▁author ▁Philipp us ▁Ca es ius ▁linked ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁dog ▁of ▁Tob ias ▁from ▁the ▁Ap oc ry pha . ▁Richard ▁A . ▁Pro ctor ▁gave ▁the ▁const ell ation ▁the ▁name ▁Fel is ▁" the ▁Cat " ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁( contr ast ing ▁with ▁Can is ▁Major , ▁which ▁he ▁had ▁abbre vi ated ▁to ▁Can is ▁" the ▁Dog "), ▁explaining ▁that ▁he ▁sought ▁to ▁short en ▁the ▁const ell ation ▁names ▁to ▁make ▁them ▁more ▁manage able ▁on ▁cel est ial ▁charts . ▁Occ asion ally , ▁Can is ▁Minor ▁is ▁confused ▁with ▁Can is ▁Major ▁and ▁given ▁the ▁name ▁Can is ▁Or ion is ▁(" Or ion ' s ▁Dog "). ▁ ▁In ▁non - West ern ▁astronom y ▁▁ ▁In ▁Chinese ▁astronom y , ▁the ▁stars ▁corresponding ▁to ▁Can is ▁Minor ▁lie ▁in ▁the ▁Verm il ion ▁Bird ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁( 南 方 朱 <0xE9> <0x9B> <0x80> , ▁N án ▁F ā ng ▁Zh ū ▁Qu è ). ▁Pro cy on , ▁G ome isa ▁and ▁E ta ▁Can is ▁Minor is ▁form ▁an ▁a ster ism ▁known ▁as ▁N án hé , ▁the ▁Southern ▁River . ▁With ▁its ▁counter part , ▁the ▁Northern ▁River ▁Bei he ▁( Cast or ▁and ▁Pol l ux ), ▁N án hé ▁was ▁also ▁associated ▁with ▁a ▁gate ▁or ▁sent ry . ▁Al ong ▁with ▁Z eta ▁and ▁ 8 ▁Can cri , ▁ 6 ▁Can is ▁Minor is ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁Can is ▁Minor