Nepalese Bell with Handle Depicting Cat

A tiny cat, perched on top, supervising the ringing.

This brass bell comes from Nepal and dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. Handbells are commonly used in Hindu and Buddhist worship across the region to mark ritual moments. A small standing feline sits at the top of a ribbed handle, flaring into a wide, stepped body with horizontal rims near the lip. The brass has darkened to an olive-gold with wear along the edges and a worn spot on the rim.

About eight inches tall. It sounds important, and looks it.