neko no hisu

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Felix Juda (M.73.37.419)
www.lacma.org

. . . or anyway that's what Google Translate said when I typed in "cat hiss".  (Please, if you speak Japanese, tell me what it really is!)  It's October, and that means black cats.  This woodblock print, "Black Cat Hissing," by Takahashi Hiroaki (Japan, 1871-1945) shows one in full fury.  Japanese culture doesn't weight black cats down with the spooky scary symbolism Westerners do; in fact they are considered good luck, which is only right considering black cats are known for being mostly mellow in nature.  Was this done for the Western market, or was Hiroaki enjoying the sinuous curve the cat makes?