The world of online slots is loaded with themes, but a handful stand out for their popularity and repeated use. Iconic imagery used for Ancient Egyptian and Greek slots is common, as are classic symbols like sevens and fruits, but perhaps one of the most prevalent-yet-confusing is that of the cats slot machine.
Cat slots are very popular, and not just because people like to keep cats as pets or look on in awe at the big cats of the world. Particularly when it comes to the cats slot free online, these are lucky cat slots. Lucky cats or cats with lucky connotations are a bit different to your furry friends, but inspire the same affections from their cuteness.
Here, we’re exploring exactly what makes a lucky cat, why Maneki-neko slots are so popular, and we’ll find the best cats slot free that you can play online.
Legend, myth, and folklore give appeal to cats slot free games
Among the handful of top games listed for the sites we rate as having the best free online games, you can see several cat slots. Legacy of the Tiger, The Future is Meow and Queen of the Lions all play into peoples’ love of domestic and wild cats. Driving clicks to this cats slot for free selection might just be centuries of folklore.
In Ancient Egypt, one of the more prominent gods, Bastet, had the head of a cat and was worshipped by the masses. As a result, cats held prestige in Egyptian society, even getting a designated burial and mummification in Bubastis. Far from Egypt, to the east in Japan and west in Scotland, cats have been representatives of prosperity.
There are many other instances of good fortune, luck, and cats being intertwined. In Norse mythology, Freyja’s chariot was drawn by a clowder of black cats, which is why farmers would put out offerings for the cats to hope for a good harvest. In China, cat imagery is very common, with it meaning long life and good fortune.
Of course, there’s also the old myth about a black cat walking across your path meaning bad luck. However, in the UK, black cats have long been coveted and seen as good luck. They were seen as being able to protect sailors at sea, with some going out on ships with the sailors and others being kept at their homes to bring good fortune.
What is Maneki-neko and why are there so many Maneki-neko slots?
Maneki-neko slots, or the lucky cat slot games, feature a sitting cat with one of its paws raised. Very common in Japan, the figures, statues and depictions of a Maneki-neko show the cat in the beckoning gesture – which is what Maneki-neko translates into: “beckoning cat.”
There are several legends that tell the history of the Maneki-neko, but there’s little agreement on its true origins. One of the more popular tales tells the story of a rich person who hid under a tree during a thunderstorm, but followed a cat that beckoned them into a nearby temple just before lightning struck the tree. As thanks, the rich person brought prosperity to the temple. A Maneki-neko statue was made in their honour.
While there are different meanings attached to the different colours of Maneki-neko sold these days, one of the main indicators of its purpose is the paw that’s raised. The left paw is said to invite in friends and customers, while the right paw attracts good fortune and money. Given how many Maneki-neko slots are out there, it’s interesting to see which paw each developer goes with for their art.
Best cats slot free gaming you can find online
One of the most eye-catching cat slot free games that you’ll find online has to be Golden Paw. Found at Slotomania, it draws on two heavily associated themes of good luck: cats and gold.
Being a lucky fortune cat slot, you can expect to spin in golden symbols on a regal red backdrop. Something to note, however, is that the Maneki-neko slots game does feature a cat with its left paw raised – indicating friendship rather than money – which makes sense for a cats slot free to play game.
Over at LuckyLand Slots, you’ll find a much more Japanese lucky cat slot machine with Here Money Money. Also featuring the Kitsune mask, Usagi mask, and the prosperity-bringing Okina mask, the lucky cat slot is loaded with good luck symbology. While there is a Free Spins mode, you’ll be looking to appease the Maneki-neko slots guardian, who you feed Wilds and Gold Coins to unlock the Jackpot-awarding Bonus Game.
Given our historical ties to lucky cats, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the free cats slot games are so popular. See if you can win the affections of a Maneki-neko in one of the best lucky cat slot machines online.