Cat o' nine tails

The Cat O' Nine Tails is a type of multi-tailed whip that originated as a tool of corporal punishment from the British navy. The naval "cat" was about 13 oz. in weight and composed of a baton (handle) and 9 thongs. The wooden baton was generally 18 inches long and covered in cloth. The "tails" or thongs were made of knotted cord and typically 24 inches long. One example indicates that they were each knotted three times. In some cases steel balls or barbs of wire were added to the tips to maximize the potential flogging injury. The British army had a similar whip, though much lighter in construction; made of a drumstick with attached strings, the flogger was usually a drummer rather than a strong bosun's mate. Flogging with the Cat o' Nine Tails fell into disuse around 1870.

References in modern culture

The still popular sailor's song What to do with a drunken sailor? has a verse that goes "Give him a taste of the captain's daughter" or "Throw him in bed with the captain's daughter". While this doesn't sound a dire fate for the tipsy seaman, in actuality the term captain's daughter refers to the Cat O' Nine Tails or a similar whip.

In more recent years the term Cat O' Nine Tails is used to describe almost any kind of multi-tailed whip; particularly those found in modern sadomasochism. These whips are usually made of leather and have much less potential for injury.