Maru certainly means circle in Japanese.
That's fo' sho'.
(guffguff, Sun 8 Nov 2009, 12:31, Reply)

Jah
That makes sense. When I said culturally I meant that maybe it's something like that, and so calling a cat "circle" in Japanese implies it's a sort of barrel-shaped round-cat, whereas in English people would just go "What? What?!"

Awww, Maru!

(Cheers!)
(Frozen_Banana Planet B v2.0-29 Nov-18:00/00:00 most likely!, Sun 8 Nov 2009, 13:18, Reply)

I think, though don't quote me on this,
that it has more to do with the Scottish Fold's characteristic round face.
( Jay, Mon 9 Nov 2009, 20:31, Reply)