The town of Kuching derives its name from the Malay word for cat and early investigations of its streets, after our ferry ride from Sibu, revealed cat motifs aplenty ranging from discreet logos on manhole covers to rather alarming giant cat statues on roundabouts. The peak of this cat mania was reached at the Kuching Cat Museum, housed in the Town Hall that itself resembled a spaceship. The museum's collection was comprehensive, with exhibits about cats in various civilizations, stages in a cat's life, common ailments, wild members of the cat family, catfish, and a mock-up of a catwalk with 3 models wearing cat-themed outfits. Umpteen cat sculptures and paintings included a good selection of maneki neko or "beckoning cats" (the ones with raised paws that you often see in Chinese and Japanese restaurants and are
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