Cat \Cat\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Catted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Catting}.] (Naut.) To bring to the cathead; as, to cat an anchor. See {Anchor}. --Totten.
Cat o' nine tails \Cat" o' nine" tails`\, cat-o'-nine-tails \cat"-o'-nine"-tails`\n. 1. a whip used as an instrument of punishment consisting of nine pieces of knotted line or cord fastened to a handle; -- formerly used to flog offenders on the bare back; -- called also the {cat}. It was used in the British Navy to maintain discipline on board sailing ships.
Syn: cat. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
cat \cat\ (k[a^]t), n. [AS. cat; akin to D. & Dan. kat, Sw. katt, Icel. k["o]ttr, G. katze, kater, Ir. cat, W. cath, Armor. kaz, LL. catus, Bisc. catua, NGr. ga`ta, ga`tos, Russ. & Pol. kot, Turk. kedi, Ar. qitt; of unknown origin. Cf. {Kitten}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any animal belonging to the natural family {Felidae}, and in particular to the various species of the genera {Felis}, {Panthera}, and {Lynx}. The domestic cat is {Felis domestica}. The European wild cat ({Felis catus}) is much larger than the domestic cat. In the United States the name {wild cat} is commonly applied to the bay lynx ({Lynx rufus}). The larger felines, such as the lion, tiger, leopard, and cougar, are often referred to as cats, and sometimes as big cats. See {Wild cat}, and {Tiger cat}. [1913 Webster +PJC]
Note: The domestic cat includes many varieties named from their place of origin or from some peculiarity; as, the {Angora cat}; the {Maltese cat}; the {Manx cat}; the {Siamese cat}.
Laying aside their often rancorous debate over how best to preserve the {Florida panther}, state and federal wildlife officials, environmentalists, and independent scientists endorsed the proposal, and in 1995 the eight cats [female Texas cougars] were brought from Texas and released. . . . Uprooted from the arid hills of West Texas, three of the imports have died, but the remaining five adapted to swamp life and have each given birth to at least one litter of kittens. --Mark Derr (N. Y. Times, Nov. 2, 1999, Science Times p. F2). [PJC]
Note: The word cat is also used to designate other animals, from some fancied resemblance; as, civet cat, fisher cat, catbird, catfish shark, sea cat.
2. (Naut.) (a) A strong vessel with a narrow stern, projecting quarters, and deep waist. It is employed in the coal and timber trade. (b) A strong tackle used to draw an anchor up to the cathead of a ship. --Totten.
3. A double tripod (for holding a plate, etc.), having six feet, of which three rest on the ground, in whatever position it is placed.
4. An old game; specifically: (a) The game of tipcat and the implement with which it is played. See {Tipcat}. (b) A game of ball, called, according to the number of batters, one old cat, two old cat, etc.
5. same as {cat o' nine tails}; as, British sailors feared the cat. [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
6. A {catamaran}. [PJC]
{Angora cat}, {blind cat}, See under {Angora}, {Blind}.
{Black cat} the fisher. See under {Black}.
{Cat and dog}, like a cat and dog; quarrelsome; inharmonious. ``I am sure we have lived a cat and dog life of it.'' --Coleridge.
{Cat block} (Naut.), a heavy iron-strapped block with a large hook, part of the tackle used in drawing an anchor up to the cathead.
{Cat hook} (Naut.), a strong hook attached to a cat block.
{Cat nap}, a very short sleep. [Colloq.]
{Cat o' nine tails}, an instrument of punishment consisting of nine pieces of knotted line or cord fastened to a handle; -- formerly used to flog offenders on the bare back.
{Cat's cradle}, game played, esp. by children, with a string looped on the fingers so, as to resemble small cradle. The string is transferred from the fingers of one to those of another, at each transfer with a change of form. See {Cratch}, {Cratch cradle}.
{To bell the cat}, to perform a very dangerous or very difficult task; -- taken metaphorically from a fable about a mouse who proposes to put a bell on a cat, so as to be able to hear the cat coming.
{To let the cat out of the bag}, to tell a secret, carelessly or willfully. [Colloq.]
{Bush cat}, the serval. See {Serval}.
As mid-day temperatures soared, the cat's cries grew weaker as frantic passersby gathered around the car and searched for the car's owner.
The former neighbor told Mrs. Martinet that the cat disappeared in October 1986.
He said that congressional Democrats would merely attach the same plant-closing provision to subsequent legislation _ if a veto were upheld _ and said that lawmakers should not "play with this cat" any longer.
Once airborne, the cat made a great fuss about risking one of its nine lives in such a manner.
"We can contain that cat," zoo director John Werler said Thursday following zookeeper Ricardo Tovar's death, the first of its kind at the zoo.
Californians may have their dog cemeteries and cat psychics, but in the last few years, Japanese pet freaks have become every bit as eccentric, creating a $2 billion-a-year industry.
Heinz announced on Feb. 3 that it planned to acquire Bumble Bee Seafoods, which also produces, distributes and markets salmon, oysters and Figaro brand cat foods.
The House bill _ which seeks to curb contributions by "fat cat" corporate political action committees _ must be reconciled with a differing Senate version.
The area around the cat cracker is really tore up," said Dean Perniciaro, president of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers union local.
St. Louis-based Ralston is the world's largest producer of dry dog and cat foods, including the Purina Dog and Cat Chow labels.
As it has already gained a solid position on Israel's northern flank, in Lebanon, it should be obliged to wait until it resembles more an ordinary state seeking normal relations than it does a cat hunting a bird.
The cat leaps at the bird.
Although the identity of the cat's real owner remained a mystery, Kates said she was visited by a neighbor who said his cat had been missing for nearly three weeks.
Although the identity of the cat's real owner remained a mystery, Kates said she was visited by a neighbor who said his cat had been missing for nearly three weeks.
"An anesthetized cat that will feel no pain appears more important to a small number of Americans than does a soldier risking his life for his country," said Carey, a reservist now on active duty and heading for the Middle East in two weeks.
Like a big cat abandoned in Belgravia he stalks the halls of the labyrinthine parliament building, bemused, appalled, but very far from intimidated. Members encountered in the corridors are right to jump, as if they might be eaten.
Soon it bounded nonchalantly from the rocks and strode casually on to the grass. Here it stood for a while and then sat like a large china spotted cat.
They make nifty knots." A three-legged cat dubbed Tripod after its rescue from a drain pipe last month has a new home and a new name.
'It's a good thing they've recognised the failure of interdiction but they are chasing the cat's tail.
John Wilson, stepfather of the cat's owner, climbed the pine tree Tuesday, captured the animal and put it in a duffle bag.
Since the operation, Fannie Marie has been downing large quantities of turkey-and-giblets cat food.
"Beauty is all in the eye of the beholder, whether it's a cat or a tugboat or a lady," said the 74-year-old Parks.
Carter said he granted ABC permission to use the tape after the "cat was out of the bag," but demanded that ABC affiliate KCAU be excluded from the distribution.
The campaign, which features Garfield the cat as an official "spokescat," has brought the company national attention.
It's there he made his stage debut at the age of 12, playing Machevilli the cat in a little something called "The Fairy Cobbler." "I was a big success because I played with my tail all through the show," he says.
A pet cat named Boogs who faced execution as a dangerous animal has won a court reprieve after his plight became the subject of a letter-writing campaign.
Don and Carleen Cote, friends of Mr. Jacques who raise $75,000 worth of rare birds in a backyard pen, say they asked for the law after a neighbor's cat attacked a prize Alaskan white-fronted goose.
"The economy kind of crept ahead on its little cat feet in June," said Robert Wescott, vice president at Alphametrics, an economic-consulting firm in Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
Populated by artists and computer scientists, a resident cat and sometimes a large black dog, the laboratory is exploring gee-whiz ideas ranging from talking computers to three-dimensional, holographic images that seemingly float in midair.
Then Mr. Workman decided to give display posters of the cartoon cat to bookstores.