During the Song Dynasty in China, a tradition called 「The Cat Covenant」 was created to welcome cats as family members. Families would write a covenant, detailing the cat's appearance and promising to care for it for life. They would then bring the covenant and gifts to the cat's original owner or shelter, holding a brief ceremony to express their love and responsibility toward the cat.
An important part of the ceremony was giving gifts to the cat’s original family or mother, as well as small gifts to the friends and family attending, to celebrate this joyful moment.
Over time, this tradition expanded to include all pets. The covenant witnessed their transition into cherished members of the family, with each covenant serving as a promise of love and responsibility.