cat

noun, often attributive

\ ˈkat

Definition of cat

(Entry 1 of 5)

1a : a carnivorous mammal (Felis catus) long domesticated as a pet and for catching rats and mice

b : any of a family (Felidae) of carnivorous usually solitary and nocturnal mammals (such as the domestic cat, lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar, wildcat, lynx, and cheetah)

2a : guy some young … cat asked me to go drinking with him— Jack Kerouac

b : a player or devotee of jazz

3 : a strong tackle used to hoist an anchor to the cathead of a ship

4a : catboat

b : catamaran

5 : cat-o'-nine-tails

6 : catfish sense 1

7 : a malicious woman especially : one given to making catty remarks about other women

cat

verb

catted; catting

Definition of cat (Entry 2 of 5)

intransitive verb

usually vulgar : to search for a sexual mate —often used with around

transitive verb

: to bring (an anchor) up to the cathead

cat

abbreviation (1)

Definition of cat (Entry 3 of 5)

1 catalog

2 catalyst

Cat

trademark

\ ˈkat

Definition of Cat (Entry 4 of 5)

—used for a Caterpillar tractor

CAT

abbreviation (2)

Definition of CAT (Entry 5 of 5)

1 clean-air turbulence

2 computerized axial tomography

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about cat

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Synonyms for cat

Synonyms: Noun

feline, house cat, kitty, moggy (also moggie) [British], puss, pussy, pussycat

Examples of cat in a Sentence

Noun

I have two dogs and a cat. the family's cat did an exemplary job of keeping the house and yard free of all rodents

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Would the smell of the rhubarb make my gentle cat do this? — Joan Morris, The Mercury News, "Rubbing this cat’s rhubarb can be dangerous to your health," 7 June 2019 Vogue’s Creative Director Sally Singer remembers her now-deceased cat chewing off one of the tassels. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Why the Balenciaga Motorcycle Bag Is My First Love," 27 May 2019 When not evangelizing about four-door coupes, he can be found watching The Real Housewives with his two cats. — Daniel Golson, Car and Driver, "Daniel Golson," 10 May 2019 Wait for that to dry, then add your top cat as per usual. — Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "10 Easy and Fun Nail Designs to Copy This Summer," 7 May 2019 Instead, Taylor brought some other loved ones to accompany her, her cats Meredith and Olivia! — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "Taylor Swift Brought a Date That's NOT Her Boyfriend Joe Alwyn to the 2019 BBMAs," 1 May 2019 Advertising Relations grew so prickly that last year Ecuador increased its restrictions on his Internet access and required him to clean up after his cat James. — Gonzalo Solano, The Seattle Times, "Exasperated Ecuador ends asylum for world’s worst houseguest," 13 Apr. 2019 And even though Taylor kiiiind of debunked those theories via a cute pic of her cat, that didn't stop fans from trying to figure out when the singer’s next album would be coming. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Taylor Swift Shares Countdown Clock, Sparking New Music Fan Theories," 13 Apr. 2019 The kitty is named after Jamie's mother's cat, which in turn was named after a monk. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "See the First Photo of Sam Heughan Introducing Outlander's Newest Furry Cast Member, ADSO," 24 May 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Cat knew how to draw out the best in his son athletically and emotionally. — Joseph Goodman, AL.com, "On Willie Mays, his father and the final childhood summer of the Say Hey Kid," 17 June 2017 Cat Mountain Tr., 1400 block: Theft of property ($100-$750). — Mitch Mitchell, star-telegram.com, "Police report: Suspect in Denton murder back in Texas," 16 June 2017 Cat prowled beneath the shelf, but had no way to reach my little fish. — Elisabeth Egan, chicagotribune.com, "Algren Award finalist: "Water like air" by Rebecca Wurtz," 10 June 2017 Q. How worried should cat owners be about the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, especially with babies in the house? — Karen Weintraub, New York Times, "How Worried Should Cat Owners Be About Toxoplasmosis?," 8 June 2017 Go to Cat Tuong in Kastanienallee for wow-factor vegan/vegetarian Vietnamese dishes— — Alexandra Pereira, Condé Nast Traveler, "How to Enjoy Berlin's Nightlife Like a Local," 8 May 2017 Today, the government is trying hard to eliminate cats from the landscape and is even involved in the invention of new cat poisons and gory things, which are upsetting to cat lovers. — Martin Mejia, National Geographic, "How Cats Clawed Their Way Into Our Hearts," 13 Nov. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.