boneless cat

boneless cat n Also boneless catfish [See quot 1985] Missip–Ohio Valleys

= paddlefish n.

1880 Allen Co. Democrat (Lima OH) 27 May 5/4, [Advt:] Boneless cat, dried halibut, white fish [etc] . . at Hartley’s. 1899 Burlington Hawk-Eye (IA) 2 Aug 5/5, Fish Market. Mississippi River Fish. . . Boneless Catfish, dressed, 7½c. 1902 WI Nat. Hist. Soc. Bulletin 2.85, Polyodon spathula . . . The fishermen cut off the head and tail and sell it for “boneless cat.” 1939 Daily Independent (Murphysboro IL) 8 Dec 2/2, There was one giant spoonbill, or boneless catfish that was nearly six feet long from tip of his snout to his tail. He weighed an even 100 pounds. 1985 Madson Up River 113 Upper Missip Valley, They are taken in fair numbers in spring trammel nets and constitute a rather steady item in many of the fish markets as “boneless cat.” The name is taken from a slight resemblance to the catfish clan (no relation) and from the fact that the skeleton of the paddlefish is largely cartilaginous. 1986 Pederson LAGS Concordance (Common freshwater fish) 1 inf, swMS, Boneless cat. [Inf Black]