History
Waving cats are thought to bring money and good fortune. Though the cat appears to be waving according to Western cultural behavior, the gesture is actually a common Japanese method of beckoning, and one of the names of this cat is indeed “beckoning cat”. Many examples of various sizes can be found, and sometimes feature a motorized arm to better convey the beckoning motion. Waving cats date back to the 1800s, and first appear during the Edo period in Japan, though it’s not known whether they originated in Tokyo or Kyoto.