Scatty padre loses cat (10)

I believe the answer is:

leopardess

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'cat' is the definition.
(leopardess is a kind of cat)

'scatty padre loses' is the wordplay.
'padre loses' can be anagrammed to 'LEOPARDESS'.
However, I'm unsure how the anagram is indicated.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for leopardess that I've seen before include "one with patterned spots" , "Predatory female" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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