Top 10 Japanese Cat Names

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Japan is a nation of cat lovers. When you live in such a crowded and populous country like Japan cats are often the most appropriate pet to keep as they don't require a lot space and are relatively quite when compared to dogs. When it comes to Japanese cat names, Japanese people tend to use the same names year after year with very little change unless a new cat character such as a cartoon or movie cat becomes popular.


Top 10 Japanese Cat Names 2011

Rank	Name	English Name ( Sex )
1	モモ	Momo ( Female )
2	レオ	Leo ( Male )
3	ソラ	Sora ( Male )
4	ココ	Koko ( Female )
5	マロン	Maron ( Both )
6	リン	Rin ( Female )
7	サクラ	Sakura ( Female )
8	コタロウ	Kotarou ( Male )
9	メイ	Mei ( Female )
10	ルナ	Runa ( Male )

The house hold domestic cat was first introduced into Japan by Buddhist monks around 600 AD. In Japan cats were once thought of as sacred animals with magical powers and were highly respected bu people of all classes. Due to their divine standing in society cats were actually forbidden from working by Emperor Ichijo in the 10th century. Ichijo was a huge cat lover, having as many as 5-6 Japanese bobtail cats under his care.

He was perhaps a little shortsighted however because as soon as all the cats of Japan stopped working ( chasing and hunting mice ) the silk industry took a nose dive. Previously the cats would hunt the mice and keep them away from the silkworm cocoons which mice loved to destroy for their bedding.Silk manufactures placed statues of cats around the cocoons to try and frighten the mice. When this failed the Emperor had no choice but to send the cats out to hunt. The Japanese bobtail became a street cat and was known as the ‘Kazoku Neko’ which means family cat.

Today cats are still highly respected in Japan. In Tokyo, there is a temple called the Goutokuji, which is dedicated to all cats. It is believed that the temple is protected by Maneki-neko, a folklore cat. The legend of Maneki-neko can be traced back to when the Goutokuji was a Buddhist monastery. The story follows that the monastery was low on money and food.

The monks at the temple always made sure that their cat named Tama, who was a mi-ke (a Japanese Bobtail), always had food. One day the Lord of Hikone, Naotaka Ii, was passing the monastery when he noticed Tama, who was sitting at the front of the monastery, beckoning him. Naotaka followed the cat in to the temple and immediately a bolt of lightening struck the place in which he had been standing. The cat saved the Lord’s life and in return the Lord rescued the monastery from poverty. The monastery was renamed Goutokuji. Maneki Neko, which means beckoning cat, is the incarnation of the Goddess of Mercy.

The statue of Maneki Neko is depicted as a mi-ke Japanese Bobtail. The Alter in the Goutokuji is surrounded by the Maneki Neko statues. Many Japanese workplaces display the statute to welcome their customers and to bring success in their work. The statue can also be seen in houses to beckon in good friends.