Peter Nerváez, "Of Corpse" (Utah State U.P., 2003):

                

                         SHOOT THE CAT

Nellie was the prettiest girl that ever you did see,
Oft times she [was] asked to a dance or a spree                                 
And she was asked a question and the answer for to make,
And she kindly asked her Mrs. could she go to the wake.
Yay, yay, fell the dee, don’t you know what I mean?

Yes, you may go but be civil and beware,
For Johnny is going and you know he will be there.
He will kiss you and he’ll court you, and he’ll keep your belly warm,
And perhaps you will be sorry coming home in the morn.
Yay, yay, fell the dee, don’t you know what I mean?

Oh the dance being over and all cleared away,
Johnny took his Nellie onto some bed of hay,
And Johnny said unto Nellie let me lie you on your back
And I’ll show you the game what they call “shoot the cat”
Yay, yay, fell the dee, don’t you know what I mean?

Oh six months being over and seven on the rail,
Nellie’s rosy cheeks they began to look pale,
Her apron strings they wouldn’t tie, and her stays they wouldn’t lap,
And they put it to the game what they call “shoot the cat.”
Yay, yay, fell the dee, don’t you know what I mean?

Oh eight months being over and nine coming on,
Nellie was the mother of a bouncing young son,
And says Mrs. unto Nellie let me name it for [your] sake                        
And we’ll call it “Shoot the cat coming home from the wake.”
Yay, yay, fell the dee, don’t you know what I mean?

This young bugger he grew up to be a man,
And coming round the corner with his rooster in his hand,
And every girl he'd meet he would give to him a shake,
Saying, "Daddy shoot [sic] the cat coming home from the wake."      
Yay, yay, fell the dee,


“Collected by Jesse Fudge from Robert Childs, Ramea [Newf.], Dec. 22, 1977....For a commercially released variant hear ‘Daddy Shot the Cat’ on [Con] O’Brien and [Ronnie] Power [“A Time in Bay Bulls,” St. Johns: Homespun Records, cassette HSR 003 47] (1990).”