Just in case anyone was worried I wan't doing random research projects on Asian myth any longer...
These are my working notes on creating a Bakeneko monster or race for PF. My thoughts, having really dug through a lot of books and articles, is that they are either Oni (with Catfolk as their humanoid type) or a Magical Beast.
Ideas? I'll stat them based on the consensus.
Bakeneko in Pathfinder
Real World Background:
China: Though the name and characteristics of the Bakeneko are known to English-speakers from Japanese sources, like the Kitsune, the Bakeneko is derived from Chinese legend. Among the names used for it in China is Huli Mao, which means ‘old fox/badger-cat.’ (Hu = old, Li=badger, fox, wild cat, or mujina, and Mao (猫) = cat). Mao also has the sense of being 90+ years old in China, which no doubt affected the development of the legend. Since long life in Taoist terms was achieved either through internal alchemy or by stealing Qi, an old, particularly black, cat, was probably a soul-stealer, and by eating women, could take their form. (Volker) Other terms for cat spirit were Xiong Mao, bear-cat, which also means panda (Da Xiong Mao), and Maogui (or Maoguai), or Demon/Ghost Cat, as described in Chinese Materia Medica – where the spirit can cause via gu (or Ku, ‘poison’) diseases, hemorrhages, or mental illness.
Nonetheless, even an image of a cat (accompanied by the phrase ‘ling zhi’, ‘watcher’) was believed to protect against rats and mice, and they were valuable to the silk industry and farmers. Similarly, an image of a cat on a gable in Chinese architecture drives away evil. They can also drive away invisible evil spirits. However, some folklore suggests that cats can detect coming poverty and ruin and settle in households where this future will assure them mice and rats to eat; they also use their divining ability – scratching on the ground - to locate food. After their death, cats are hanged from trees rather than buried. (Speed Williams, 58-59)
In China, the goblin cat is specifically cruel and evil, and its association with the Kitsune (Huli Jing) is as the ‘domestic fox.’ (Casal). Some of this association may arise from the legend that the cat spurned the company of the Buddha’s animal mourners.
Dennys, p.91 describes the ritual hanging of cat accompanied by rites of worship to its ghost in China (Gansu province) which grant a cornucopia of rice and peas in prepared bags.
In 581, during the Sui Dynasty, a frenzy of allegations of magic using cat spirits overtook China. (Nature, v.45, no.1145, 1891) This was some 200 years after the animal’s introduction to the empire, and they were still ‘new.’
In 598, the empress (Dugu) and her brother Tuo were accused of consorting with cat-spectres. Her family had been associated with worship or alliance with them for a number of generations. (Groot)
According to Montague Summers, a cat leaping over a corpse may cause it to rise as a Guai or Kuei (ghost-vampire). This appears to be linked to ‘soul-recalling hair’ which is also a feature of the tiger in legend.
Chinese folklore was used as a source for the Hong Kong movie Xiong Mao or Evil Cat (1987).
Japan: 化け猫 is the Japanese for Bakeneko – literally ‘shapeshifter cat.’ (Another term is Nekomata, ‘forked-tail cat’). Any cat of advanced age can develop shapeshifting abilities if its tail is not clipped (Casal). Interestingly, a tail that is clipped is also said to develop autonomous life – becoming a goblin snake. The initial abilities of the Bakeneko involve summoning small lights and will-o-wisps. It later develops other powers, involving rearranging furniture in unlucky ways. If its owner (stereotypically female) is not careful, the cat will devour her and assume her form. Cats in general are capable of witchcraft and spellcasting.
According to other legends, witches and hags can assume a bakeneko form as well, so the transformation goes both ways (Casal). The cat form is used to enter homes unnoticed or gain trust in order to catch and eat humans.
Walking on hind legs is specifically a feature of the oldest cats. Killing an elderly cat curses the killer for seven lifetimes. (Casal)
In color, the black cat is associated with witches, the white with ghosts, and the red-brown (golden-flower) cat with the most dangerous magic abilities. A three-color cat keeps away the other colors and thus is Maneki Neko or Mike Neko – the lucky cat. Tortoise-shell cats are proof against a sinking ship and are lucky for sailors. (Casal)
Just as in China, Mao may signify a courtesan, in Japan, Neko is used as by-name for Geishas.
A famous Bakeneko was depicted by Kuniyoshi Utagawa in his painting Okabe (the goblin/witch); his works include domestic cats as well, as he seems to have been fond of them; this story derives from a Kabuki play. Other fictional cat-spirits include Okesa the Geisha, a good spirit,
Korea: Apparently cats are vilified in Korean folklore and have many of the negative charactistics of the Bakeneko. (Casal) Ohlinger et al. describe a cat spirit which visits homes and causes misfortune by putting on empty shoes by the door. Burning hair before the doorway drives away the creature.
Southeast Asia: Ma Meo are cat ghosts in Vietnam (LeBar, et al.).
Sources:
Groot, Jan Jakob Maria. “Cat-spectres in the Service of Sorcerers.” In The Religious System of China, v.II, Demonology. 1892
Casal, U. A. “The Goblin Fox and the Badger and Other Witch Animals of Japan.”
Dennys, Nicholas Belfield. The folk-lore of China: and its affinities with that of the Aryan and Semitic races. 1870.
LeBar, Frank M., Hickey, Gerald Cannon, Musgrave, John K. Ethnic Groups of Mainland Southeast Asia. 1964.
Ohlinger, F., Appenzeller, H.G., Heber Jones, George. The Korean Repository. 1898.
Speed Williams, Charles Alfred. Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives. 1941.
Summers, Montague. The Vampire, His Kith and Kin. 1928
Volker, T. The animal in Far Eastern art and especially in the art of the Japanese netsuke, with references to Chinese origins, traditions, legends, and art. 1950
See also:
Japanese Horror films of the Bakeneko.
Oops, left out a line... "and the evil Nekomata who took the form of O-Toyo.", follows "a good spirit..."
I've located a few versions of the Bakeneko in d20:
Legends of the Samurai has one (p.142) - it's a small fey that can take humanoid form (CR 1).
They also appear as a CR 1 Fey (medium here) in the 3.5 edition of Creatures of Rokugan.
Both of these versions tend to play up the trickster aspect. However, the real myths seem to make them dangerous human-eating monsters.
They appeared as Bakeneko Hengeyokai in the various editions of Oriental Adventures.
Does anyone know of any other versions out there?