A group or colony of cats; a collective noun for multiple cats, similar to how a 'murder' refers to a group of crows.
Origin uncertain, possibly from Middle English or dialect sources. Some etymologists suggest connections to 'clutter' or Old Norse roots, though the true origin remains debated. The term appears in English by at least the 16th century.
A clowder is proof that old English had imagination—we have 'murder of crows' and 'clowder of cats,' showing that people centuries ago loved giving animal groups dramatic or quirky names.
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