Do you own a cat? Is it older than 13 years, heavier than 7.7 pounds, and in possession of an abnormally long tail? Then congratulations, your fuzzy friend may be a bakeneko, the celebrated and terrifying cat vampire of Japan.
Though, considering these creatures eat humans, assume their likeness, and use that ruse to lead others to the same fate, maybe ‘congratulations’ isn’t the right word.
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Origins of the Bakeneko
The legend of the bakeneko began in 17th century Japan. The powers that be decided to bring in a buttload of cats to handle the mice infestation than threatened the silkworms of the textile industry. Did they consider instead addressing the fact that one of their major exports sat on the shoulders of an invertebrate (which, by definition, doesn’t even have shoulders)? Maybe. But the cats were surely faster and easier, so in they came.
Of course, the problem with cats is, once they’re done eating mice, they don’t just disappear. Consequently, the rampant overpopulation of felines, now half-crazy on mice blood, led to the invention of the demon cat we now know as the bakeneko.
Special Skills
What else can the bakeneko do? *scoffs* More like what can’t it do? From placing hexes on people who are mean to other cats (real or legendary, it’s unclear) to hiding out in the mountains and training armies of wolves to attack weary travelers, the bakeneko are a true maverick of the evil underworld.
But they’re not done. Oh no, not by half. A bakeneko continues to grow as it ages, eventually to the size of a human adult. At that point, its tail split in half, it starts walking on its hind legs, and it can imitate the human tongue perfectly. Enter the nekomata, or “forked cat.” According to some sources, nekomata can “summon fireballs” (?????) and are “far more powerful and evil” than the bakeneko. Which is already eating people and taking over their lives. Not sure how much more evil it gets, but perhaps someday we will find out. Right here, on Monster of the Week.
Happy Monday everyone!
Sources:
- https://blog.lifesabundance.com/post/2018/10/19/world-s-creepiest-cat-legends.aspx
- https://www.yokaistreet.com/cat-yokai-all-5-kinds-of-supernatural-cats-from-japanese-folklore
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