When is the Year of the Cat? - briefly
The Year of the Cat corresponds to 1976 in the Gregorian calendar. This designation is based on the Chinese zodiac system, which assigns different animals to each year in a repeating cycle of twelve years.
When is the Year of the Cat? - in detail
The Year of the Cat, according to the Chinese zodiac, occurs every twelve years in the following order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. This cycle repeats continuously. Therefore, the Year of the Cat is not a part of the traditional Chinese zodiac calendar.
The misunderstanding may arise from the popular song "Year of the Cat" by Al Stewart, which has no relation to the Chinese zodiac system. The Chinese zodiac consists of twelve animals, and the cat is notably absent from this list. According to legend, the Jade Emperor decided the order of the zodiac based on when the animals arrived at his party, with the Rat arriving first by hitching a ride on the Ox, followed by the other animals in the sequence mentioned above. The Cat did not make it to the party as it overslept, which is why it is not included in the Chinese zodiac.
In some cultures and traditions, there are variations or additions to the traditional Chinese zodiac, but these are not universally recognized. For instance, in Vietnamese culture, the Cat might be added as an alternate sign, but this is not standard practice globally.
To summarize, the Year of the Cat does not exist within the context of the traditional Chinese zodiac calendar. The animals that comprise the cycle are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig, repeating every twelve years.