well, I have a very very soft spot for cats. Of all sizes.

In my native language the slang word for "cat" is also a slang word for "girl", especially an attractive one. A bit like the word "bird" is being used in English.

Reading your post in light of that information puts an interesting slant on it

The same here. So yeah...... I get what you mean. And when it comes to those cats.....

Well...you gents have quite the sexy name for the ladies then...I am envious.
How is it spelt..
I am always keen on expanding my language skills.
I know a smattering of about 8 languages ...
(though my Latin and Spanish and French are better than a smattering)

well, cat is mačka(F)/mačak(M) in croatian. Now, a comprehensive list of all the words we use to name a woman would be quite long and without proper explanation when and how to use what would make no sense. But mačka is kinda old fashioned term that you'll hardly hear nowdays. Most common term would probably be komad (literary "piece") or treba or if she's young then mala (little one).
Then, there are some vulgar terms that does not need to be that if used properly. As an example, see this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P-_8jHUKSI
Our language is very colorfull when it comes to cursing and stuff

The Slovak word for "cat" is also "mačka" ('MUCH-ka' for the English speakers) and is also a feminine, very much like in Croatian. A male cat is "kocúr" ('KO-tsoor').

But the slang word is "kočka" ('KOTCH-ka'), which is also a slang word for a girl, especially an attractive one. As in, "See that girl over there? She is a kočka, isn't she?" (You cannot say that in English, you would be immediately burned alive for sexism or some cr@p like that, but in Slovak this is considered a compliment.)

I believe in Czech, which is a language almost, but not entirely, unlike Slovak, "kočka" is the proper, non-slang word for "cat".

In finnish "cat" is "kissa" and indeed it is used as a slang word for an attractive/sexy woman.
Additionally an older girl could be described as "puuma"

funny that isn't it?
There are SOOOOO many slang terms for females that involve cats...across multiple languages...

English is chock full.

Well it is fitting that food and women should have descriptive and colourful words for them.
As far as what is current and transitory social graces and norms and what is acceptable...
that is always in flux...always changing.
Hopefully the current madness of extremism will abate soon enough.....
otherwise language would be that much grey and dull without such ...colourful and expressive terminology...

haha!
Pillow Cat!