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}.
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 in is placed.
4. An old game;
(a) The game of tipcat and the implement with which it is
played. See {Tipcat}.
(c) A game of ball, called, according to the number of
batters, one old cat, two old cat, etc.
5. A cat o' nine tails. See below.
{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 let the cat out of the bag}, to tell a secret, carelessly
or willfully. [Colloq.]
{Bush cat}, the serval. See {Serval}.