Yokai of the Week - Nekomata

When a cat reaches an advanced age, it can become a bakeneko ("monster cat"). If a bakeneko's tail splits in two, it becomes a nekomata with more supernatural abilities. With its newfound powers, a nekomata can reanimate the dead and manipulate them like puppets. Nekomata can sometimes stand on their hind legs as well as dance. As a precaution, some families cut the tails off of their cats resulting in some breeds of Asian cats with shortened or non-existent tails.