noun
ADJECTIVE
▪ domestic , family , house ( esp. AmE ), household , pet
▪ big
▪
She went to Africa to photograph big ~s.
▪ feral , wild
▪ alley , stray
▪ pedigree ( BrE ), pedigreed ( AmE )
▪ long-haired , short-haired
▪ calico ( AmE ), tabby , tortoiseshell , etc.
▪ tom (usually tomcat )
▪ playful
▪ sleek
▪ Cheshire ( figurative )
▪
He was grinning like a Cheshire ~ (= smiling widely) .
▪ fat ( figurative )
▪
the fat ~s of big business
VERB + CAT
▪ have , keep , own
▪
We have a pet ~ called Archie.
▪ feed
▪ pet ( AmE ), stroke ( esp. BrE )
▪ neuter , spay
▪
They didn't want kittens, so they had their ~ spayed.
▪ put down
▪
The ~ was in constant pain so they had it put down.
CAT + VERB
▪ hiss , mew , miaow/meow , purr , spit , yowl
▪
The ~ miaowed pitifully.
▪
There was a ~ yowling outside my window last night.
▪ bite (sb) , scratch (sb)
▪ creep , pad , prowl , slink
▪
A ~ padded silently past.
▪
The ~ slunk away into the darkness.
▪ arch its back
▪ crouch
▪ curl up
▪ catch sth , hunt (sth) , stalk sth
▪ jump , leap , pounce (on sth) , spring
▪ spray (sth)
▪
Cats mark their territory by spraying.
CAT + NOUN
▪ door ( AmE ), flap ( BrE )
▪ food
▪ litter
▪ dander ( AmE ), hair
▪ lover , owner
▪ phobia
PHRASES
▪ fight like ~ and dog ( BrE ), fight like ~s and dogs ( AmE )
▪
In our childhood Irina and I fought like ~(s) and dog(s).
▪ play (a game of) ~ and mouse
▪
Young car thieves enjoy playing ~ and mouse with the police.