Words with Webster: Paw, Plus Friendly Fill-Ins

We have two fun Friday features for you today. First up is Real Cat Webster, who has a word that really gives us cats something to stand on. After that, it’s on to Friendly Fill-Ins!

Words with Webster

Hi, all! It’s me, Real Cat Webster. Welcome to Words with Me. Today’s word is “paw.” This is another one of those words that we all know, but I was kind of surprised by some of its earliest uses. To explore this word, first I looked in my favorite dictionary, Merriam-Webster, which said that a paw is “the foot of a quadruped (as the lion, dog, or cat) having claws; broadly :  the foot of an animal.”

Next I went to the Oxford English Dictionary, which said that a paw is “the foot of an animal having claws and pads. Also: the hand of a monkey or ape.” So far so good, but that is actually the second definition in the OED. The first is this: “the foot or claw of a bird; the foot or claw of a dragon. Now rare.”

The foot of a bird or dragon? Really??? (This is the part that surprised me, in case you can’t tell.)

The earliest written occurrence of “paw” is from about 1330:

To dragouns þer layen..Þat on was rede so þe fer..Euerich powe a span long. (Osgar Duncan Macrae-Gibson, Of Arthour and of Merlin)

Real Cat Webster's paw.
Cute, right?

Yeah, I didn’t understand that either. So I went on to the more familiar meaning, which appeared about 1440 (though from a work that may have been composed around 1350):

So come a lyonne..And in hir pawes scho hent the childe. (Sir Isumbras)

At least now we have a lion. I understand that.

“Paw” was borrowed from the Old French “powe” or “poe,” meaning “paw, fist.” Further etymology is uncertain, says the OED, but the word could have its ultimate roots in a pre-Roman and pre-Celtic language.

Next time you think about how cute your cat’s paws are, think about how they are kind of related to dragons’ feet!

Do your cat's paws resemble this dragon's, um, paws ?
Image via AdobeStock.

Friendly Fill-Ins

And now it’s time for Friendly Fill-Ins, from 15andmeowing and McGuffy’s Reader. They are a fun way to learn a little bit about the authors of the blogs you read. The first two questions, answered by Real Cat Paisley this week, are from Ellen of 15andmeowing, and the next two, answered by old SoLT, are from Annie of McGuffy’s Reader.

Real Cat Paisley's answers:

1. September bucket list: 1) eat, 2) nap, 3) scare dog. Hey, I’m finished!

2. If I came with a warning label, it would say “Prone to pouncing without warning”!

Old SoLT's answers:

3. Truth be told, I have no interest in Game of Thrones, and I am sick of hearing about it (but I loved the first two books, so go figure).

4. I would rather work on my own books and blog than do my “job job.”

The Monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Cats

We cats have been renowned through the centuries for our ability to hunt small, harmful animals, like mice and rats. But we’ve also been used to hunt snakes. One rather famous instance in which cats were used to hunt snakes occurred at the Monastery of Saint Nicholas, located near Akrotiri on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This story begins way back in the fourth century, so it’s no surprise that there are some different versions of it. We’ll tell you about the ones we found.

This satellite image of Cyprus shows the approximate
location of Akrotiri.
Photo Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team,
NASA/GSFC [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Version 1: The patronage of Saint Helena

A portion of the Monastery of St. Nicholas of the Cats today.
Photo © A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons.

According to this version, which we found on Atlas Obscura, Saint Helena was the patron of a monastery on Cyprus. Construction of said monastery began in AD 327, but there were soon some problems. Slithery problems.  As the legend goes, a horrible drought had hit the island, and numerous venomous snakes sort of took over the monastery site (I don’t mean one of them declared himself foreman; I mean they became so numerous as to be dangerous). The construction workers left—understandably, we think—and so work on the monastery stopped.  Helena (who was also the mother of Constantine, by the way), naturally wanted work to continue, so she hit on the inspired idea of importing a bunch of cats and setting them loose on the snakes. She acquired some cats (we’ve heard it was 1,000 cats) from Egypt and Persia, and she trained them with two bells: one to call them to dinner, the other to send them off to hunt snakes. The scheme worked, although many of the cats ended up injured from their battles with the snakes (which, we remind you, were venomous).

Version 2: The visit of Saint Helena

A rather handsome tabby at the Monastery of
St. Nicholas of the Cats.
Photo  © A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons.

This version we found on the Ring of Christ website (where you can see more photos of the monastery and its cats). In AD 327, Saint Helena was on her way to Jerusalem, and she stopped by the monastery, which had been founded two years earlier. But she arrived only to find the place overrun with the very same venomous snakes mentioned above. Cyprus had been suffering through a drought for 17 years, and the snakes went wherever there was water, which tended to be where there were people. (We have also seen 36 years and 40 years given as the duration of this famous drought. From this, we deduce that no one really knows how long the drought lasted.) Helena had the idea to import cats, and she got together with the governor and arranged for the cats to be brought in. But in this version, it was the monks who actually trained the cats to react to the bells.

Firsthand accounts of the snake-hunting cats

Over the years, many visitors stopped by the Saint Nicholas Monastery, and some of them wrote of what they saw there. For example, one F. Suriano wrote in 1484,

I heard a marvellous thing. From the said city of Lymisso up to this cape the soil produces so many snakes that men cannot till it, or walk without hurt thereon. And were it not for the remedy which God has set there, in a short time these would multiply so fast that the island would be depopulated. At this place there is a Greek monastery which rears an infinite number of cats, which wage unceasing war with these snakes. It is wonderful to see them, for nearly all are maimed by the snakes: one has lost a nose, another an ear; the skin of one is torn, another is lame: one is blind of one eye, another of both. And it is a strange thing that at the hour for their food at the sound of a bell all those that are scattered in the fields collect in the said monastery. And when they have eaten enough, at the sound of the bell they all leave together and go to fight the snakes.  (F. Suriano, in Excerpta Cypria: Materials for a History of Cyprus, trans. by Claude Delaval Cobham [Cambridge: University Press, 1908] 48–49, https://archive.org/details/excerptacypriam00cobhgoog)

Also in the 15th century, a Dominican named Felix Fabri visited Cyprus in 1480 and 1483, and mentioned the monastery “surrounded by serpents” but protected by cats.

This cat from the monastery may have some battle scars on his face from snake hunting, though we can't
tell for sure. Writers who visited the monastery in centuries past reported seeing many scarred cats.
Photo  © A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons.

What kind of snakes are we talking about?

There are 10 species of snakes on Cyprus (or eight or nine, depending on how the scientists classify them). Three of these are venomous, but only one is really dangerous to humans. That one is the Cyprian blunt-nosed viper, which is highly venomous and especially dangerous because when it bites, its teeth stay behind in the wound, continuing to inject venom. This bite can be fatal to a human if not treated.

The other poisonous snakes are the Montpellier snake and the cat snake (so named because its eyes resemble cats’ eyes). The Montpellier snake’s bite can cause mostly localized reactions in humans, and treatment should be sought. The cat snake has its fangs in the back of its upper jaw and is not able to inject a human with venom.

The monastery's church as it appeared in 1973.
Photo by Shirazibustan [CC BY-SA 4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

We of course don’t know exactly which species caused so much trouble for the monastery builders, but if it was in fact the blunt-nosed viper, that seems like quite a large snake for a cat to handle, as they can grow from four to nearly six feet in length. We would guess that in fact there were several types of snakes (both venomous and nonvenomous) that moved into the area in response to the drought, and the cats were sent after all of them.

Saint Nicholas today

In 1570, the Ottomans conquered Cyprus and the monks had to leave. The original monastery is no longer there, but there is a more modern monastery on the site, now run by nuns, who first arrived in 1983. Again, we have slightly different stories: Either the nuns reintroduced cats to the church grounds, which had again become overrun with snakes, or they took up care of the cats that were still around. In any case, today the nuns care for the cats and paint icons.

And yes, the adventurous traveler can still visit the Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Cats. You can even buy homemade preserves from the sisters who live there. Just watch out for snakes!

One of the cats living at the monastery. If I were a snake, I would not mess with this cat.
Photo  © A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons.

Cat of the Week: Star in Baltimore

Each week in this space, we feature an older adult or senior cat (7 years +) in need of adoption or sponsorship. Mature cats make great companions, and unlike kittens, they (probably) won’t climb the curtains! Adopt an older cat, and help them enjoy the best years of their life.

The need is even more urgent in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. The Baltimore Humane Society will be accepting homeless animals from areas affected by the flooding. So many of us feel pulled to help in any way we can.… Well, if you adopt today, you’ll be opening a space in the shelter for one of those Harvey animals. If our Cat of the Week doesn’t hit the mark for you, check out the other awesome adoptable animals at the Baltimore Humane Society!

And now, please say hello to Star, an all-white kitty who is 8 years old. She is quite talkative and very affectionate, though she is known to be independent too. We think the shape of her face is so pretty! Star loves to curl up on someone’s lap, so if you're dreaming of a lap cat, she could be your girl. She has lived with another cat and with older kids before. Her hobbies include scratching posts and little fuzzy mice.

Star is currently at the Baltimore Humane Society. Learn more about her here.

Can’t adopt? You can still help! Check out Sammy’s Cat Necessities Fund, which provides money for everyday and medical needs of cats at the Baltimore Humane Society. You can also make a general donation or sponsor a particular animal on this page. Every little bit helps!

Are you a dog lover? (It’s okay; we understand if you are—sort of.) Well, if you love dogs and are in the Baltimore area, make plans now to attend DogFest 2017 on Saturday, September 16. You can get discounted tickets online through September 14.

Book Review: A Tale of Two Kitties

On this Mysterious Monday, we bring you our review of the latest in Sofie Kelly’s Magical Cats series, A Tale of Two Kitties. This series features two of our very favorite mystery-solving cats: Owen and Hercules.

The cats

Yes, we usually begin with the plot, but this week we just cannot wait to tell you about these cats. Owen is a gray tabby who has a thing for a catnip toy called Fred the Funky Chicken. He can also disappear at will, and not the way most cats do, by hiding under furniture or in the deep, dark corner of a closet. No, Owen literally disappears into thin air. Then there’s Hercules, a handsome black and white fellow who has an excellent name from Greek mythology—although the name took a sort of zig-zaggy route from Greek myth to this cat, via Kevin Sorbo. Hercules can walk through walls, which is pretty handy (paw-y?) for a cat, because you know how humans are always trying to keep us out of places. These boys are pretty smart (almost as smart as I am, I daresay), and they have a talent for helping their person, Kathleen, solve crimes in the town of Mayville Heights, where she works at the local library.

The plot

And that brings me to the plot.

We love stories that are rooted in the past somehow, and that is exactly what is going on in A Tale of Two Kitties. First, a collection of old photos and undelivered mail is discovered during renovations to the post office. Then a fellow named Victor Janes shows up in town. This is significant because of an affair from years ago, in which Victor ran off with his twin brother’s wife. The wife was killed in a car accident shortly afterward, and now Victor is deathly ill. Could he be in town to make amends with his brother before he succumbs to his illness? Unfortunately, Victor misses his chance, because his twin, Leo, is found dead. Murdered, naturally. And it’s Owen the vanishing cat who lets Kathleen know something is wrong and leads her straight to where the body is.

Turns out, there is no shortage of people who could have wanted Leo Janes dead, and one of those people is a friend of Kathleen’s. She and the cats have to help prove his innocence. Both boys help her find clues, and Owen … well, you’re going to have to read the book to find out what Owen does.

Our verdict

Magical Cats is one of our favorite series. We so enjoy Owen and Hercules—because they are not just generic cats added to the story as part of the scenery. No, these cats have little personality quirks that make them just as real and well-rounded as any of the human characters. The superpowers? We accept without question that a cat could vanish before our eyes or walk through a wall. Why not? A Tale of Two Kitties also presents a perplexing mystery, with a pleasing number of twists, turns, and promising leads that turn into dead ends. As mentioned above, we like a story that is somehow rooted in the past, and this one surely is, what with the treasure trove of old photos and letters that were hidden away for some reason, as well as the years-old infidelity whose repercussions are still being felt.

Recommended!

A note on the "Paws Up" system: Miss C gives either one or two paws up. One paw is for a good read; two paws is for a great read. She never gives three or four paws because that would require her to lie on her back...and Miss C does not do that!

We received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. We wouldn’t tell you it was good unless we really liked it!

The link below is an Amazon Associates link. If you purchase the book through this link, old SoLT and I could get some coin for our kibble account. Thank you!

Sunday Selfie: Paisley Has Claws

Real Cat Paisley knows how to get a person's attention. A little claw action will usually do the trick, whether it be on a piece of furniture, the carpet, old SoLT's foot (a favorite target)... Yes, it's amazing the power of one little kitty claw. In this selfie, Paisley shows off her claws. She's sorry it's blurry, but it was an action shot.

We're joining in on the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by The Cat on My Head.

Caturday Art: Paisley and the Eclipse

This week's Caturday Art was inspired by the Great American Eclipse that happened a couple weeks ago. Old SoLT had used a colander to see if the little bits of light coming through the holes would really be crescent-shaped (answer: yes!). While she was doing this, Real Cat Paisley got interested in  chasing the shadow on the floor. The photo old SoLT got looks like Paisley is observing the eclipse:

This used the Space effect in Lunapic, followed by the Glowing Edges filter in Photoshop, and then a Polaroid frame from PicMonkey.

And here's the original:

We are pleased to be joining the Caturday Art blog hop, hosted by Athena and Marie.

Words with Webster: Tabby, Plus Friendly Fill-Ins

We have two fun Friday features for you today. First up is Real Cat Webster, who has a … stripey cat word to share. After that, it’s on to Friendly Fill-Ins!

Words with Webster

Hi, all! It’s me, Real Cat Webster. Welcome to Words with Me. Our word this week is “tabby.” This is a real cat word if ever there was one, right? I mean, just look at all the cats with blogs, and you’ll see a whole bunch of tabbies. So I was really surprised when I looked up the word in my favorite dictionary, Merriam-Webster’s. The first definition doesn’t have anything to do with cats! It’s about fabric: “(a): a plain silk taffeta especially with a moiré finish; (b): Plain Weave.”

Turns out the second definition is the cat one: “(a): a domestic cat having a gray or tawny coat striped and mottled with black and with the individual hairs variously banded and barred. (b): a domestic cat; esp. a female cat.” And then there is a third definition: “a prying woman.” I thought this was all kind of confusing, because the definition doesn’t say anything about orange tabbies or boy tabbies. (Hello … I’m right here! Orange [well, cream, but close enough]. Boy. Tabby. Waves paw.)

This is a tabby cat....
(We were going to write something on the sign, but
we couldn't think of what to put, and then we ran
out of time.)
Photo via Adobe Stock.

Anyway, next Mommy helped me go to the Oxford English Dictionary, where again, the first entry for the noun was for silk taffeta, “apparently originally striped” (ca. 1641). A little ways down is the definition “short for tabby cat” (first used in print in 1774), and farther down still (in the definition for the adjective) we come to the definition we’re more familiar with, “Of a brownish, tawny, or grey colour, marked with darker parallel stripes or streaks: … esp. in tabby cat, a cat of this coloration, or (by extension) of other colour similarly marked.” Now we’re getting somewhere. This use first shows up in 1665:

Cats…very large they are and tabby-coloured, streakt like those of Cyprus. (Thomas Herbert, Some Years Travels into Divers Parts of Africa and Asia the Great, new ed., 304)

And so is this.
Photo via Adobe Stock

It’s also pretty interesting to see how this word came to us. It seems to have started with the Arabic attabiy, which was the name of the part of Baghdad where tabby cloth was made. A 12th-century Arab writer said,

Here are made the stuffs, called ʿAttābīya, which are silks and cottons of divers colours.

The word entered English through medieval Latin and then the French atabis, later tabis. People apparently used “tabby” to describe certain cats because of those cats’ coat patterns.

But … “tabby” can also mean “old maid” or “she-cat.” These uses of the word may have come from the name Tabitha being shortened to Tabby. Showing again that human language doesn’t always make a lot of sense!

For more on tabbies, read my earlier post on Mackerel and Blotched.

Friendly Fill-Ins

And now it’s time for Friendly Fill-Ins, from 15andmeowing and McGuffy’s Reader. They are a fun way to learn a little bit about the authors of the blogs you read. The first two questions, answered by Real Cat Paisley this week, are from Ellen of 15andmeowing, and the next two, answered by old SoLT, are from Annie of McGuffy’s Reader.

Real Cat Paisley’s answers:

1. My favorite fictional characters are the gang from the comic strip Breaking Cat News. Those guys are so funny, and way better than the people news Mommy watches. They’re based on real cats, but I think the comic strip ones still count as fictional, right?

2.  A new tv show or film I am looking forward to this Fall is … I don’t watch TV. It's boring. I am looking forward to watching the leaves fall off the big tree outside the sunroom. That’s always fun.

Old SoLT’s answers:

3. One of my very favourite books is Watership Down. Everyone says, “But it’s about rabbits!” and I say, “Yeah, what’s your point?” But seriously, I have read this book probably 30 times and have never gotten tired of it. It is not just about rabbits.

4. The best time to be kind is always. And the best, best time is when you feel like doing the exact opposite, like dumping a cup of urine on a bus driver (this really happened on a bus in Washington, DC, this week).