Where did cats come from?
We were curious too. See the origin story below...and then other curious words.
The Origin Story
Old English catt (c. 700) "domestic cat," from West Germanic (c. 400-450), from Proto-Germanic *kattuz (source also of Old Frisian katte, Old Norse köttr, Dutch kat, Old High German kazza, German Katze), from Late Latin cattus.
The near-universal European word now, it appeared in Europe as Latin catta (Martial, c. 75 C.E.), Byzantine Greek katta (c. 350) and was in general use on the continent by c. 700, replacing Latin feles. Probably ultimately Afro-Asiatic (compare Nubian kadis, Berber kadiska, both meaning "cat"). Arabic qitt "tomcat" may be from the same source.
Cats were domestic in Egypt from c. 2000 B.C.E., but not a familiar household animal to classical Greeks and Romans. The nine lives have been proverbial at least since 1560s. The Late Latin word also is the source of Old Irish and Gaelic cat, Welsh kath, Breton kaz, Italian gatto, Spanish gato, French chat (12c.). Independent, but ultimately from the same source are words in the Slavic group: Old Church Slavonic kotuka, kotel'a, Bulgarian kotka, Russian koška, Polish kot, along with Lithuanian katė and non-Indo-European Finnish katti, which is from Lithuanian. Extended to lions, tigers, etc. c. 1600.
As a term of contempt for a woman, from early 13c. Slang sense of "prostitute" is from at least c. 1400. Slang sense of "fellow, guy," is from 1920, originally in African-American vernacular; narrower sense of "jazz enthusiast" is recorded from 1931.
Cat's paw (1769, but cat's foot in the same sense, 1590s) refers to the old folk tale in which the monkey tricks the cat into pawing chestnuts from a fire; the monkey gets the roasted nuts, the cat gets a burnt paw. Cat burglar is from 1907, so called for stealth. Cat-witted "small-minded, obstinate, and spiteful" (1670s) deserved to survive. For Cat's meow, cat's pajamas, see bee's knees. For let the cat out of the bag, see bag (n.).
| catwalk (n.) | 1874, "long, narrow footway," from cat (n.) + walk (n.); in reference to such narrowness of passage that one has to cross as a cat walks. Originally especially of ships and theatrical back-stages; application to fashion show runways is by 1942. |
| catbird (n.) | also cat-bird, 1731, common name for the North American thrush (Dumetella Carolinensis), so called from its warning cry, which resembles that of a cat; from cat (n.) + bird (n.1). Catbird seat is a late 19c. . |
| catkin (n.) | "spike of a flowering tree or shrub (especially a willow or birch) after fruiting," 1570s, from Dutch katteken "flowering stem of willow, birch, hazel, etc.," literally "kitten," diminutive of katte "cat" (see cat (n.)). So called for their soft, furry appearance. |
| catapult (n.) | when your cat launches herself from the arm of a chair on to the nearest table, somehow without upsetting the vase of flowers. |
| concatenate (v.) | give birth to a cat with a sly or sneaky personality. |
| catatonic (n.) | the condition of laying spread-eagled on one’s back, snoring softly. |
| catnip (n.) | when active play overstimulates your cat and she gives you a little bite to relieve her stress. |
| cattycorner (v.) | the deepest darkest corner of your closet, where your cat hides in order that both you and she experience existential dread. |
| catastrophy (n.) | when your cat wins the “best behind” award at the Miss Cat America contest. |