# Stray Cat In Basement **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2025, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444 "2025-01-01T16:39:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/41 "2025-01-02T21:30:31Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > It’s up to the cat who’s it is. > > I got that word wrong again. “Who’s” is not right. Should have been “whom’s”. “Whose.” Or were you jesting? ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/42 "2025-01-02T22:00:37Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > Meave is adorable! Correct ! [https://i.ibb.co/0MnyQxp/Meave.jpg](https://i.ibb.co/0MnyQxp/Meave.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/43 "2025-01-02T22:14:33Z")
I hope she always uses those eyes as a force for good! ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/44 "2025-01-02T22:32:37Z")
She reminds me somewhat of Boots from my childhood; who weighed about six pounds but was fully in charge of the household, which included humans, other cats, and a somewhat short tempered boxer dog. But nobody argued with Boots. There was nothing mean about her – but she was the one in charge. Boots lived to be somewhere in her 20’s, though we never found out exactly how old she was. May Maeve do likewise. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/45 "2025-01-02T23:09:56Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > I hope she always uses those eyes as a force for good! What’s the use of eyes like that if they’re used for good? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/46 "2025-01-02T23:23:36Z")
Whose asking? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/47 "2025-01-02T23:36:11Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > I discovered it on my way to work as I was checking my cellar door Cellar Door is considered to be a beautiful phrase in English Literature. No, I am not making this up. It has been used by many writers. [Phonaesthetics - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonaesthetics#Cellar_door) ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/48 "2025-01-03T00:02:37Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Cellar Door is considered to be a beautiful phrase Many moons ago family friends had a pair of cats wander onto their farm and set up housekeeping - ‘Cellar Door’ and ‘Butterfoot’ ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/49 "2025-01-03T00:46:00Z")
🎶 “I caught you knockin’ at my cellar door, I love you baby, can I have some more, ooh, ooh, the damage done…” Cats name is Neil. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/50 "2025-01-03T02:04:08Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > > [@Ellecram](#): > > > > I discovered it on my way to work as I was checking my cellar door > > Cellar Door is considered to be a beautiful phrase in English Literature. No, I am not making this up. It has been used by many writers.. > > [Phonaesthetics - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonaesthetics#Cellar_door) Such a beautiful bit of knowledge! Thank you for sharing this. Sometimes I try to avoid using the word cellar. I generally substitute with basement but cellar just rolls off my tongue since it’s been something I’ve used since I was a child. I am going to share this with some friends and family! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/51 "2025-01-03T02:29:17Z")
Sorry, but I just have to say that I always read the thread title to the tune of [_Old Man On The Back Porch_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VTszNLwFd0&t=10s). ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/52 "2025-01-03T03:10:09Z")
> [@vbob](#): > > Many moons ago family friends had a pair of cats wander onto their farm and set up housekeeping - ‘Cellar Door’ and ‘Butterfoot’ Was Butterfoot discovered walking in the butter? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/53 "2025-01-03T03:11:41Z")
Omg. I certainly hope so. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/54 "2025-01-03T11:20:54Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Was Butterfoot discovered walking in the butter? It may have been either one that left the buttery trail of paw prints, but Cellar Door had already named himself by his chosen point of entry. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/55 "2025-01-03T11:40:58Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Cellar Door is considered to be a beautiful phrase in English Literature. No, I am not making this up. It has been used by many writers. Another day and another pot of coffee brings old memories trickling back… The friends who named the farm cats who adopted them Butterfoot & Cellar Door were Roy & Cé Bongartz - he was a longtime contributor to The New Yorker and very playful wordsmith, and quite likely aware of linguistic qualities attributed to ‘cellar door’ that were lost on 6 year old me. During a visit to our house he remarked upon the name I had chosen for my first cat - Softly - marveling that he had not heard of a pet with an adverb for a name before. Family legend has it that a paragraph or two about these cat names ended up in a column or article in The New Yorker, but Roy is long gone, and I’ve never been able to find it. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/56 "2025-01-03T12:07:48Z")
> [@vbob](#): > > > [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > > > Cellar Door is considered to be a beautiful phrase in English Literature. No, I am not making this up. It has been used by many writers. > > Another day and another pot of coffee brings old memories trickling back… > The friends who named the farm cats who adopted them Butterfoot & Cellar Door were Roy & Cé Bongartz - he was a longtime contributor to The New Yorker and very playful wordsmith, and quite likely aware of linguistic qualities attributed to ‘cellar door’ that were lost on 6 year old me. During a visit to our house he remarked upon the name I had chosen for my first cat - Softly - marveling that he had not heard of a pet with an adverb for a name before. Family legend has it that a paragraph or two about these cat names ended up in a column or article in The New Yorker, but Roy is long gone, and I’ve never been able to find it. That is a such a charming story. I imagine you searched as much as one can. It’s sad that things have to remain forever out of reach. Cellar Door and Butterfoot - such unique names. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/57 "2025-01-03T15:45:47Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > I imagine you searched as much as one can. It’s sad that things have to remain forever out of reach. The capabilities of online search grow by leaps and bounds - mayhap 'tis time to try again. But the family backstory was never published…that is, until now. I had forgotten it for decades, and will likely forget it again in not too many more, but we must hope and trust that the Straight Dope will carry our knowledge on long into a bright, prosperous, and (of course) less ignorant future. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/58 "2025-01-03T16:39:38Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > Just call him “Strut”, hopefully he’ll strut to his real home soon. Does he got cat class and he got cat style? Meow! ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/59 "2025-01-03T16:56:56Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > > [@Paintcharge](#): > > > > Just call him “Strut”, hopefully he’ll strut to his real home soon. > > Does he got cat class and he got cat style? > Meow!. OK now I have an exasperating ear worm. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444/60 "2025-01-03T23:00:23Z")
_Celador_ was Tolkiens land, wasnt it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stray-cat-in-basement/1012444.md?page=4)