I have checked the config, and I've grepped through the source code. There are calls in the source code to $c->log->error->('foo') and I've added my own and there's nothing obvious going on.

I've looked through /var/log and can't see anything with Catalyst, or the names of the apps in question, or anything changes when I run catalyst code to which I've added an error call.

I would have thought if Catalyst did not have a logging system enabled, then trying to log an error would have itself thrown an error. It's a mystery.