Japanese Cat Sayings in Ukiyo-e: Kuniyoshi’s Funny Cats

Japanese cat sayings by Ukiyo-e artist, Kuniyoshi – Although a lot of cat prints and paintings we can see from Edo, real cats were precious. There were vendors who sold cat paintings to silkworm breeders as a charm to get rid of rats. The cat might have been taken as the protective deity because they take care of rats which damage silkworm. Kuniyoshi painted cat sayings using cat. Let’s take a look at these 8 Japanese cat sayings.

Japanese Cat Sayings by Kuniyoshi

You can enjoy Kuniyoshi’s paintings just as it is. But these paintings showing Japanese sayings using cats. You can enjoy more of these once you understand its meanings. Let’s dig into it.

1. Bonito to A Cat

Setting a wolf to mind the sheep, temptation one can’t resist. So it’s giving the cause of trouble, encouraging things get worse. Like you hand your keys to a thief. You can’t trust a cat with bonito as with milk!

2. Wear A Cat

A wolf in a sheep’s clothing, feign innocence, hide one’s true self. One more example, beautiful rose always comes with thrones. You want to be very careful with someone who looks so cute and talks so smooth, she or he may might trying to get something from you…

3. Coins to A Cat

Pearls cast before swine. Nothing happens…
It doesn’t mean anything to have precious thing if one doesn’t know its value. Never heard cat goes to a supermarket and bring grocery back. At least, not yet.

4. A Hammer to A Cat’s Butt

An example of ill-fitting, inappropriate, unproportionate. Again, nothing happens with a hammer to cat’s butt.

Oh, he may start to play with it, though. There would only be nibbled and tired hammer on the scene…

 

Now. let’s look at the Left painting of たとえ尽のうち!

5. Even A Cat Doesn’t Eat

There is some looking good stuff in a paper. But, you see? Even cat don’t sniff at it. It’s a sure sign of bad food. Stay away from it. Forget it and get move on.

6. When A Cat Wash his Face, It Rains[1]

When a cat wash his face, it’s said it’d rain. wash his face, it’s said it’d rain. wash his face, it’s said it’d rain. Cat’s grooming behavior might be related to the weather. Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends.Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends..Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends.Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends.Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends..Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends.Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends.Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends..Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends.Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends.Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends..Also it’s said this cat behavior brings a guest. It looks like he is welcoming rain or waving his paw to friends.

7. A Cat and A Village Headman Always…

猫と庄屋に取らぬはない – Cats always catch a mouse and village head always takes a bribe (konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)konekono-heya)

Cat catch a mouse, village headman take a bribe.  Cats get to eat when they have a mouse, a rat or a fish in front of them while village headman don’t let a chance go when a bribe offered. It’s to satirize officers who take bribes. Well, nobody wants to miss a chance of delicious gift!

8. A Bag to A Cat

An example of receding things. Or being held back, and shrink. It comes from this behavior, you see when
When you put a bag on a cat, he goes backward to take it off.

It resembles things receding or a person shrinks away from something.

Beckoning Cat

Relating to the saying of saying of 6. When Cat Wash his Face, It Rains, a beckoning cat was born in Edo, too. Although its origin is not very clear.

There are some theories which claim it’s the origin. An old woman had to give up her kitten because of poverty.

One night, this kitten came up in her dream and told her to make a doll in the form of this kitten, so that she could be rich. She did just what she was told, she became rich…

That’s one of the theories. In any theories, one who listens to a cat and do what she was told to do benefit tremendously.In any theories, one who listens to a cat and do what she was told to do benefit tremendously.In any theories

So, you might wanna listen to your cat and do what your kitty tells you to do. Then something fabulous happens to you… You think?wanna listen to your cat and do what your kitty tells you to do. Then something fabulous happens to you… You think?wanna listen to your cat and do what your kitty tells you to do. Then something fabulous happens to you… You think?wanna listen to your cat and do what your kitty tells you to do. Then something fabulous happens to you… You think?wanna listen to your cat and do what your kitty tells you to do. Then something fabulous happens to you… You think?

Reference

たとえ尽の内 (konekono-heya.com)
猫のことわざ・故事成語 (nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)nekohon)
日本における猫 江戸時代の猫 (konekono-heya.com)

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Also published on Medium.