76 CAT 



Meoinn, moth-chat (torn) ; Piseag, pisean, purraghlais, pus ; 

 Rincne. 



Badrons, hadrins, bardie, b-ithroiis, baiidrans, baudrons, 

 bawdrons ; Venga, voaler ; Wawler (Shet. etc.), wuU-cat (wild). 



Other names are also: Axencat (that lies in ashes); Hirder 

 (wild), boar or bore (toni) ; Calimanco (tortoiseshell), Norf., carl-cat 

 rtom), chat, chet ; Evans (fern.) ; Foodin ; Genet, ginnet, gib 

 (castr.), grimalkin ; Kisek, kisert, kit, kitteling, kitone, kitty, 

 kitty-kyloe (Wore); Lally-wow ; Margery, mocha (black and 

 brown), mouser; Skew; Three-thrummer (purring), tib (fem.), 

 (Yorksh.) ; Wheen (fem.). 



The etymology of this word is of doubtful origin, the word 

 " puss " being derived from the sound made by cat sjntting. 



In Scottish Mijths, R. C. Maclagan says that cat just signifies cat, 

 also in its modern aspirated form "cath," a tribe, a battalion, 

 according to O'Reilly, 3000 men. Connected with it is the Latin 

 caterva, a hoop, and most probably Ceatharn, a troop, in Scottish 

 Gaelic, and ceathar?iach, a trooj)er, a stout, robust man, a soldier, a 

 cateran, a " kern " as Sir Walter Scott has it. A cat-headed 

 battalion is referred to on page 77 (English) of the Book of the 

 Dean of Lismore. One of the Irish kings was called Cairbar cinn 

 ckait, or Carbar of the cat's head, from wearing the skin on his 

 casque or helmet. In the yellow book ot Lecan, as in Revue 

 Celtique, Tome IX., warriors with cats' heads upon them are 

 mentioned, one being a Gaelic champion "of the men of the 

 Gael" in particular. Lady Gregory gives an account of cat- 

 headed men, which Fionn fought and destroyed. An ancient 

 Irish poem, "Talc son of Trone," i.e., Talc mac Troon or Treun, 

 Talc the son of the firm or mighty, is called the cat-headed chief 

 from the same reason, having had the armour of his head entirely 

 covered with the skin of a wild cat, which made the knight 

 appear as if he had a cat's head. Among northern nations the 

 cat was sacred to the Goddess Frea. It was worshipped by 

 Egyptians and buried with honours. In the East great honour 

 or regard is still paid to cats, in Turkey special houses are built 

 for them, etc. They were first domesticated in Egypt, a temple 

 being dedicated to the goddess of cats, Bubastes Pasht, represented 

 with a cat's head ; cats are alleged by their non-lovers to be 

 revengeful, treacherous, cunning, and generally dangerous. All 

 cats are not really cats sometimes, but witches or demons, known 

 in Gaelic at least as cat skitk, being as large as a collie dog — or 

 terrier, black with white spot on breast — crotach agus murlach — 

 bowbacked and brindled or rough. One way or another an 

 entirely black cat is said to be strong as to witchcraft. 



The real wild cat was once very numerous in the Highlands, 

 it is said by some to be now very scarce, and by others to be 



