Bakeneko Cats-
Today I am going to do a short post on the BAKENEKO CAT 😄
So the Legend of the Bakeneko Cat comes from Japan as far as I can guess. And as the legend goes:
Late at night, a sublimely beautiful woman will be walking the street alone. As she passes by the light of a paper lantern, you will notice something about her shadow in the night that is just not quite human. In the flickering light of the Paper lanterns light streets you will clearly notice a shape of a CAT! THIS WILL SHOW THAT SHE IS A BAKENEKO!
So you might wonder to your self's - What is a Bakeneko?
Well, it would seem that it has many forms but the most common of it forms is that of a Monster Cat or Ghost Cat. Its most accurate translation would be the 'Changing Cat' as that is the defining Characteristic of the Bakeneko. The word Bakeneko means to change form or to transform. In Japaneses language Bakeneko is written like so (化け猫). They have also used the word Bakeneko often as a catch all term for all the mysterious and magick cats of japan. And I am finding in their traditions/legends and urban legends there is quite a lot of them.
The primary difference between the split-tailed bakeneko and the bakeneko is the bakeneko has the ability to adopt a human shape; unlike the split-tailed bakeneko cannot.10- As in the culture/legends and urban legends of Japan there are other magick cats, stories of the bakeneko cat that can manipulating the dead or even curse humans too!
So in my opinion as I always state it, I would take care when it comes to cats of Japan. Be very careful they are not all nice and fluffy .... Some have big claws like dragons and scales for fur!!!!.
Bakeneko Origins
Lamp Lickers Cats-
So the origins of the Cat legends of japan, most the Bakeneko. Well, it would seem that most of its origins started from the Yokai as best as I could find myself. However, they say that the bakeneko cat legends all began with fish? Actually to me that makes sense. The people of japan eat a lot of fish and did in ancient times too. Cats originally are not indigenous to Japan, and the little 'hand-fed tigers' were imported in later years. These baby tigers if you will were served as house pets and rat-catchers. [Did you catch that not kitty cats - baby tigers! that grow up BIGGER!]
Most of Japan at the time lived on a diet of vegetables and grains, with very little supplementary meat or protein. However, their pets the Cats were fed leftovers, If you think about this cats were very much the carnivorous type and living is a place that had very little meat or protein as they grow, I could see how this legend could turn to a true legend of sorts.
Tigers don't do well on a all diet of vegetables and grains diet. When they are hungry they will take their protein where they can get it, without thinking who might be in the way of their food. That's a tigers way...Many of the households in japan had a ready supply without even knowing they had it.
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| REDWOODS |
Good Afternoon my dear Friends and Followers😄 Well, I am back-Yeah I had a most wonderful time with my family in the northern California Redwoods as I do every summer. It of course its always hard for me to say goodbye every time to my father & mum, but I know that I will get to see them next year and in about 2-3 years my son Kai will be at that age to when he will be deciding where he will be going to College after his two years in high school/community college degree. So then I can move down to the redwoods. But never worry about us I will always be here for you all it really doesn't matter where I am as long as my laptop is working... And as long as I am healthy which I am working everyday. Besides I would be much happy there with my family... I will be doing lots of post on my vacation of summer of 2016 with my 1000 photos and home video's when I get them together . I just got my home together and unpacked. We had a few doctor appointments nothing to worry about and I needed to pick up my meds. I to water my garden- when we got back it was 98degrees and I discovered that two of my favorites were root bound. [note if you don't know what that means in the garden world... it means that the plant or tree in my case a holly and lilac purple were both root bound. and if you don't get them out of the pot they will die. So means is the roots of the plant or tree will either twist around and around into a ball and this will kill the plant/tree or it will try to go through the pot into the ground which means you have to cut the pot depending on what kinda pot you bought . My were huge plastic and not cheap. I was able to save both plants but not both pots. However, they are both in the ground. the holly tree was the one that had a long root that I couldn't get to so I had to kill the pot to save the holly tree. so there is a little 'Garden tip for the day'😃 ]
I did finally get the garden watered and its looking good. but my poor older body is quite sore. I have good new about my dads Moka and I will be posting about that too. But for today I thought I would just catch up with you all and just let you all know I am home and that I am sorry that I haven't written much for this month of July which is almost gone. for Aug. I hope to do better. Today I am going to do a short post on the BAKENEKO CAT 😄
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| Bakeneko Shadow |
Late at night, a sublimely beautiful woman will be walking the street alone. As she passes by the light of a paper lantern, you will notice something about her shadow in the night that is just not quite human. In the flickering light of the Paper lanterns light streets you will clearly notice a shape of a CAT! THIS WILL SHOW THAT SHE IS A BAKENEKO!
So you might wonder to your self's - What is a Bakeneko?
Well, it would seem that it has many forms but the most common of it forms is that of a Monster Cat or Ghost Cat. Its most accurate translation would be the 'Changing Cat' as that is the defining Characteristic of the Bakeneko. The word Bakeneko means to change form or to transform. In Japaneses language Bakeneko is written like so (化け猫). They have also used the word Bakeneko often as a catch all term for all the mysterious and magick cats of japan. And I am finding in their traditions/legends and urban legends there is quite a lot of them.
Some of the Bakeneko ability's-
1-These Creatures are able to take human shape, or nearly human shape.2-Some can maintain the cat form, but they aren't able to speak human language or wear human clothes.3- Other legends have said, the Bakeneko, while in the cat-shape would put towels on their heads and dance on their hind legs. 4- They say that in legend of the Japan culture, there are much rarer humans who can change shape into cats, but which are also called bakeneko.5- It is said because of their shape-shifting abilities, the bakeneko belong to a class of the Yokai called Henge-or the changing Yokai.6- This includes other shape shifters within japan such as tanuki and kitsune. 7- Of all the Japanese magick cats, the bakeneko are said to have the longest lives.8- Of course there are many stories of a split-tailed bakeneko, who appears similar to the nekomata.9- The primary difference between the split-tailed bakeneko and the bakeneko is the bakeneko has the ability to adopt a human shape; unlike the split-tailed bakeneko cannot.10- As in the culture/legends and urban legends of Japan there are other magick cats, stories of the bakeneko cat that can manipulating the dead or even curse humans too!
Bakeneko Origins
Lamp Lickers Cats-
So the origins of the Cat legends of japan, most the Bakeneko. Well, it would seem that most of its origins started from the Yokai as best as I could find myself. However, they say that the bakeneko cat legends all began with fish? Actually to me that makes sense. The people of japan eat a lot of fish and did in ancient times too. Cats originally are not indigenous to Japan, and the little 'hand-fed tigers' were imported in later years. These baby tigers if you will were served as house pets and rat-catchers. [Did you catch that not kitty cats - baby tigers! that grow up BIGGER!]
Most of Japan at the time lived on a diet of vegetables and grains, with very little supplementary meat or protein. However, their pets the Cats were fed leftovers, If you think about this cats were very much the carnivorous type and living is a place that had very little meat or protein as they grow, I could see how this legend could turn to a true legend of sorts.
Tigers don't do well on a all diet of vegetables and grains diet. When they are hungry they will take their protein where they can get it, without thinking who might be in the way of their food. That's a tigers way...Many of the households in japan had a ready supply without even knowing they had it.
Oil lamps as the time often used rendered fish oil as fuel. So to a protein starved tiger cat this was exactly what they would want and need. They would stand on their hind legs to reach up to the lamp stands to lick out the fish oil to fill their empty stomachs. The illusion of seeing their tiny baby tiger cats casting these shadows on the lamplight at night, frightened their owners, by seeing them suddenly elongate into legs as if transforming into a human. Well, I don't know what they saw and how they put a tiny tiger into a human instead a huge tiger. But of course this was ancient times... So apparently this is how it was established and the connection between bakeneko and the shadows began. The cries of the Cats have also been known to mimic human words and sounds. To an ear already disposed to think their little tabby is shape-shifting at night, imaginations were allowed to run wild and people heard their cats speaking Japanese.
Well I hope that you all enjoyed the post on the Bakeneko Cat
I will be slowly getting back into the swing of things too
I had a great time on vaction but I am back and I hope you all
are doing well to and had a lovely summer too. we still have at least a month
left. love you all your wendy hear allways for you....
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