Wednesday 28 March 2012

The Cat that Squeaks

You're probably familiar with the Japanese Lucky Cat or Maneki Neko, but I think this one is unusual as it's a rubber squeaky toy. It's also the only one I've seen holding a fish with money coming out of its mouth. They often hold coins, and sometimes fish, but not together. And did I mention IT SQUEAKS?! Brilliant.

I used to think these cats were Chinese, as you see them in Chinese takeaways everywhere. But apparently they have just been adopted by Chinese communities, and their origin is Japanese. Lucky Cats have become quite a popular symbol, with kawaii versions popping up all over the place. I even have a T-shirt with a Hello Kitty version.
Not appropriate clothing for a woman my age, I daresay, but who makes these boring rules, anyway?

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