Why is there no cat in the 12 Chinese zodiac signs?

in #cat4 months ago

There are mainly the following reasons why there are no cats in the 12 zodiac signs:

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Historical origin factors:
The origin time is earlier than the introduction of domestic cats: The 12 zodiac signs were initially formed in ancient times, when people were familiar with animals closely related to agricultural production and life. Domestic cats originated in Egypt and were gradually introduced to China later. At the time when the 12 zodiac signs were formed, cats were not widely recognized and domesticated in China.

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Cultural tradition factors:
The influence of ancient Chinese animal classification methods: Ancient Chinese culture and philosophical concepts have unique ways of classifying and recognizing animals. The selection of the 12 zodiac signs may be based on the symbolic meaning of animals, living habits, and status in traditional culture. In this classification system, cats are not included.
What do you think about this?