Vietnam’s zodiac traditionally replaces the Chinese zodiac Rabbit with a Cat.
The Vietnamese zodiac has 12 animals and closely resembles the Chinese system, but it contains several notable differences. The most famous is the fourth position: Vietnam uses the Cat, while the Chinese zodiac uses the Rabbit. Vietnam also uses the Buffalo rather than the Ox and the Goat rather than the Sheep or Ram in common English renderings.
The Vietnamese animal sequence is Rat, Buffalo, Tiger, Cat, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. The Cat is therefore the fourth sign in Vietnam’s traditional cycle.
The difference is sometimes explained through language and cultural transmission, but popular stories should not be treated as proven historical causes. Vietnamese zodiac traditions developed in their own cultural setting, even though they share the broader East Asian calendrical framework.