Madara  

Nyan-Nyan, Nyangoro, Nyankichi, Nyanko, Nyanko-sensei, Nyanta, Ponta, Sensei, 斑

Madara, a powerful spirit who had been sealed in a shrine for an extended period, assumed the form of a maneki neko (lucky cat) after his release by Natsume. This led Natsume to nickname him Nyanko-sensei. In this form, others could see Madara, prompting Natsume to request permission from his guardians to keep him as a pet. As a maneki neko, Madara was capable of protecting Natsume and teaching him spells on occasion in exchange for the promise to give him the Book of Friends upon his death. Despite protesting that he wasn't a cat, Madara enjoyed playing with cat toys. His design was based on a lucky cat statue Midorikawa had received as a child. In the anime, Natsume showed more respect towards Madara.