# How did .cat become a top level domain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532 "2006-07-21T20:24:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dpimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Dpimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dpimi)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/1 "2006-07-21T20:24:29Z")
I can see how other top level domains came to be. It makes some sense but .cat refers to the Catolonian language or culture. By the way it expressly forbids using the tld for webpages about cats unless written in the Catalonian language. Anyway seems by approving .cat they just open themselves up for a tld for every language that doens’t have it’s own specific country ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/2 "2006-07-21T20:38:44Z")
I can’t find where ‘it’ forbids feline content. Unless you have an uber anal domain registrar, I don’t see how it’ll be stopped. Trying to will just end you up on [http://comedy.tv](http://comedy.tv) ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/3 "2006-07-21T20:54:53Z")
[Here is their application to become a sTLD. (sponsored top-level domain) from 2004](http://www.icann.org/tlds/stld-apps-19mar04/cat.htm). And [here’s](http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/3549441) an article about the new sTLD. From the article: > [@](#): > > As policy makers for .cat, Associacio puntCAT can determine who and what goes on their domain extension. That’s different than policies created for generic TLDs (gTLD) like .com or .net, which are overseen by ICANN. > > Ross Rader, director of research and innovation at registrar Tucows, said that by approving .cat for Catalans, ICANN has just excluded any other group of people who would want to use .cat – cat lovers and Caterpillar, the heavy machinery company, are just a few examples, he said. Apparently all pages must either be in or have something to do with the Catalan language. This is not a good thing, IMNSHO. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/4 "2006-07-21T21:05:21Z")
[QUOTE=Rico] [Here is their application to become a sTLD. (sponsored top-level domain) from 2004](http://www.icann.org/tlds/stld-apps-19mar04/cat.htm). This is not a good thing, IMNSHO. [/QUOTE] I generally agree with you but it does have a legitimate use. By restricting a top level domain to one language, it would be easier for speakers of that language to find sites written in it and it should be much easier for search engines to index it. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/5 "2006-07-21T21:07:19Z")
[QUOTE=Rico] This is not a good thing, IMNSHO. [/QUOTE] Do think this case is worse than the _aero_ or _museum_ TLDs? ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/6 "2006-07-21T21:19:33Z")
Personally, I think that any policy that restricts a site from a particular domain are wrong. Webhosting rules (i.e. no porn or spam from this hosting company) are a different story completely. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/7 "2006-07-21T21:50:54Z")
You know, the more I read that last remark, the more I feel there are two exceptions to that: **.gov** and **.edu** When you type a .gov extension, you need to know you’re on an official government website. And the same thing with a .edu extension. So I guess I must partially retract my previous statement. ---
**Author:** ![Dpimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Dpimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dpimi)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/8 "2006-07-21T22:21:22Z")
Well I agree many top level domains are not open. Like .aero .coop .jobs .museum .pro .travel but I don’t see why they would agree to give the Catalonians a top level domain in the generic field as opposed to a tld in the country field. Plenty of non independent states have their own tld. Like .um is forUnited States Minor Outlying Islands. I know when Belgium was having issues they wanted .VL for Vlaanderen, but they didn’t go after a top level generic name like .cat. Actually though not enforced .biz is technically restricted to business commerical use only. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/9 "2006-07-21T22:22:19Z")
That would be .gov.us, right? I mean, you wouldn’t want to be reading a North Korean government website, would you? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/10 "2006-07-21T22:26:36Z")
.cat is not a top-level “site type” domain name like .biz or .edu or .com or .gov, but a top-level national domain name like .ca or .au or .jp – a “national” domain; in this case, that of the Catalan nation(ality) of Spain. I think it’s the sole three-letter national domain name. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/11 "2006-07-21T22:30:29Z")
[QUOTE=Dpimi] Well I agree many top level domains are not open. Like .aero .coop .jobs .museum .pro .travel but I don’t see why they would agree to give the Catalonians a top level domain in the generic field as opposed to a tld in the country field. Plenty of non independent states have their own tld. Like .um is forUnited States Minor Outlying Islands. I know when Belgium was having issues they wanted .VL for Vlaanderen, but they didn’t go after a top level generic name like .cat. [/QUOTE] This appears to be hinting at a decent explanation…nobody would suggest abandoning .es for all of Catalonia, yet at the same time there’s a very strong local opinion that there should be a recognition of Catalonia within the TLD setup, and so acception .cat in this manner is a bit of a compromise. The precedent being set is for any number of groups with a linguistic identity making a claim for a particular TLD. On the other hand, I suspect it’ll actually just disappear and be forgotten, because nobody really cares about TLDs. Nobody’s insisted on a Welsh TLD, and the internal contradictions of [www.cymru.gov.uk](http://www.cymru.gov.uk) doesn’t seem to worry anyone. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/12 "2006-07-22T00:57:36Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] That would be .gov.us, right? I mean, you wouldn’t want to be reading a North Korean government website, would you? [/QUOTE] Nope. One of the effects of ICANN being in the US (and the US getting some credit for this whole Internet thing to begin with) is that at least two TLDs, .gov and .mil are US-restricted. .gov is open to any government in the US, though it can be confusing as several different TLDs are used. (For instance, Albuquerque’s website is [www.cabq.gov](http://www.cabq.gov) while Las Cruces’ is [www.las-cruces.org](http://www.las-cruces.org). New Mexico uses [www.newmexico.gov](http://www.newmexico.gov) while several of the departments use .state.nm.us) .mil is only for the US military. And, of course, while anyone can use .com, it seems to be a primarily US usage. I mean, how many sites can you name that use .co.us? .edu is pretty much only used in the US, though there are no restrictions on it either. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/13 "2006-07-22T07:45:08Z")
[QUOTE=asterion] And, of course, while anyone can use .com, it seems to be a primarily US usage. I mean, how many sites can you name that use .co.us? .edu is pretty much only used in the US, though there are no restrictions on it either. [/QUOTE] While it’s true that American companies overwhelmingly opt for .com, it’s not true that it’s ‘primarily’ seen as an indication that a site is American. Many companies outside of the US use .com URLs. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-cat-become-a-top-level-domain/365532/14 "2006-07-22T08:48:01Z")
[QUOTE=asterion] Nope. One of the effects of ICANN being in the US [/QUOTE] Whoosh!