Catgut suture treatment produces roughly twice the stitch-holding time of plain catgut, but greater tissue inflammation occurs. Full tensile strength is extended to 18–21 days. It is brown rather than straw-colored, and has improved smoothness due to the dry presentation of the thread (plain catgut is wet). It is otherwise similar to plain catgut. Fast catgut suture is heat-treated to give even more rapid absorption in the body. The first known absorbable sutures were made of the intestines of sheep. The manufacturing process was similar to that of natural musical strings for violins and guitar, and also of natural strings for tennis
Catgut (horse) Catgut's only race away from Newmarket. Catgut did not run again until the First October meeting, when she finished second of the three runners in a Town Plate over the two-mile "Ditch In" course, beaten by Lord Exeter's filly Dulcinea. At the Second October meeting two weeks later, Catgut was assigned a weight of 97 pounds in an Oatlands Stakes, a handicap race over the Bunbury Mile course. She was made second favourite at odds of 3/1 but finished unplaced behind the four-year-old filly Romp. Catgut's final race came on 3 November at the Houghton meeting when she was entered