The Cat occupies the fourth position in the Vietnamese zodiac, where China’s traditional zodiac uses the Rabbit.
The Vietnamese zodiac has 12 animals and follows a broadly similar order to the Chinese zodiac. Its fourth sign is Cat, while the corresponding Chinese sign is Rabbit. This difference is one of the best-known distinctions between the two neighboring traditions.
Vietnamese New Year, or Tet, follows the lunisolar calendar, so the animal year changes on a date that varies in the Gregorian calendar. The zodiac animals are used in calendrical customs, cultural symbolism, and popular beliefs about personality and compatibility.
The reason for the substitution is not established with certainty. Linguistic history and the influence of regional traditions are both discussed, but simple claims that the Vietnamese sign is merely a mistranslation should be treated cautiously. The Vietnamese zodiac also differs from the Chinese system in other details, including the use of Buffalo rather than Ox and Goat rather than Sheep in common English descriptions.