A cold cathode means that the cathode operates cold, the negative end of an electrical connection, the positive is an Anode I believe.

A cold cathode is still a neon light, the ones for cars are also cold cathode (most of em I believe) but are just commonly referred to 'neons' as it is easy to say I suppose.

of course neon comes from neon being the gas used in some lights but they also use different gasses for different colors and are unlike fluorescent lights that use mercury and a phosphorus coating on the inside of the light that when struck by the electrons (or whatever) produces visible light

as I understand it, in a Neon the electrical current passes through whichever gas happens to be inside the tube and the electricity goes through the cathode -- the gass -- and exits the gas into the anode and with any electrical connection the cathode is usually where the heat would build up making a cold cathode (however it is accomplished) an important thing to note.

even thought I don't know what i'm talking about I like typing stuff.