Catlings.—Down, or moss, growing about walnut-trees, resembling the hair of a cat.
Cat o' Nine Tails.—So called from being nine pieces of cord put together, in each cord nine knots; and this, when used vigorously, makes several long marks not unlike the clawing or scratching of a cat, producing crossing and re-crossing wounds; a fearful and severe punishment, formerly too often exercised for trivial offences.
Cat or dog wool.—"Of which cotte or coarse blankets were formerly made" (Bailey). "Cot gase" (refuse wool). "Cat" no doubt was a corruption of "cot."
Cat-pear.—A pear, shaped like a hen's egg, that ripens in October.
Cat pellet.—The pop-gun of boys, one pellet of paper driving out the other. Davis in his "Glossary" thinks it means "tip-cat." Probably it may be the sharpened piece of wood, not the game, that is different altogether, he quotes.
"Who beats the boys from cat pellet, and stool ball."
British Bellman, 1648.
Cat-salt.—A salt obtained from butter.
Cat-salt.—"A sort of salt beautifully granulated, formed out of the bittern or leach brine, used for making hard soap."—Encyclopædia.
Cat's-eye.—A precious stone, resembling, when polished, the eye of a cat. It has lately become fashionable.