Walk into almost any Chinese establishment and you’ll likely find a lucky cat (in this case hedgie) greeting you with a piercing gaze or hypnotic wave! Contrary to popular belief, many believe that the cats are waving at them. But in reality, they’re beckoning and trying to entice you to come in. Another popular misconception is that these lucky cats are of Chinese origin, but in fact they originate from Japanese culture. They’re called maneki-neko (招き猫), which translates to “beckoning cat” and they’re believed to bring the owner good luck and good fortune.
