Qatteri Cat’s Paw
The Qatteri Cat has some desert cat in him, or so the vet says. She says this on the basis of his very very hairy ears, the better to keep sand out, and his very hairy paws. His paws crack me up – desert cats have hairy paws so that they can walk on hot sand without burning their feet.
There is another meaning to cat’s paw than the literal meaning. When a person is referred to as a cat’s paw, it means that person is acting, knowingly or unknowingly, to do the will of another person. Here is what answers.com says about the term cat’s paw:
cat’s-paw also cats·paw (kăts’pô’)
n., pl. cat’s-paws also cats·paws.
A person used by another as a dupe or tool.
A light breeze that ruffles small areas of a water surface.
Nautical. A knot made by twisting a section of rope to form two adjacent eyes through which a hook is passed, used in hoisting.
cat’s paw
A dupe or tool for another, a sucker, as in You always try to make a cat’s paw of me, but I refuse to do any more of your work. This term alludes to a very old tale about a monkey that persuades a cat to pull chestnuts out of the fire so as to avoid burning its own paws. The story dates from the 16th century and versions of it (some with a dog) exist in many languages.
I know that some of you out there in etherworld share my love of words and phrases, and of knowing their origin. This is for you! 🙂
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…and a love of cats as well 🙂
Lady J. I saw an tom cat yesterday with a face like hamburger. I left food for him and he didn’t even touch it. We do the best we can, they are such sweet little spirits, but we can’t save them all. QC just got lucky – and we got lucky when he came to live with us. He’s a very sweet cat, and very funny.
Have you seen I Can Has Cheezburger? It is a total HOOT!
Love the catspaw background! I’ve always just had the “light breeze during a calm” and the “knotty” concepts – the “dupe” is much more interesting. Oddly, though, the first thing that came to mind was what my memory tells me was a Hardy Boys “Mystery of the Cats Paw” or something along those lines… LOL
QC got extra lucky, I think. Scored BIG time with you and AdventureMan.
A “stray” showed up in the backyard over the weekend – looked just like the sneezer cat in his prime. Of course I went out and chatted with him – he was sweet, collarless and hungry, but seemed to be trying to find his way home. I let him wander on, but if he comes back…
G’morning, Sparkle! Oh sweetie, another kitty baby . . . awwwwwwwwww! You and Mariner Man seem to have good stray karma . . . I see a pet-blog coming on. . . (?)
Great post, on a couple of levels. Love the word game myself, so the “cat’s paw” discussion is great as is the illustration.
This morning as I watched my fat, shaggy cat with the hairy ears and paws sleep, I thought he must have descended from some Arctic breed. I guess not.
Maybe so! Makes sense that the paws and ears could also be protected from extreme cold, doesn’t it? Happy to see you here, Riannan 🙂