A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
Mitford presents this as a tradition of the Nabéshima family in Tales of Old Japan, first published in1871. A large cat follows the Prince of Hizen and his favourite, O Toyo, from the garden into the palace. During the night it kills O Toyo by biting her throat, buries her beneath the veranda and takes her appearance. The prince does not know that the affectionate woman beside him has been replaced. His health deteriorates and his sleep fills with terrifying dreams; remedies fail. The accompanying note specifically describes the legendary cat as having two tails.
A guard of one hundred retainers is appointed, but all fall into an irresistible sleep each night before the false O Toyo arrives. The prince’s councillors fare no better. Ruiten, a priest praying for the prince, discovers the devotion of a young foot-soldier, Itô Sôda, and persuades the chief councillor to let him join the watch despite his low rank. Sôda withstands the enchanted drowsiness by deliberately wounding himself. His vigilance prevents the disguised cat from tormenting the prince, who begins to recover. When the creature eventually stops visiting, the guards’ unnatural sleepiness also stops.
Suspecting O Toyo, Sôda approaches her room under the pretence of delivering a message. She meets his attack with a halberd, but abandons the weapon when overmatched, changes back into a cat and escapes across the roof. The men waiting outside shoot and miss. The story therefore does not end with Sôda killing the cat in single combat: it retreats to the mountains and harms people there until the prince organizes a hunt in which it is finally killed. The prince recovers, and Sôda receives rewards.
The title’s vampire comparison and the account of draining the prince’s life belong to Mitford’s English presentation. The tale does not establish European vampire rules about sunlight, stakes or contagion, nor does its two-tailed animal automatically define every Japanese cat apparition. O Toyo is the murdered woman whose identity is appropriated, not a woman who voluntarily transforms into a cat. Mitford supplies a family-tradition attribution but no individually named teller or Japanese title for this specific witness; the hosted1910 edition is distinguished from the collection’s first publication.
Origins & earliest records
Japanese family tradition as mediated by Mitford; individually named teller not supplied.
Records & interpretation
Complete named account, ending, relevant footnotes and collection preface read.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Tales of Old Japan
The Vampire Cat of Nabéshima, pp.200–206, introductory framingpp.197–199, notes74–75; complete account and relevant notes read.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
Tales of Old Japan
Hosted1910 title;1871 preface and initial publication. The Vampire Cat of Nabéshima, pp.200–206, introductory framingpp.197–199, notes74–75
Complete master and named caches mitford-vampire-cat.txt / mitford-faithful-cat.txt; note74 confirms two tails;75 identifies family;76 historical ginseng claim not medical guidance. No unnamed Japanese original invented.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical English translation and retellingMitford, Tales of Old Japan, complete named witnessResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.