Sunday 10 March 2013

c is for catgregation

That's right...  it's time for a new word and that word is catgregation.

I'm sure you've all heard of the word congregation before.  A collection or assemblage of peeps in a crowd or mass.  But what if those congregatin' peeps aren't peeps?  What if they're cats?  Well then, you've got yourself a catgregation, for sure.

A catgregation should not be confused with a clowder.  A clowder is a group of cats.  For example, I live in a clowder 'cause there are twelve of us cats.  We all live in the same house, play in the same garden and rule the same peeps.  We're a clowder simply because we are a group...  a group of cats.  We can all be doin' different things throughout the house but we're still part of the same group...  or clowder.

In a catgregation however, there is always a purpose to our catgregating.  For instance, when a peep opens a tin of the Fancy Feast, we cats of the clowder tend to catgregrate in the kitchen, in and around the peep in question's feet, forming a catgregation.  We're all there for the single purpose of gettin' our paws on that Fancy Feast.  Some of us come from upstairs while some of us come from the family room and some might even come from outside but we all gather for the same reason and in doin' so, we form a catgregation.

A catgregation can be big or little.  In my house, when we cats catgregate, the catgregation is relatively small.  I mean...  twelve is a lot but it's nothin' compared to what it could be.  It's nothin' compared to the catgregations found at Catgress.

What's that?  You say you've never of Catgress?  Oh my...  I thought everyone knew 'bout Catgress.

Catgress is a catgregation of the most intelligent of cats.  Now, the thing about us cats is that we're all highly intelligent...  'cause we're cats.  That means we're all qualified to attend Catgress.  That's right...  each and every one of us. 

Catgresses are usually held on a local level because most of us don't drive.  Most cats have to come from within walkin' distance.  A Catgress might be held in a park or a large garden.  Perhaps even on a neighbour's back porch.  But when the cats gather to discuss the great mysteries of life, Catgress is in session.

Peeps are often unaware of Catgress.  Some of them might suspect somethin' is up but they're never really able to figure it out.  You'll hear peeps calling their cats off in the distance...  "Smokey...  Willow...  Snookums..."  Those peeps are wonderin' where their cats are.  They've looked high and they've looked low.  They've looked in cupboards and under beds.  They've looked under chairs and on top of cabinets.  They've looked just about everywhere, to no avail.  Well my friends, that's 'cause their cats are catgregants at Catgress.

Typically, Catgress is held at either dawn or dusk.  Your regular run-of-the-mill catgregation may form at any time of day or night. 

Catgresses also tend to be a little louder than catgregations.  This is probably due to the fact that the catgregants forming an ordinary catgregation usually know each other well.  Often they hold the same political beliefs and whatnot.  At Catgress, however, you've got cats comin' from all over the place and let me tell you, some of them have some pretty wacky ideas.

 I once heard of this one catgregant at a Catgress who thought cat grass should be made illegal.  He was one very confused cat.  The ensuing yowls and howls could have been heard for miles and awakened the dead or something.  And they would have, too, except fortuitously, at the very same time as this particular Catgress was in session, there was an opera goin' on across the street.  Let's just say, some things are more ear piercing than a cat fight at Catgress.

So to any peeps readin' this blog post, next time you see a group of cats gatherin', ask yourself this...  is that simply a catgregation or is it Catgress?  And if it is Catgress, you might very well wonder what discussions are on the agenda that night.  You might wonder, indeed.  And you'll be kept wondering 'cause we cats never divulge the secrets of Catgress.  Unless, of course, it makes for a good story.

31 comments:

  1. Wow, that is all interesting info. We sure will remember the difference between all those gatherings. They all sound like great fun. Have a super Sunday catgregating.

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  2. "Catgresses are usually held on a local level" ... very much like the Roman forums, often held as the model for democracy.

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    1. Yes, well, uh... I believe the Romans got the idea from us cats. purrs

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  3. That's very interesting, Nissy! That could explain why PrincessPuff tries so hard to get out of the house after dark. She could be a member of Catgress!

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  4. Ooooo, these gatherings all sound as if you cats can have bunches of fun...Miss Kitty wouldn't divulge, so I guess we will never know! Wishing you a Happy Sunday!

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  5. We are usually the hosts for any catgress on our street since we aren't allowed outside. We'll catgregate at the catio and our pals will sit on Mommy's car while we catgress about *stuff*. One day, one day when we figure out that computer thing, we could catgress internationally over Skype!

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  6. Nerissa, I am sure a Catgress of ANY cats would be better at governing than the Congress we have right now.
    We loved your lesson on catregations, clowders and Catgresses.

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  7. I love your undates mom reads everything to us 6 kitties. Just wish folks post your link more hard to fine with a phone. Mol
    Love Peabody Rocky Walker

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    1. Hmmm... Can you get e-mail on your phone? You can follow Nerissa's Life by e-mail and get a notification with every new post. Or, are you on FB? I have a fan page there and I always post the link daily.

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  8. Nerissa, you totally made my evening! LOVED this.

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  9. What a lot of interesting info! Mom suspects that there may be an alternative reason for my wanting to go outside all the time than just to roll in the dirt.

    Spyro

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  10. WellI loved how you explained it, but I don't expect the humans to understanda,

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  11. Nerissa, I'm the absolute monarch in our house, but I would like to come to your catgress. Your explanation was absolutely magnificent :)

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  12. Nissy you are a veritable fount of knowledge.....I love learning new words and you certainly are the best at explaining them!!

    Kitty Hugs, Sammy

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  13. That's a great word and some interesting information!

    Oink oink,
    Katie and Coccolino the mini pig

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  14. Yay! Thanks for teaching us some new words :)

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  15. thank goodness you didn't divulge our secret.....for a second there I was afraid you would! Love, Cody

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  16. We know only good things will come out of such a gathering and that the laws passed from a Catgress event will only be fabulous and amazing and good for progress! Yay! Take care
    x

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  17. Me and my fur-sibs catregate in da kitchen where all da noms are kept. I think I need to contact my Catgressmancat to make it mandatory to keep noms in our kitteh apartment so we haz access to da noms whenever we want and not whenever Mom wants. Can I hear a "heck yeah!" www.wonderpurr.com

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  18. Well, I am glad you made that clear, Nerissa!! What's a catclave then?

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  19. I'll best that in mind next time I see the local kitties!

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  20. We're not sure humans will understand all that but we sure do!

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  21. Soooo, all that yeowelling in the backyard today was Kozmo and the cat across the street having a Catgress?
    (Me thoughts it was a minor territory tiff from not seeing each other all winter .....)

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  22. Imagine making cat grass illegal! Good thing the Catgress voted against it! Man, lots of interesting things go on at your house Nerissa...Hey congrats on your 38,000!

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  23. oh noes! Mouses! I can't ever attend a Catgress session 'cuz I am indoor only! sigh...I can't even have a catgregation or even be part of a clowder...

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    1. Have no fear, Savvy. You have a teleportation device, do you not? If not... there's always Skype. That how you spell that? purrs

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  24. Nerissa, you may have to repeat !...MEOW. MEOW. MEOW

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  25. My clowder catregates every night at the door when I come home for some Mommy pets... or maybe it's a Catgress....hmmm... now I'm not sure!

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  26. uhm...Nerissa? Are we telling the humans a wee bit too much...? SHOULD they know about...you know...Catgress???

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