SALEM — It was more than just a friendly clash of costumed cats at Salem Common yesterday morning.

This was a showdown between youth and seniority, between the edgy and the traditional.

It was a battle among contestants with names like "Tiggy" and "Pumpkin."

And when it was all over, an 11-year-old cat wearing a pirate's costume — a feline more than 37 times older than the youngest kitten in the competition — was crowned the Official Cat of Salem yesterday during the city's annual Halloween cat costume contest.

"Honestly, I think every cat should have won," said Marie Loging, whose brown cat Big Cocoa won the so-called "Boo-tiful Pets" contest. "We don't have egos."

But Big Cocoa didn't win on glamour alone. She is the official "spokescat" for Paws for a Cause, a Pagan-themed charity that raises money for non-kill animal shelters, her owner said.

Still, she faced a competitive field of challengers — cats with hats, cats dressed as monsters, even a cat with a questionable profession.

Meet Tinka, a 2-year-old cat owned by Jenna McElhinney, who arrived in what her owner described as a "pimp costume" — a purple outfit emblazoned with a gold dollar sign.

"He's all about love," observed contest emcee Kathy Streacker.

Meanwhile, 4-year-old Tiggy was dressed as "Cat-zilla," but owner Jill Jolen insisted he's really a friendly cat.

"He greets all the visitors to Salem from his living room window," said Jolen.

One-year-old Murphy donned wings for the competition.

"My husband says he has angel wings and an attitude," said owner Ashley Nicholls.

There was also 14-week-old Maggie, described as a "magical cat," appropriately dressed as a wizard.

And Pumpkin, whose best friend "is a dog that lives upstairs," was perhaps the hometown favorite because he was born in Salem.

But in the end, the title of Official Cat of Salem went to Big Cocoa, whose grand prize of a free gift certificate to the vet was probably more a reward for her owner than for her.

But at least she'll still have bragging rights.

"She'll get to beat up all the other cats at home tonight," said Loging.