Kirara

Sango's pet fire cat demon. It has the power to, in battle, grow from her harmless kitten form into a large, fiery beast resembling a sabre-tooth tiger. Kirara's abilites include flight and she is a formidable foe in any fight. Sango usually rides her in this form.

In Japanese folklore, a cat who has survived past the age of 9 or 10 may developed a forked tail and evolve into a supernatural being with great powers called a Nekomata. These cats are said to have great strength, be able to shapeshift, animate corpses, and sometimes control fire.