The Tao of Meow: Ancient Eastern wisdom from the whiskered mouths of cats

Briana Viser • Writer and Editor

Nov 6, 2026 9:30 AM EST

Cats are symbolic for every culture. They're not just worshipped in ancient Egypt, or key players of internet entertainment. Cats have a long standing and indelible history through Eastern philosophy that simply can't be ignored any longer. It's time to worship them with the right deities, in whichever way seems right to you.

Tao means "the way," or "the path." Cats have their own Tao, their own path and philosophy to life that they want us to know about. In Eastern philosophy, cats have been the symbol for a myriad of things. They're not just worshipped, sometimes they're the protectors of the home, sometimes they're a quiet devotion to things, sometimes they represent good luck. Below, we'll see just how they shaped the world we live in, and their origin in Eastern philosophies. From Japanese Shinto and ancient folklore to Indian Buddhistic thought, cats were recognized worldwide. Their mystery and legacy doesn't remain in the Western eye, nor does it start or stop at internet memes. At I Can Has Cheezburger, we're here to show you that cats are more than memes, and they're more than pets. So I bid thee adieu to scroll below and see just how impactful cats were to history.

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1. Buddhism: Mindfulness and Detachment

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In Buddhist theology, cats are seen as a natural practitioner of mindfulness and meditation. Think about when they can just stare at a blank wall for hours, or be satisfied to just watch the birds at peace. Even their introverted attitudes are emblematic of their detachment to things, and their peace with what is.
In the Zen Master Mindset, Zen practitioners admire a cat's ability to sit in undisturbed and unstimulated silence while remaining fully alert. A cat doesn't force anything, it doesn't have to force focus. Cats really can just be. Sometimes they just stare at you while thinking of nothing, not even salmon. The Buddhist detachment is essentially embodied in them, that they will accept affection, but are wildly independent and refuse to let you possess them, quite the contrary to dogs or other animals. They seem less endorsed by worldly desires.
The Mahayana Legend is a famous folk legend suggesting that when the Buddha passed into Nirvana, all animals wept except the cat and the snake. It may be interpreted as coldness, but in philosophical interpretations it's viewed as the cat's innate understanding of impermanence and the illusions that surround us in life.
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Taoism: Yin Energy and Fluidity

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In Taoist philosophy, cats are earthly manifestations of Yin energy, which means the deeper, quieter, more passive aspects of the universe.
Cats have a knack for embodying the Power of Wu-Wei, the effortless action or flowing with the current. A cat moves like liquid. They're also nocturnal, so they're closely connected to the moon, the dark, the internet, and the intuitive aspects of the self. They navigate dark effortlessly. They're also flexible, which shows their ability to overcome force.
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Shinto and East Asian Folklore: Guardians of Fortune

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In Japanese Shintoism, cats are regarded as liminal beings that bridge two worlds: the physical, material world with the spiritual world. They work as guardians against evil, and were historically kept in Japanese temples to protect sacred scrolls from rodents, which meant they would transform them into literal spiritual guardians of sacred knowledge.
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The Maneki-Neko (Beckoning Cat)

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This iconic symbol welcomes pawsitive energy, good fortune, and wealth into a home or business.