Tenugui (Cat)Description Cats have been highly valued in commercial households, symbolized by the 'Maneki neko' or 'beckoning cat', believed to attract people and bring prosperity to businesses. In the Edo period, especially in the silk producing regions of Tohoku, cats were commonly kept to protect silkworms from mice. Historical records even show that while a horse was valued at one ryo (an old Japanese currency unit), a cat known for catching many mice could be