The Feng Shui cat, also called Maneki Neko, originated in Japan probably between 1600 and 1868.
Adorable and benevolent, many legends surround it. In Feng Shui, the Asian cat also has many meanings. La Boutique du Feng Shui offers you a whole range of feng shui cats to energize your home and facilitate the circulation of energy.
The origins of the cat in Feng Shui
It would be difficult to know the origins of the Maneki Neko. This adorable smiling cat with voluptuous curves was born in Osaka, but some claim that it comes from Edo (ex Tokyo).
Several legends surround the lucky cat. For example, the one about the rich man who found refuge in a temple during a storm after seeing a cat washing his ear with his left paw. Having been saved by the very poor owner of the place, the man gave him half of his fortune (hence the relationship between fortune and Maneki Neko).
Another legend tells that a woman in need was forced to sell her cat to survive. The next night, he appeared to her in a dream and asked her to make a statue of him. The next day, she did so and someone came to buy it from her. The woman made more until she made a fortune.
The symbolism of the Chinese cat in Feng Shui
You will certainly have already seen this smiling little cat, raising its paw as if inviting you to enter a store or a house. In reality, the Maneki Neko cat is a symbol of fortune. In Feng Shui, it is used in houses to invite money to find its way back.
The Japanese lucky cat is represented in different ways. If it has the right paw raised, it attracts fortune, if it has the left paw raised, it is simply a friendly invitation. If it has both paws raised, then it will have a protective role of your home as well as your belongings.
The Maneki Neko is also available in different colors. A white Feng Shui cat represents a positive energy, while a yellow one is more related to fortune. If your Japanese cat is black, then it will be more protective. Other colors exist, but are less common, like green for health or pink for love.
Maneki Neko also often have an accessory around the neck (necklace, scarf, bell...), as well as a golden piece called Koban, symbol of wealth.
Where to place a lucky cat in Feng Shui?
Lucky cats are a must in Asia. They are often found in restaurants, stores, but also in houses. It is customary to place it in front of a window facing the outside, as an invitation to enter. But it can also find its place in an office or in the south-east of the house.
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