Tom-cat

Tom-cat
 

p.31 The whole of the lower regions of the British Museum reeks of tom-cat.

Usually you have to say a tomcat/the tomcat/tomcats. Is it correct to say that if the noun represents part of what is usually denoted by that noun, we don't use a/an/the?

The prepositional object in 'reeks of' phrases will usually be in the singular form, with no article.

Excellent answer. Thank you.