小美 asks why there is no cat in the Chinese zodiac, and 李芳 tells a simple legend.
Teacher Li, why is there no Year of the Cat in the Chinese zodiac? I like kittens!
Many people ask this question. According to a legend, the animals had a race, and the first twelve made it into the zodiac.
Then where did the cat go?
In the legend, the cat and the rat were originally friends, and the cat asked the rat to wake it up.
Did the rat wake it up?
No. The cat overslept and missed the race.
So there is no Year of the Cat… Poor cat.
It’s just a legend, not necessarily true. Different places have different versions.
Then can I invent my own ‘Year of the Cat’?
Since you like cats so much, maybe the cat celebrates the New Year in your own little world.
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