After the uncharacteristic crudity of my opening message on this thread (for which I shall do suitable penance by posting the lyrics to an old Gaelic song later), I did promise a shaggy dog story. Here it is:

The Dancing Cat

A long time ago in West Kerry, there was a wonderful house-party going on one night.The fiddler's elbows were racing up and down as he played The Gander in the Pratie Hole,The Pratie in the Gander's Hole, and the whole of Bridie's Granda's set.
The drink was flowing freely; the half-door was off its hinges, and one old fellow was stepping away neatly on it. Couples were reeling across the floor, while some others were actually dancing.

Up in the loft two cats were looking down on the scene; the first one became so carried away by the music that he started to dance. He leaped into the air, and performed the neatest little entrechat you ever saw.Says the second cat,
"I didn't know you were into all this trad stuff."
"Oh yes," replies the first one "You see it runs in the family. My old man gave his guts for the fiddle."

After the session was finished, and the sun was coming up over the hills, at last the fiddler gets home, and says;
"You'll never believe what happened tonight. I saw two cats, and the were talking to each other."
"Nonsense," says his dog, "Everyone knows cats can't talk."


Jellicle Cats come out tonight,
Jellicle Cats come one come all:
The Jellicle Moon is shining bright-
Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball.

My ex-cat Timmy in fact had a strong aversion to Irish music, but that's perhaps another story for another day.