Why Aren’t Cats in the Chinese Zodiac? — The Legend Behind the Zodiac’s Order

📝 TL;DR
According to the most popular folk tale, the order of the twelve zodiac animals originated from “The Great Animal Race.” The Jade Emperor ordered the animals to race across a river, with the first to reach the other side securing a spot in the zodiac. The Rat hitched a ride on the Ox and jumped ahead just before reaching the shore to claim first place. Meanwhile, the Cat was tricked by the Rat, ended up in the water late, and missed out on the 12th position. This race not only explains the sequence “Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit... Pig” but also accounts for why cats and rats are natural enemies — in short, the Cat lost more than just a race; it lost a friendship as well.

I. All Twelve Animals Are Here—Where’s the Cat?

In our previous article, “The Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs: China’s Own ‘Constellation’ System,” we listed the twelve animals—rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog, and pig—and discussed their order as well as the celestial associations behind it. But you’ve likely noticed something odd:

The dog is included, the rat is included, even the legendary dragon is in the list—so where’s the cat?

Today, cats are among the most common pets in Chinese households. How could a culture that places “rat” first in the twelve zodiac signs ever forget about cats? This question has persisted for centuries, and the popular answer is quite vivid: because the cat lost a race. This is precisely the core analogy we’ll use in this article—the zodiac order equals The Great Animal Race. Below, we’ll take you through how this “thousand-year marathon” actually unfolded.

II. Exploring the Core Analogy: That Famous “River Crossing Race”

The most widely circulated folk legend goes like this:

A very long time ago, the Jade Emperor (Yùhuáng Dàdì), the supreme deity in Taoist mythology who rules the heavens, wanted to select twelve animals to name the years on Earth. He issued an imperial decree—all animals would participate in a river crossing race, and whichever one reached the other shore first would take the top spot, with the first twelve making up the list.

The two most notable characters in this story are the rat and the cat. Legend has it that they were once good friends. Knowing that its short legs wouldn’t allow it to swim across the river on its own, the rat decided to hitch a ride on the honest old ox—climbing onto its back and asking it to carry it across. The ox swam hard with its head down, seemingly about to be the first to reach the other side. Just as its nose was about to touch the shore, the rat leaped off and landed first—making it the winner by a narrow margin. The ox was stunned and could only settle for second place.

What about the cat? The most common version says that the cat loved to sleep in and asked the rat to wake it up, but the rat ran away on its own. By the time the cat reached the riverbank, all twelve spots had already been filled. There’s even a harsher version: the rat and cat were originally riding together on the ox’s back when the rat pushed the cat into the water halfway across. Since then, the cat missed out on becoming part of the zodiac and developed a lifelong feud with the rat—this is where the saying “cats chase rats” comes from.

How Did the Twelve “Competitors” Cross the River?

According to this legend, the order of the zodiac animals corresponds to their finishing positions in this race. Take a look at the table below—it clearly shows the rankings, the animals, and how they crossed the river:

💡 Cultural Note: This “River Crossing Race” is a folk legend that has been passed down for thousands of years, not part of official historical records. What makes it so fascinating is how it uses a heartwarming little story to weave together the personalities of these twelve animals, their relationships with one another, and even why “cats chase rats.”

III. Returning to Chinese Names: The “Number One” Ranking Also Influences Character Selection

You might wonder: What does a legendary competition have to do with choosing a Chinese name? The connection lies precisely in the word “first.”

Fang Lichen outlines the principles for naming those born in the Year of the Rat in his book Zhèng Míng Dào Xìng. He writes:

“The rat is the first of the twelve zodiac animals. As it ranks highest, it can be compared to a king, so names should include characters such as ‘王,’ ‘令,’ and ‘君.’”
—— Fang Lichen, Zhèng Míng Dào Xìng – An Authoritative Guide to Chinese Naming Traditions, Civil Aviation Press of China, 2007

See how it works? The ranking system serves as the basis for selecting characters. Since the rat holds the first place in the zodiac cycle, fortune-tellers believe people born under this sign “can be like kings,” making characters conveying regal qualities like ‘王,’ ‘令,’ and ‘君’ suitable choices. In other words, the order of the zodiac animals has subtly shaped how Chinese people choose their characters.

The absence of the cat also leads to a direct consequence: China has never had a “Year of the Cat,” and thus no traditional naming customs related to being born in the Year of the Cat. You may be born in the Year of the Rat, Ox, Tiger, or others—but you can never be born in the Year of the Cat. This is a fascinating example of how folklore has inadvertently shaped the boundaries of naming culture.

IV. Back to Reality: How This Story Endures Today

Once you grasp this “race,” the following scenarios will make much more sense:

Scenario 1: It’s one of the first stories every Chinese child hears. Almost all children in China first encounter the Twelve Chinese Zodiac animals through the version of “The Mouse Tricks the Cat.” Bedtime stories, picture books, animated shows—this narrative has served as a gateway to understanding the zodiac for countless people.

Scenario 2: The standard answer to “Why does the cat chase the mouse?” When children ask repeatedly why cats like to catch mice, adults usually respond with a smile, citing this legend: “Because the mouse pushed it into the water back then.” This tale not only explains the behavior of animals but also serves as an explanation for their natural instincts.

Scenario 3: “Another answer” offered by historians. However, beyond legends, scholars provide a more measured interpretation: When the Twelve Chinese Zodiac animals were formed (around the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods), domestic cats likely had not yet truly entered Chinese daily life. The domestication and widespread adoption of cats in China occurred relatively late, while the pairing of the twelve Earthly Branches (Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, etc.) with these animals was driven more by abstract logical principles—for example, “Zi hour” (from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.) is when mice are most active, which is why “Zi” is paired with the mouse. In other words, the zodiac list may not have included a spot for cats from the very beginning.

💡 Cultural Note: Legends and scholarly research do not conflict here. One is a heartwarming origin myth, while the other represents rigorous historical study—each addresses different questions and can coexist peacefully. For ordinary people, the story of the cat losing the race remains far more relatable and enduring in everyday life than academic analyses.

V. Practical Tips for You

Whether you believe in legends or scholarly research, this story can add a layer of “cultural depth” to your Chinese name. Here are three simple steps:

1. First, determine your zodiac sign. Just enter your birth year using a “chinese zodiac calculator” (for those born in January or February, make sure to check if the Lunar New Year has already passed that year).
2. Learn about the “characteristic figures” associated with your zodiac sign. For example, if you are born in the Year of the Rat, knowing that rats rank “first” gives you a cultural basis for choosing characters like 王 or 君 in your name; if you are born in the Year of the Ox, since oxen symbolize those who make the greatest contributions, you might prefer characters that convey stability and reliability.
3. Don’t worry about the absence of a Year of the Cat. The zodiac is just one cultural element to consider when choosing a name—there being no Year of the Cat doesn’t prevent you from having a beautiful Chinese name. Think of it simply as interesting background information.

Looking for a Chinese name that is truly “perfectly suited” to you, even one that takes into account zodiac stories? Feel free to try GetHanName—we don’t just translate your English name; we create a meaningful Chinese name tailored to your zodiac sign and personality.

6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is this “race across the river” story true?
It is a widely spread folk tale, not part of official historical records. Similar versions exist in the folk traditions of China, Vietnam, Japan, and other regions, with slight differences in details, but the core narrative—where the mouse finishes first while the cat is left out—remains consistent. Think of it as a charming origin myth.

Q2: The mouse clearly hitched a ride on the ox; why does it come in first?
This is precisely what makes the story so relatable—it focuses on the outcome, not the process. The mouse used its cleverness (or, some say, cunning tactics) to cross the finish line first, which according to the rules means it takes first place. While Chinese people often say the mouse has a short-sighted view, they also can’t deny its “resourcefulness,” and this legend captures that contradiction perfectly.

Q3: Are there other versions of this legend?
Yes. In some versions, the cat is forgotten by the mouse and fails to wake up, or it’s pushed into the water. In Vietnam’s zodiac system, the cat even replaces the rabbit—so the cat isn’t entirely absent from all zodiac cultures; it just isn’t part of China’s version.

Q4: Since cats are so common now, why isn’t there a “Year of the Cat”?
Because the zodiac is a fixed system based on the twelve Earthly Branches—Rat, Ox, Tiger... Pig—in a cycle of exactly 12 years that has been in use for over two thousand years. Adding the cat would require disrupting the entire timeline structure. No matter how popular cats are today, this list is unlikely to change.

Q5: If the cat isn’t part of the zodiac, will it affect my choice of a Chinese name?
Not at all. When choosing a name, you focus on your own zodiac sign (Rat, Ox, Tiger...), and whether the cat is included has nothing to do with you. You only need to pay attention to the animal associated with the year you were born and its preferred character roots.

VII. Further Reading

• 📖 The Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs: China’s “Constellation” System (Series 7.1) — Want to first learn the complete order of the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit... and pig, along with their associations with Earthly Branches? This is the introductory article.
• 📖 Best Practices and Pitfalls in Naming Using Zodiac Signs: Dragons Love Water, Monkeys Adore Forests (Series 7.3) — Curious about which characters work well and which to avoid when naming based on your zodiac sign? This guide offers practical advice.
• 📖 What Are the Differences in Naming Between Those Born in the Year of the Dragon vs. the Year of the Tiger? (Series 7.5) — Using two popular zodiac signs, this article breaks down the logic behind naming according to the year.

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References

• Fang Lichen, Zhèng Míng Dào Xìng – An Authoritative Guide to Chinese Naming Traditions, Civil Aviation Press of China, 2007. (It discusses principles such as “the rat is the first zodiac sign, and being ranked first allows it to be considered a king” in naming practices.)
• The “race across the river” story mentioned in this article is a widely spread folk legend; it is not directly recorded in the aforementioned book, so this note is provided for clarity. Historical explanations (such as when domestic cats were first tamed and the logic behind Earthly Branches) are summaries of commonly accepted academic views.
• The complete order of the zodiac signs and their associations with Earthly Branches (rat of Zi... pig of Hai) are based on information from Series 7.1.

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