Aside from their forked tails and abnormally large size, nekomata look like ordinary house cats. In fact, all nekomata used to be ordinary cats. When a cat lives to be 100 years old, its tail splits and it becomes a nekomata. Nekomata tend to live either in mountainous areas or in urban areas.

Upon becoming nekomata, cats become much smarter and gain the ability to speak. They can also create illusions, transform into old women, and perform necromancy. Nekomata are also associated with strange fires and other unexplainable occurrences. The strength of a nekomata's powers is proportional to how badly treated it was when it was a normal cat. In order to exact revenge on those who have wronged it, a nekomata will control the corpses of their loved ones and pay the wrongdoer a visit.

FUN FACT: People used to cut off kittens' tails because they believed that cats could not become nekomata if their tails could not fork. It goes without saying that I do not condone this behavior. Please do not have your animals' tail or other other body parts docked (cut so that it stays short forever) unless the procedure needs to be done for medical reasons. 

The nekomata is sometimes associated with the kasha, a yōkai that steals corpses from funerals and cemeteries. Sometimes, kasha are even said to be the same thing as nekomata. Since some people argue that kasha and nekomata are different kinds of yōkai, I will discuss kasha further in a separate chapter.

Examples in various media:

Kirara (Inuyasha) Although he usually appears as a small cat, Kirara can also turn into a larger form that has large fangs like those of a saber-toothed cat.

Matamune (Shaman King)

Miike (Muramasa: Rebirth) She specifically appears in the Fishy Tales of the Nekomata DLC.

Espeon (Pokémon)