let's write "kitten" in chinese!

You can see the characters here! They're on the About.com site for Chinese Culture. See it written in other calligraphic styles here. The characters mean "little cat," literally. Which figures.


I've just discovered that the ancient Chinese had a cat god called Li Shou. Farmers worshipped this god because he (or her - I've heard it both ways) protected the crops by eating up all the rats and mice that would eat grain; in return the farmers would celebrate safe harvests with a festival and sacrifices to Li Shou. I would like to find out more.


A cat proverb from China says, "When the cat's there, no one notices its meritorious service; only after the cat is gone does one notice that the number of mice has increased." And don't forget, "A dried fish cannot be used as a cat's pillow." (In other words, don't ask for temptation.) Although Elizabeth looked just now as if she'd like to try it.