cat [-benstuv] [-] [file ...]
 DESCRIPTION
The
 cat utility reads files sequentially, writing them to the standard output.
The
 file operands are processed in command line order.
A single dash represents standard input.

The options are as follows:

 -b Implies the
 -n option but doesn't number blank lines.

 -e Implies the
 -v option, and displays a dollar sign (``$'') at the end of each line
as well.

 -n Number the
 output lines, starting at 1.

 -s Squeeze multiple adjacent empty lines, causing the output to be
single spaced.

 -t Implies the
 -v option, and displays tab characters as ``^I'' as well.

 -u The
 -u option guarantees that the output is unbuffered.

 -v Displays non-printing characters so they are visible.
Control characters print line ``^X'' for control-X; the delete
character (octal 0177) prints as ``^?''.
Non-ascii characters (with the high bit set) are printed as
``M-'' (for meta) followed by the character for the low 7 bits.

The command ``cat file1 file2 > file3'' concatenates the contents of
file1 and file2 and places the result in file3.

Because of the shell language mechanism used to perform output
redirection, the command ``cat file1 file 2 > file1'' will cause
the original data in file1 to be destroyed!
 "SEE ALSO"
head(1), more(1), pr(1), tail(1)

Rob Pike, ``UNIX Style, or cat -v Considered Harmful''
USENIX Summer Conference Proceedings, 1983.