Why Vietnam has a Year of the Cat instead of the Rabbit

Vietnam has a Year of the Cat (Mão or Mẹo) instead of the Rabbit because, when the zodiac reached Vietnam, the animal for that earthly branch came to be understood as a cat. The most common explanation is linguistic: the Chinese name of the branch, mão, sounds very close to the Vietnamese word for cat, mèo. No one knows for certain, though, and several theories exist.

Whatever the cause, the result is a real and lasting difference. If you were born in 2023, 2011, 1999 or 1987, a Vietnamese calendar says you're a Cat, not a Rabbit.

The sound theory

The 12 earthly branches have Chinese names that were borrowed into Vietnamese. The fourth branch is written 卯 and read mão in Sino-Vietnamese. In Vietnamese everyday speech, a cat is mèo ("meh-oh"), and an older form of the branch name is Mẹo. Because the branch name and the word for cat sound so alike, the animal may have shifted from rabbit to cat as the zodiac was taught and passed down.

This is the most widely repeated explanation, and it's plausible. But because it's hard to trace exactly when and how the change happened, it's best described as the leading theory rather than settled fact.

The farming theory

Another popular explanation points to daily life. Rabbits weren't a common part of traditional Vietnamese village life, while cats were everywhere, guarding rice stores from mice. A familiar, useful animal would have made more sense in a farmer's calendar than an unfamiliar one.

This theory is harder to prove, but it fits a pattern. Vietnam's zodiac also has the Buffalo (trâu) where China's has the Ox, and the water buffalo is the iconic working animal of Vietnamese rice fields. Both swaps make the zodiac feel more local.

Is the rabbit completely gone?

In Vietnam, yes, for the zodiac. Calendars, stamps, decorations and Tết greetings all show cats in a Mão year. Some Vietnamese people know that China uses the rabbit, and you'll occasionally see both mentioned in international contexts, but the cat is firmly the Vietnamese standard.

Recent and upcoming Cat years

• 1987 (Đinh Mão)
• 1999 (Kỷ Mão)
• 2011 (Tân Mão)
• 2023 (Quý Mão)
• 2035 (Ất Mão)

Remember that each lunar year begins at Tết, which falls in January or February. If your birthday is early in the year, check the exact Tết date to see which animal applies.

What the Cat represents

In zodiac lore, the fourth animal, whether Cat or Rabbit, is usually associated with gentleness, sensitivity, caution and a love of comfort. Vietnamese descriptions often lean into cat traits: clever, graceful, independent and a little mysterious. As with all zodiac traits, these are cultural associations to enjoy, not scientific personality predictions.

Cats also appear in Vietnamese language and folk sayings. For example, "mèo mả gà đồng" describes an unreliable, wandering type of person, while "mèo khen mèo dài đuôi" ("the cat praises its own long tail") pokes fun at people who brag about themselves. Our guide to cat words and cat sayings in Vietnamese has more.

How Cat years are celebrated

When a Mão year arrives, cats take center stage. In 2023, cities and shops displayed cat sculptures, flower displays and cat-themed red envelopes. Some displays drew a lot of attention online for their creative, sometimes comic designs.

It's a fun time for cat lovers. Families with Cat-year members often give them special wishes, and cat-themed gifts become popular.

Cats, comedy and Duma Meow

Cats have a special place in Vietnamese pop culture, from folk sayings to memes, so it's no surprise they make good cartoon characters. Duma Meow, the cartoon comedy made by jimwest405, stars four original cartoon cats who speak Vietnamese: deadpan Maelis, flustered Corin, wildcard Seraph and always-prepared Luna. You can meet them in Duma Meow, four cartoon cats.

Other differences in the zodiac

Beyond the Cat and Buffalo, the Vietnamese zodiac follows the same 12-year cycle and order as the Chinese one. The Goat is usually shown as a goat rather than a sheep, and the Pig is the twelfth animal, often called Hợi. For the full list, see the Vietnamese zodiac: 12 animals and what they mean.

The next Year of the Cat is 2035; if you have a cat-loving friend born in a Mão year, that's a birthday worth marking on the calendar.