By Kathryn Weber
As a feng shui symbol, the Neko kitty is a little less traditional but offers thoroughly wonderful feng shui because of its delightful charming qualities. The ever popular waving kitty is a fun and enchanting symbol meant to grab the attention of the passerby to come into a business. Even though feng shui originated in China, the “Maneki Neko” cats seen in so many Asian businesses originated in Japan.
One story about the origin of the cat was often told about a woman in Imado, Japan who was so poor she was forced to sell her cat. The cat then began coming to her in her dreams telling her to make its image in clay. When she did, she was able to sell the cat and make money for herself and became wealthy selling the cat figures. This story reflects how the cat began to be associated with wealth.
Today feng shui that encompasses both traditional and modern symbols and methods is an effective way to create the kind of energy you want in your home, business, and life. In feng shui, it’s vital that you like and enjoy something. When you mind resonates with feng shui symbolism it’s more potent and effective for you – and what’s not to love about the darling Neko kitty?
Maneki Neko are often referred to as lucky cats, good fortune cats and money cats. Here are some important points to know about Neko kitties and how they relate to wealth, prosperity and feng shui. Be sure to read on for tips on how to display your kitties in your home or business with good feng shui to stimulate more money and prosperity — or whatever you desire most — in your life.
Left paw or right paw?
When looking at the Neko cats, you’ll often see the right or left paw raised and waving. The right is believed to beckon wealth and the left paw beckons customers to a business or good fortune to a home. However, either paw is effective as a feng shui activator, particularly when the paws are actually moving.
Both paws raised
On occasion you’ll see a Neko kitty with both paws raised. The lore is that both paws up, whether they are mechanically waving or not, symbolizes the cat beckoning both customers and money to enter the premises. It’s also a symbol of protection, especially if the cat is black colored.
Kitty colors
In addition to the right and left paw differences, Neko cats also come in a variety of colors. These colors have significant meanings, too. The traditional colors for Neko cats include white, black, gold, and red. Newer colors include blue, green and pink colors. Below are some of the commonly ascribed attributes of the different colors.
- White Cat: happiness, good fortune
- Black Cat: safety, good for protection, good for health
- Gold Cat: wealth and prosperity and good fortune
- Red Cat: protects against illness, promotes success
- Pink Cat: love, relationships and romance, and success
- Green Cat: education, writing, test-taking, wealth accrual
- Blue Cat: family harmony and happiness, good health
Banners and Coins
Many cats carry banners and coins that represent wishes of good fortune, or in the case of the coins, symbolize immense wealth. Many Chinese Neko cats sit on coins, gold ingots or carry banners with wishes for prosperity and wealth.
Today’s Neko cats are displayed in homes, business, shrines and even come as cellphone and purse charms. There’s no end to the ways and uses you can employ your Neko kitty to bring about your desires.
Feng shui uses for Neko Cats
Activate your desk — Few symbols could be as potent as a Neko cat for using as an activator on your desk to help raise your salary, income or stature in your business or company. Place your kitty where you will see it easily. A golden-colored Neko kitty is perfect for increasing your income from your work.
Activate your business — Place a Neko cat at the entrance to charm and invite customers to your business. Want more money? Make your Neko cat as large as the wealth you hope to attract.
Activate your purse — Add a darling Neko cat purse charm to your handbag to give it a shot of prosperity energy.
Activate flying stars — When the 6 or 1 stars are headed to your home or office, be sure to place a gold Neko cat here to beckon extra wealth and money energy. These are both stars that represent income, money and influence and the cat’s waving paw activates both of these stars – particularly the gold kitties which are extra auspicious for these good fortune and wealth stars!
Activate your wealth sector — To get your wealth corner working a little harder for you, place your Neko kitty in this corner of your home, office or living room to stimulate more income and prosperity. Being associated with wealth makes them a natural fit in this corner.
Place according to their color or by feng shui colors
In addition to using the Neko cats in the colors and using their traditional attributes, you can also use Neko cats according to feng shui color uses. Below are some of the ways you can use the colorful cats!
White Cat: Place in the north for income and opportunity, in the west for children and creativity, in the northwest for helpful people and travel opportunity
Black or Blue Cat: Place in the north for prosperity, in the east to protect and enhance health, in the southeast to improve investments and savings (wealth), in the southwest as an activator for wealth and to protect the woman of the house. In the
Golden Cat: Place in the wealth corner, the west for children and creativity benefits, in the northwest to benefit the man of the house or breadwinner or to bring networking benefits, in the north sector of generating income to create greater income, salary increases or business opportunities, in
Red or Pink Cats: This cat is perfect to use wherever the 3 Jade star lands each year, is a terrific way to enhance the south corner of success and fame, or enhance relationship happiness in the southwest.
Green Cat: This cat is perfect to stimulate the 4 star of romance, writing, and educational advancement. It’s also a good color for travel as well. Place this cat in the southeast to stimulate more wealth or wherever the 4 star flies. Used in the south, it can enhance your fame and success energy because it’s wood color feeds the fire energy of the south.
