From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcatcat /kæt/ ●●● S1 W3 noun [countable] 1 
ANIMAL a) DHPa small animal with four legs that people often keep as a pet → felinetabby/ginger/tortoiseshell etc cat (=colours of cats) a tom cat (=a male cat) b) HBA (also big cat) a large animal such as a lion or tiger2 → let the cat out of the bag3 → put/set the cat among the pigeons4 → play (a game of) cat and mouse (with somebody)5 → the cat’s whiskers/pyjamas6 → like a cat on hot bricks7 → not stand/have a cat in hell’s chance (of doing something)8 → when the cat’s away (the mice will play)9 → like the cat that got the cream10 → look like something the cat dragged/brought in → raining cats and dogs at rain2(1), → there’s not enough room to swing a cat at room1(5)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa pet cat (=one that you care for in your home)Lucy had a horse and a pet cat of her own.a domestic cat (=one that lives with people)People have kept domestic cats for thousands of years.a tabby cat (=which has dark and light lines on brown or grey fur)They had a 12-year-old tabby cat.a ginger cat (=which has orange-brown fur)I've always wanted a ginger cat.a feral cat (=one that lives in groups with other cats but has no home)The small fishing village was full of feral cats.a stray cat (=one that has lost its home)He found a stray cat and started feeding it.a wild cat (=a type of cat that does not live with people)The African wild cat is bigger than ordinary domestic cats.big cats (=lions, tigers etc)All 36 species of big cat are vulnerable or endangered.verbsa cat miaows/mews (=makes a small noise)The cat was miaowing outside the door.a cat purrs (=makes a soft noise that shows pleasure)The cat purred as she stroked it.a cat hisses (=makes a low noise that shows fear or anger)Cats sometimes hiss at dogs.a cat scratches somebodyIf a cat gets angry, it may scratch you with its claws.a cat leaps/springsThen the cat leapt up into the tree.a cat pounces on something (=jumps on something and catches it)The cat was hiding, waiting to pounce on the bird.have a catWe always had a cat when I was young.feed a catShe comes in while we're away to feed the cat.stroke a catOur cat won't let you stroke it.cat + NOUNcat foodHe bought some cans of cat food.cat litter (=small grains for a cat to use as a toilet inside the house)You should change cat litter daily.a cat flap (=a special door for a cat to go in and out of a house)The cat was getting too fat to fit through the cat flap.a cat ownerIt is estimated that around 64 million Americans are cat owners.phraseslet/put the cat out (=let it or make it go outside)Can you let the cat out?
ANIMAL a) DHPa small animal with four legs that people often keep as a pet → felinetabby/ginger/tortoiseshell etc cat (=colours of cats) a tom cat (=a male cat) b) HBA (also big cat) a large animal such as a lion or tiger2 → let the cat out of the bag3 → put/set the cat among the pigeons4 → play (a game of) cat and mouse (with somebody)5 → the cat’s whiskers/pyjamas6 → like a cat on hot bricks7 → not stand/have a cat in hell’s chance (of doing something)8 → when the cat’s away (the mice will play)9 → like the cat that got the cream10 → look like something the cat dragged/brought in → raining cats and dogs at rain2(1), → there’s not enough room to swing a cat at room1(5)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa pet cat (=one that you care for in your home)Lucy had a horse and a pet cat of her own.a domestic cat (=one that lives with people)People have kept domestic cats for thousands of years.a tabby cat (=which has dark and light lines on brown or grey fur)They had a 12-year-old tabby cat.a ginger cat (=which has orange-brown fur)I've always wanted a ginger cat.a feral cat (=one that lives in groups with other cats but has no home)The small fishing village was full of feral cats.a stray cat (=one that has lost its home)He found a stray cat and started feeding it.a wild cat (=a type of cat that does not live with people)The African wild cat is bigger than ordinary domestic cats.big cats (=lions, tigers etc)All 36 species of big cat are vulnerable or endangered.verbsa cat miaows/mews (=makes a small noise)The cat was miaowing outside the door.a cat purrs (=makes a soft noise that shows pleasure)The cat purred as she stroked it.a cat hisses (=makes a low noise that shows fear or anger)Cats sometimes hiss at dogs.a cat scratches somebodyIf a cat gets angry, it may scratch you with its claws.a cat leaps/springsThen the cat leapt up into the tree.a cat pounces on something (=jumps on something and catches it)The cat was hiding, waiting to pounce on the bird.have a catWe always had a cat when I was young.feed a catShe comes in while we're away to feed the cat.stroke a catOur cat won't let you stroke it.cat + NOUNcat foodHe bought some cans of cat food.cat litter (=small grains for a cat to use as a toilet inside the house)You should change cat litter daily.a cat flap (=a special door for a cat to go in and out of a house)The cat was getting too fat to fit through the cat flap.a cat ownerIt is estimated that around 64 million Americans are cat owners.phraseslet/put the cat out (=let it or make it go outside)Can you let the cat out? Examples from the Corpus
cat• The next day Richard got a cat.• What falling ill means to a cat, or any other animal, is that something unpleasant is threatening it.• She travelled in a chariot drawn by cats, the latter being her sacred animal symbol and familiars.• That Jefferson is one cool cat.• Mr Cruitt says ad spending will triple this year, when the company will begin promoting the cat version of the drug.• Two cats add to the homely feel, as does the lively Caps Restaurant and Bar.• No one was about except a black and white cat asleep in the sun.tabby/ginger/tortoiseshell etc cat• First, what exactly is a tortoiseshell cat?• For some reason we do not fully understand, the blotched tabby cat was a winner.• It was Rats, Molly's huge tortoiseshell cat.• A large, tabby cat came in, sniffed round his shoes then jumped up on his lap.• A visible example of X chromosome inactivation is the tortoiseshell cat.• What is the history of the tabby cat?• The tortoiseshell cat was found wounded and frightened in Grangetown, Middlesbrough, and brought to an animal sanctuary.CATCAT in the past, the British Government guide to standards for the Individual Saving Accounts (ISA ) introduced in 1999. It stands for reasonable Cost, easy Access, decent Terms. CAT was replaced by stakeholder ISAs in 2005.Origin cat Old English catt, probably from Latin cattus, catta 