The fascinating history behind the popular ‘waving lucky cat’
With an inviting raised paw and pointy red ears, these iconic lucky charms have been bringing good fortune for centuries.
The maneki-neko, also known as the welcoming cat, lucky cat, money cat, happy cat, and beckoning cat, dates back to the 17th century and has since become one of the most popular features in Asian businesses.Photograph by Richard Milnes, Alamy
ByRebecca Saunders
Email
The “Chinese waving cat” is well-known visually, at least. This kitsch, often gold ornament is ubiquitous in Chinatowns and Asian stores around the world, but these cute little statues aren’t Chinese at all: They’re Japanese.