Monday, October 11, 2010

"Catspeak" Defined

This post was first published Friday, May 7th, 2010.  In honor of CAT CHAT's first birthday taking place later this month and the fact that back on May 7th I barely had any visitors to my blog, I felt this one deserved another look! Enjoy!


"Catspeak" Defined

The other evening while having dinner my husband looked at me and said "Hey! I have an idea for your blog! Why don't you research how many words contain the prefix "cat"? To other people that would be a strange suggestion but you see my husband and I were originally brought together through our love of words both written and verbal so I decided to delve deeper into his suggestion.

When I first researched this topic I found there were THOUSANDS of words that had the prefix of "cat" and many of them I had never heard of, so I decided to narrow it down to a list of more common words.

The following are not traditional "Webster" definitions but are words that are commonly used when cats speak to each other:

"Category" - a genre of movies that we would traditionally refer to as "screamers" or "thrillers"....in the cat world they contain blood and guts, hence the "gory".

"Catalogue" - a cat diary. It may contain some rather "catty" comments.

"Cattle" -cats telling on each other, "Nyyyyaaaah, Nyyyyaaaah Fluffy, I'm gonna "cattle" on you!"

"Caterpillar or Caterpillars"-the tall elongated pieces that hold up a structure usually called  a "Cat House".

"Cat House"-a structure where a cat resides, usually adorned with above mentioned "Caterpillars"

"Catwalk" -"Hey Fluffy!!!! The Vet said for better health we should be taking a minimum of a 30 minute catwalk a day!"

"Cataract"-A cat that can really act whether it be on TV or in the movies!

"Catgut" -"Ya know Simba really must go on a diet, his "catgut" is hanging down to the floor"

"Catsup" -cats don't say "Whaaazzzzz up?" they say "Catsssssssup?"

"Catteries" -what cats put in their battery operated toy mice

"Catmint"-prevents fishmouth, keeps their breath "minty fresh!"

"Catkin"-a family of cats. "Smokey our annual "catkin" reunion is July 5th, hope you can take a "catwalk" over and visit!"

"Catacomb"-styling tool for cats.

"Catatonic"-the euphoric state a cat experiences when he has an overdose of "catnip"...."I think we need to stage an intervention for Whiskers, he got a ticket for carrying open "catnip" and was in a "catatonic state."

Now...when you hear cats speaking to each other you will have this handy reference to decode what they are saying.......don't blame me for the "catastrophic, catch-all" definitions, blame my husband for leading my mind down this "Catwalk!"

33 comments:

  1. thanks for the comments all and thanks for reading!

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  2. too cute caren! keep up the job!! md in cleveland

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  3. meowarvolous!! /\ /\
    >.<
    Ms. Z.

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  4. Excellent! Our cats are very funny and provide us with many moments of humour. Our old cat Moose was even given a new lease of life from his catnap with the introduction of our kitten Dora who has catapulted him into the category of catchup on his kittenhood. I hope that makes sense! Thanks for your great blog. Your husband was right. It is a fabulous idea.

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  5. I think this is the most interesting thing I have read on blogger in a very long time. You sir deserve a high five and a kilo of catnip. Keep it up.

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  6. These are hilarious! I especially Catsssssssup.

    Nubbin wiggles,
    Oskar

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  7. Nice Meoww...i like the funny face

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  8. @WordImp (I LOVE YOUR NAME!) Fabulous! I completely understand your comment and I love it! You are my kinda person for sure! Thank YOU for your kind comment! Hope you will visit again!

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  9. @runewake2 thanks very much! I am glad that you enjoyed it! "High Fives" back at ya!

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  10. @Oskar thanks much! Now you can interpret what all of your kitty friends are saying!

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  11. @Anonymous thank you!! I think you are talking about my husband lol

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  12. @Inigo I am so happy I could make you chuckle!!! Thank you!

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  13. We love the new look of your blog! Thank you for the list of cat words, it's so correct. You should make it a weekly post!

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  14. @Xanthe thanks so much!!! You are most welcome! Hmmmm I will have to give your idea some thought!
    If not weekly maybe it will be something I will re-visit, thanks for the idea! :)

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  15. LOLOL good one. Really chuckled over these; loved catacomb and catatonic, catnip ..... :D

    catawaul might be the place where a cat sits
    catarrh is a cat that sniffs a lot
    catalyst is where he writes down his shopping requirements
    Catalan - Spanish cat called Alan!
    cataplasm - like ectoplasm except for cats
    catalepsy - a cat that sleeps a lot......

    ok how much will you pay me to stop? :~D

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  16. @Carolyn I love yours!!!!!! Glad you got into it so much!! Thanks for the laugh!
    and Thanks for your compliment!

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  17. I don't really go and visit other peoples blogs, let alone write a comment... but I loved this. The cat words and just the crazy idea your husband came up with (but very genious). I hope everything is going well and congrats for being mentioned on blogger.

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  18. Great post! I do stop by! ;) I love your blog <3

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  19. I think you are talking about my husband lol

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  20. @AesthetikSyn (360/PS3)I am deeply flattered! I am touched that you felt compelled to leave a comment and I deeply appreciate it! I showed your comment to my husband he appreciates it as well!
    I hope you will stop by again!
    Thank you also for your Congrats!

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  21. @catsparella THANK YOU!! You KNOW I LOVE yours as well! Well...except for "Hello Kitty"....I have a personal aversion to that darn icon! lol

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  22. @Димитрий let's hope not! If so, I may have to appear on the new TLC show "Sister Wives" lol. Thanks for stopping by!

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  23. Caren, great post...

    I found it very "cathartic". :)

    Hew

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  24. Hi Caren ! Nice blog ! Cats, cooking, reading, writing... what else ?!!

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  25. @colibri thanks so much!!! Hi and thanks for stopping by!
    I agree "cats, cooking, reading, writing" that's all we need!

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  26. Awww Jan THANK YOU!!!!!!!! (((((hugs))))) back at you!!
    I haven't forgotten that we need to do lunch or breakfast! Things have been crazy with Lenny's Dad and my health issues :(

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  27. Oh dear, I missed this one.

    It's great and interesting, Caren. You're clever!!!

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  28. @Priscilla.....thank you!!!!! "Clever?" I think it is more like "insane!!" lol

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  29. Not a human word but a cat word only:

    Catpacity - Our house has reached its catpacity of feline members.

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