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The Cat in Modern Language

cat faces The cat we have all come to know and love has its place in literature, folklore, and language as well as that number one spot in our hearts. Have you ever wondered why so many English words have prefixes with “cat” in them? No, well okay. I have included a sort of glossary of terms below that are used just about every day, although I couldn’t say why. Look at them carefully and see if you don’t agree that even though I must surely be mad, some of these words COULD mean what I suggest. Don’t let your cat or cats see this list. Results could be mewsmerizing.

Catalogue~ A diary kept by a sea-faring cat who needs to write everything down so that his family will believe all his tales of the “one that got away.”
Catatonic~ This is a drink that is part of a rite of passage; a libation for a male cat when it comes of age and is ready to mate.
Catapult~ A taffy-pull or tug-of-war. A game of strength played by two male cats when vying for the attention of a desired female. It is usually a “fight to the finish” with the loser leaving the scene with his tail nowhere to be seen.
Cat scan~ A survey designed to find out which cats in any given control group are smart enough to go to veterinary school.
Catastrophe~ A situation that occurs when a cat makes grammatical errors; usually when he or she fails to cross his “Ts”, dot his “Is” and in general, mind his “Ps and Qs.”
Catty–Corner~ The place in any given town where all the coolest cats congregate.
Catacomb~ This is a special grooming aid for cats with very long hair. It allows them to do the job of brushing themselves. The ancient Persians and Himalayans, who were too busy conquering empires to tend to the mats on their longhaired pets, used it!
Cataract ~ A feline who worked as an actor during the span of one of his or her nine lives.
Cat’s Cradle ~ A place where kittens sleep
Category~ A cat with a thirst for blood

Got any more? What do YOU think about these?

This entry was posted in Love Those Pets! and tagged , , , , by Marjorie Dorfman. Bookmark the permalink.

About Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of New York University School of Education, she now lives in Doylestown, PA, with quite a few cats that keep her on her toes at all times. Originally a writer of ghostly and horror fiction, she has branched out into the world of humorous non-fiction writing in the last decade. Many of her stories have been published in various small presses throughout the country during the last twenty years. Her book of stories, "Tales For A Dark And Rainy Night", reflects her love and respect for the horror and ghost genre.