies, and threats.
- Gold: Money, prosperity, and fortune.
- Red: Protection from evil and illness in children.
- Pink: Love, relationships, and romance.
- Green: Health and education.
- Blue: Harmony, peace, and happiness.
- Tri-color: Also called “calico”; the luckiest color.^{[6]
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Maneki-neko Cat Symbolic Accessories

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Maneki-neko cat figurines also carry meaningful accessories. They can either hold or wear certain traditional Japanese items that alter their symbolic meaning. Some additional decorative items include the following:^{[7]
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- Collar with bell: This cat has a wealthy owner; similar to cats with noble owners during the Japanese Edo period.
- Bib: Worn as a symbol of protection; similar to jizo statues in temples and shrines.
- Gold coin: Represents wealth as an oval-shaped coin historically worth $1,000 or more.
- Carp fish: Signals strength and vigor, along with a bountiful catch and wealth.
- Ball/gemstone: Linked to wisdom and money.
- Empty sake barrel: Brings good luck and wards off evil.
- Shakeable hammer: Shaking this hammer supposedly showers wealth.
- Daikon radish: Represents wealth and good luck.
- Drum: Emblem for a shop overflowing with customers.

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Maneki-neko Cats and Feng Shui

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A maneki-neko cat with a raised left paw should be placed near an entryway to a home or business facing inwards.^{[8]
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By facing your lucky cat outward, they can better protect your home or business from bad luck or negative energies.^{[9]
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You can also place the lucky cat in the southeast corner of your workplace to invite professional success in your work.^{[10]
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Face the maneki-neko lucky cat southwest to attract love. You can do this by placing the lucky cat in the southwest corner of your home to welcome harmony in your relationships. A cat with both paws facing down is the best variation of the maneki-neko to choose for help with love and relationships.^{[11]
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- According to feng shui traditions, you can choose whatever color maneki-neko lucky cat you’re drawn to.

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Maneki-neko Lucky Cat Origins

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Maneki-neko cats originated in the Japanese Edo period (1603-1868 CE). They first appeared in Buddhist temples, including those located in the Edo region at Gotokuji, Saihoji, and Jishoin (modern-day Tokyo). Each temple has its own unique tale in connection with the first maneki-neko lucky cat figures. Where the cats were originally sold isn’t known, but they soon became popular with business and store owners as good luck signs of economic prosperity.^{[12]
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- In Japan, cats have always had spiritual meaning and have been emblems of protection, wealth, and good fortune. During the Edo period, cat paintings were sold to silkworm farmers to help keep rats and mice away.^{[13]
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Maneki-neko Lucky Cat in Folklore

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Japanese maneki-neko cat beliefs and traditions have roots in folklore. Because the lucky cat originated in several temples during the Edo period, multiple stories emerged as myths that explained how the beckoning cat tradition began. Some of the Japanese folklore surrounding the maneki-neko lucky cat are as follows:
- Gōtoku-ji Temple Folklore: A beckoning cat saves a samurai named Ii Naotaka’s life by inviting him into a temple for shelter just before the tree he was crouched beneath gets hit by lightning.^{[14]
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- The Courtesan and the Cat: A courtesan named Usugumo has a cat whose head is severed by a shop owner; a customer decides to make a wooden cat figurine to cheer Usugumo up.^{[15]
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- The Tale of the Old Woman: A poor old woman is forced to sell her cat; the cat appears to her in a dream where it instructs her to make and sell clay cat figurines that make the old woman rich.^{[16]
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- The Folklore of the Warlord: A cat leads a lost warlord named Ota Dokan to Jishōin Temple. Because of the cat’s help, he wins the battle and creates a sculpture of the cat.^{[17]
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Maneki-neko Lucky Cat in Pop Culture

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Maneki-neko lucky cats appear in anime, video games, and much more. They have appeared in modern-day anime stories, video games, and political campaigns. There's even a special Japanese holiday created in honor of the maneki-neko lucky cat. Some examples of maneki-neko cats in Japanese pop culture are as follows:
- Pokémon: A character called Meowth whose appearance and raised paw resemble the maneki-neko cat.^{[18]
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- Video games: Maneki-neko cats all appear in video games that include The Case of Maneki, Battle Cats, Rising Dusk, and Army of Two: The 40th Day.
- Campaigns: The 2015 Trinidad and Tobago general election featured a maneki-neko cat in the People’s National Movement campaign.
- Anime: Maneki-neko cats have appeared in several Japanese animes, like Yu-Gi-Oh!, Doraemon, and Natsume’s Book of Friends.^{[19]
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- Maneki-neko Day: This holiday is celebrated on Sept 29th in Japan and includes special events and festivals. It's inspired by the phrase, "kuru fuku," meaning "come, good fortune" and is based on the numbers "9" (ku) and "2" (fu).^{[20]
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Where can you see Maneki-neko in Japan?

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Gotokuji temple is the birthplace of the maneki-neko lucky cat. The temple is located in the Setagaya neighborhood on Tokyo’s west side. Gotokuji temple has thousands of maneki-neko lucky cat statues on display, including miniature beckoning cat statues. Here you can also find cat-themed wooden wishing plaques, some personalized with specific dates or messages on them.^{[21]
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- Maneki neko lucky cats are given as Buddhist offerings during the months of January or February, which is considered the best time to visit.

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Maneki-neko Lucky Cat FAQs

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How should I choose a maneki-neko? When choosing a maneki-neko lucky cat for your home or business, pick a color that focuses on whatever area you need luck with. Think about which paw(s) of the lucky cat you prefer to have raised, according to their meaning; most modern maneki-neko cats have their right paw raised. Choose a lucky cat that has decorative elements or accessories that fit your symbolic meaning needs, including bells, gold coins, or drums.
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How should I care for a maneki-neko lucky cat? Dust your maneki-neko cat with a soft cloth to keep it clean. You can also include your beckoning cat as part of a Buddhist shrine. Japanese superstition states that you can regularly pet your lucky cat as a gesture of affection. It’s believed that petting a maneki-neko cat can help bring further good luck.
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How should I dispose of a maneki-neko cat? You can take any maneki-neko lucky cat you wish to dispose of to a Japanese Buddhist shrine or temple to show respect. Throwing a symbol of luck in the garbage is not considered good luck, but if you have to, you can coat it with a layer of purifying coarse salt.