clowder

[eberntson]

noun

A group of cats.

http://www.freedictionary.org --
clowder \clowder\ n. [from clodder, dial. variant of clotter,
to clot, huddle together. --RHUD]
a group of cats.

Example: The James found their closet to be a mewing clowder of cats.

[Slava]

Kitten a bit clowded in de closet, eh?

[eberntson]

So this is like a gaggle of geese, but doesn't a flock work with any fowl. So for cats a pride of lion or pride of cats is equivalent. However, my observation of lions and the neighbor cats at night differs. A Pride of lions has some real structure & hierarchy, while a clowder of cats seems to be something different. At the humane society the kittens are all balled up or climbing over each other, this is a "clowder", also when I see adult cats huddle together. I have seen the neighborhood cats all lay in one driveway pointed in different directions organization, but that seems more of a "pride", then a mewing clowder of kitties.

There seems to be some synonyms with "kindle/kendle of cats".

[Slava]

I got curious about the flock and fowl suggestion and looked it up. Turns out that flock is used for any aggregation of animals moving and feeding together; especially those tended by humans, such as sheep or goats.

Everything else appears to be more or less made up to fit the concept, as in a parliament of owls.

Synonyms: These nouns denote a number of animals, birds, or fish considered collectively, and some have human connotations. Flock is applied to a congregation of animals of one kind, especially sheep or goats herded by people, and to any congregation of wild or domesticated birds, especially when on the ground. It is also applicable to people who form the membership of a church or to people under someone's care or supervision. Herd is used of a number of animals, especially cattle, herded by people; or of wild animals such as antelope, elephants, and zebras; or of whales and seals. Applied to people, it is used disparagingly of a crowd or of the masses and suggests the gregarious aspect of crowd psychology. Drove is used of a herd or flock, as of cattle or geese, that is being moved or driven from one place to another; less often it refers to a crowd of people in movement. Pack is applicable to any body of animals, especially wolves, or of birds, especially grouse, and to a body of hounds trained to hunt as a unit. It also refers disparagingly to a band or group of persons. Gang refers to a herd, especially of buffalo or elk; to a pack of wolves or wild dogs; or to various associations of persons, especially when engaged in violent or criminal pursuits. Brood is applicable to offspring that are still under the care of a mother, especially the offspring of domestic or game birds or, less formally, of people. · The following related terms are used as indicated: bevy, a company of roe deer, larks, or quail; cast, the number of hawks or falcons cast off at one time, usually a pair; cete, a company of badgers; covert, a flock of coots; covey, a family of grouse, partridges, or other game birds; drift, a drove or herd, especially of hogs; exaltation, a flight of larks; fall, a family of woodcock in flight; flight, a flock of birds in flight; gaggle, a flock of geese; gam, a school of whales, or a social congregation of whalers, especially at sea; kennel, a number of hounds or dogs housed in one place or under the same ownership; kindle, a brood or litter, especially of kittens; litter, the total number of offspring produced at a single birth by a multiparous mammal; murder, a flock of crows; muster, a flock of peacocks; nide, a brood of pheasants; pod, a small herd of seals or whales; pride, a company of lions; rout, a company of people or animals in movement, especially knights or wolves; school, a congregation of fish, or aquatic mammals such as dolphins or porpoises; shrewdness, a company of apes; skein, a flight of wildfowl, especially geese; skulk, a congregation of vermin, especially foxes, or of thieves; sloth, a company of bears; sord, a flight of mallards; sounder, a herd of wild boar; stable, a number of horses housed in one place or under the same ownership; swarm, a colony of insects, such as ants, bees, or wasps, especially when migrating to a new nest or hive; troop, a number of animals, birds, or people, especially when on the move; warren, the inhabitants, such as rabbits, of a warren; watch, a flock of nightingales; and wisp, a flock of birds, especially of snipe.

[eberntson]

LOL That is awesome, a parliament of owls... who made up these things... OED... here I come.

So I wonder if fish are in schools, but what about fish that aren't schooling fish, such as goldfish or the like...

Thank you so much I really enjoyed that...

What next mice, rabbits, vultures, prairie dogs, etc

E

[Slava]

Well, prairie dog has now become a verb about humans:
http://www.alphadictionary.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2347

Perhaps a group of mice we should call a "nibble?"

[LukeJavan8]

A "business" of ferrets, a "chirp" of goldfinches. This
list can go on for pages.

[Stargzer]

Then there's a Chowder of Clams, further broken down based on the two major clades, Manhattan and New England, and my other favorite, a Stew of Oysters.

[Perry]

My son's allergies really act up if he visits a home that is even partly clowdery.

[Slava]

My son's allergies really act up if he visits a home that is even partly clowdery.

When he gets stuffed up, you can now call him a clowder-head.