I couldn't help but take this shot in China Town today.
The Maneki Neko (招き猫?, literally "Beckoning Cat"; is a common Japanese sculpture, often made of ceramic, which is believed to bring good luck to the owner.
Maneki Neko come in different colors, styles, and degrees of ornateness. In addition to sculptures, Maneki Neko can be found as keychains, piggy banks, air fresheners, and miscellaneous ornaments.
Due to its popular presence within Chinese communities it is frequently mistaken for being Chinese in origin rather than Japanese and is mistakenly referred to as a Chinese Lucky Cat or jīnmāo (Golden Cat).
Love the colors in this shot - and all the cool cats! And thanks for the information - I just got my daughter a tiny ceramic "Chinese Lucky Cat" in Chinatown, and now I know it's really Japanese!
