Cat (zodiac)

The Cat is the fourth animal symbol in the 12-year cycle of the Vietnamese and Gurung zodiac. It occurs during the period of the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac. Because of this, the characteristics related with the rabbit will be related with the cat. Cats are the opposite of rats.
Mythology.
Myths related to the order of the Chinese zodiac often include stories of why the cat is not among the twelve. Because the mouse tricked the cat into missing the feast with the Jade Emperor, the cat was not included and did not know that the feast was happening and was not given a year, so the antipathy between cats and mice began. It is possible that turtles did not spread to China in the zodiac designation.
The Great Race.
Another legend known as "The Great Race" says that all the animals of the zodiac are headed for the Jade Emperor. The cat and the mouse are the smartest of animals. However they are both poor swimmers and come across a river. They both trick the kind, mindless cow into helping them by leading them back to the river. As the ox reached the other side of the river, the mouse pushed the cat into the river. Then they jumped from the ox and visited the Jade Emperor, becoming the first of the zodiac. All the other animals made it to Emperor Jade, while the cat was left to drown in the river after being sabotaged by the mouse. It is said that this is also the reason cats are always hunting rats.
There have been many explanations as to why the Vietnamese, unlike all other countries that follow the Lunar calendar on the moon, have the cat instead of the Rabbit as a zodiac animal. The most common explanation is that the ancient word for Rabbit (Mao) sounds like cat (Meo).
Years and the Five Elements.
People born within "Year of the Cat" dates, instead of "Year of the Rabbit."