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Moggy or moggie (plural moggies) in Commonwealth English is an affectionate term for a domestic cat, but is also used as alternate name for a mongrel or mixed-breed cat whose ancestry and pedigree are unknown or only partially known. Because of this mixed ancestry and free-breeding, a moggy can either be very healthy, or, if from an inbred feral colony, genetically unsound and sickly. However, as feral colonies are often left without any form of human intervention and veterinary attention, the sickly generally do not live past kittenhood, leaving the colony as a whole healthy.
The origin of the word moggy is not a corruption of the word mongrel as many believe. It is in fact derived from maggie, the short form of Margaret. At one time the word maggie was a term of abuse for a dishevelled old woman. Soon this term was also used to describe an ungainly lumbering old cow and the word was eventually corrupted to become moggy. In the early 20th century the streets of London became filled with very many unhealthy looking stray cats and the term moggy came to be used to describe these unfortunate creatures.
In the United States, a more common term for "moggy" is "alley cat."
A non-feral moggy makes an excellent household pet.
See also:
A moggy minor is a nickname for a Morris Minor automobile.
Alley Cat is a 1984 computer game by Bill Williams.
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