Cats and their reputations have often swayed from good to evil, for they have been both worshiped and feared like what we’ve seen in ancient Egypt. One of the most malevolent associations cats have is with witchcraft, but another connection comes from Japan through Japanese mythology, in the form of the legendary Bakeneko. The demonic cat is at the origin of many legends, behind the peculiar appearance of the animal hides a monster capable of mischievous deeds. The origins of the Bakeneko stem from the 17th century, an era where cats were greatly valued for protecting the silkworm industry and the sutras from rodents when Buddhism came to Japan. Originating from Japanese folklore, this ordinary looking cat is a member of the Yokai family, and the term Bakeneko could be translated as the shape-shifting cat. Making a difference between a Bakeneko and a domestic cat might not be an easy task, for the reason that they change as they get older. When the tail of a Bakeneko splits in two, you're dealing with a Nekomata which is a more malevolent cat, and with almost no difference between them the Nekomata are essentially powered up Bakeneko, they are the oldest and have two tails allowing them to create double the trouble. Although not all Bakeneko are nefarious, all Nekomata are known to be because they always find great pleasure in creating chaos in humans’ lives. Based on Japanese Folklore and mythology, not every cat could turn into a Bakeneko as it should meet certain criteria. There are plenty of urban legends featuring a Bakeneko in various parts of Japan, and one of them is related to the vampire cat from the Nabeshima Bakeneko.
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