frequently were made using cat skins, that particular nekomata sang a sad song about its species as it plucked the strings. Understandably, the image has been interpreted as ironic. As for the nekomatas wearing geisha clothing, sometimes nekomata and geisha are considered related since geisha were once called "cats (neko)" Also shown at the right, the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō of 1776 (An'ei 5) depicts a cat with its head protruding from a shōji screen, a cat with a handkerchief on its head and its forepaw on the veranda, and a cat wearing a handkerchief and standing upright. The less experienced cat has difficulty standing on its hind legs while the older cat is able to do so: we are viewing the process by which a normal cat ages and transforms into a nekomata. In the Bigelow ukiyo-e collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Hyakki Yagyō Emaki includes a similar composition, leading some scholars to see a relationship between the books. Senri In Chinese lore there is a cat yōkai called "senri ()" (where means "leopard cat"). In this telling, leopard cats that grow old gain a divine spiritual power, shapeshift into a beautiful man or woman, and suck the spirit out of humans. Some theorize that the Japanese nekomata legends derive from Chinese senri tales. See also Kasha Kuroneko — a 1968 horror film featuring vengeful cat spirits Maneki-neko Kaibyō Notes References Patrick Drazen: A Gathering of Spirits: Japan's Ghost Story Tradition: from Folklore and Kabuki to Anime and Manga. iUniverse, New York 2011, , page 114. Elli Kohen: World history and myths of cats. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press 2003, , page 48–51. Carl Van Vechten: The Tiger In The House. Kessinger Publishing, Whitefish 2004 (Reprint), , page 96. External links Nekomata – The Split-Tailed Cat at hyakumonogatari.com(English) Fictional cats Shapeshifting Mythological felines Yōkai Legendary creatures with supernumerary body parts Mythological monsters Cats in Japan Cat folklore