Good morning Cyn - it is a gorgeous morning here, a perfect fall day!!

This is funny, cause I had been thinking of doing this as a question - perhaps you heard my thoughts?? Anyways, I hadn't gotten to doing the research yet, so am in the dark perhaps as much as everyone!!

Nancy ~ who is off to plant more spring bulbs!!

I think that where catgut used to be used, nowadays it's nylon instead. At least I know this is true in classical guitars and ukes. But you're asking about the original catgut, right? I think I've known this at one time, but all I remember for sure is that it isn't really gut from cats. A tiny little voice in my head (that I don't totally trust) is saying the name of a farm animal.

Other than that I'm hoping to latch onto a clue or two.

TM

I was thinking cheese, TM. Just can't remember which kind.....

Nancy.

I am officially in a baaaaad mood now. I cannot keep up with our yard: the weeds, the dogs digging and breaking, the watering. Jeepers. Time to buy a lottery ticket. If I win, hiring a gardener. If I lose, moving! Sigh. I became so irritated, I ended up cleaning a small (very small) section of the garage. Then, Chuck came home and got in the way, so that darkened my mood even more. Aaarrrgghh.

Anyway, catgut is still used by many classical musicians as well as for concert-tension grands and some lever harps. It gives a richer sound and apparently withstands the high tension in many ranges. Not made from cat intestines, though. There are two major sources now, although the name probably comes from an abbreviation or is a derivation of a folk term. TM, you are on the right track.

Cynthia

I'm making some Spaghetti Carbonara for dinner - you know it is really hard to find proper pecorina romano to do the recipe correctly.....

Nancy - who for some reason thinks that the cat-gut came from the screeching sound of learning violinists....or not!

Nancy, just realized that you also were on the right track (cheese)! Sorry. I really am off today. There are two major answers, but several other acceptable choices as well.

I need a vacation.

So real catgut is still used in places, huh? Good trivia to know. That's why we do this, right?

The barnyard animal my inner voice spoke of was a sheep. That could go along with your being in a baaaaad mood, Cynthia. Is catgut, though not from a cat, in fact, from an intestine?

Sorry you're having a bad day, Cynthia. I don't think gardeners should also have full-tie jobs.

TM

Baaaa, don't listen to me. Shouldn't complain. I do agree that full time jobs interfere with gardening!

Ok, you have sheep even without my New Zealand merino wool clue. Nancy, want to share the other animal or are you too busy eating a Greek salad with feta?

Off to call my cousin, who used to have the cutest little nannies and billies-delicious milk from the nannies and the poor billies went, well, to market.
Cynthia

That was my other guess!!

Nancy.

Okay, four stars for the stalwart TM and Nancy.

Yes, catgut comes mostly from sheep and goats, although it is occasionally made from the intestines of other farm animals such as cattle, hogs, horses, mules, or donkeys.

The origin of the name could be an abbreviation of cattle gut or (and I like this idea better), it may have come from kitgut or kitstring in which the word kit means fiddle.

Here is a little more info from wikipedia:
"In order to prepare catgut, the intestines are cleaned, freed from fat, and steeped in water. After that, the external membrane is scraped off with a blunt knife. The intestines are then once again steeped for some time in lye (a caustic alkali, usually potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide), and then smoothed and equalized by drawing out. It is found that lean animals yield the toughest gut. Next the prepared gut strands are twisted together to make the string. The diameter of the string is determined by the thickness of the individual guts and by the number that are used. For example, a very thin string such as a violin E will use only three or four guts, whereas a very heavy string, such as a double bass string, may use twenty or more. After twisting and drying the strings are polished to the requisite diameter. Before the twentieth century the strings were simply rubbed with an abrasive to smooth them, while today they are generally ground down to the desired diameter used a centerless grinder. After drying and polishing the strings are bleached using the antiseptic action of the fumes of burning sulfur (i.e. sulfur dioxide), dyed if necessary, and sorted into sizes. Before 1900 the best strings for musical instruments were reputedly from Italy. The best were considered to be from Naples, though excellent strings were also produced in Rome and other Italian cities. Today high quality gut strings are produced mostly in Italy, Germany, and the United States, though they are also made in developing countries such as India and Morocco for local use."

Have a wonderful day. Off to check Nancy's question. :)
Cynthia

So sheep was one of the right answers? I had a gut feeling about that. Sorry. ;)

That was really interesting, Cynthia. I had no idea that gut strings were still so widely used. I did some looking and apparently they are sold for guitars as well, but they don't seem to be very common.

Thanks for the fun.

TM

Haha, TM. Glad you enjoyed it! Have a splendid week.

Cynthia

Thanks Cyn - that was fun. We really do have mind melds, don't we?

Nancy.