The word neko means cat in Japanese.
猫
"Neko" is the Japanese word for "cat." It is commonly used in anime, manga, and Japanese culture to refer to cats or characters that resemble cats.
Based on my knowledge of Anime, they are commonly referred to as Neko(s).
Guin
Hichiro Umachi
There are many anime and manga characters that are neko girls, which are female characters with cat-like features such as cat ears and a tail. Some popular neko girls include Felicia from Darkstalkers, Blair from Soul Eater, and Catwoman from the Batman series.
猫 (neko) means cat
They are usually called cat girls but the original name for them is Nekomimi but for short ,Neko.
Neko No Ongaeshi. Or, in English, Kingdom Of Cats. Made by Studio Ghibli.
Another word for "neko," which is Japanese for "cat," is "feline." In various contexts, especially in anime and manga, "neko" can also refer to characters with cat-like features, and in such cases, "catgirl" or "catboy" may be used.
In truth nekos are cats. But if you are a cosplayer or an rp type of person then a neko is a half cat person. So there are more than one types of nekos. A real life neko is just an ordinary house kitty/cat. The reason for its name is because it is japanese. But if your talking about 'neko' as in an anime type of person then a 'neko' would be considered as a human with cat ears and a cat tail. Basically its a human with cat parts and etc. Nekos can be found in your house or on an anime show.
The literal translation of Neko Atsume from Japanese is 'cat collected'.
ooki neko or if you mean fat cat: futoi neko