Why are cats called ‘cats’?
Definition of ‘cat’.
A cat is a small domesticated mammal kept as a pet and also found as feral (wild) in the countryside. A cat has soft fur, four legs and a tail and is a predatory animal catching mice and other small creatures.
‘Cat’ name in different European countries
There are many similar variations of the name ‘cat’ for instance:
French: chat
Swedish: katt
Norwegian: katt
German: Katze
Italian: Gatto
Dutch: Kat
There are many other slight variations of the name ‘cat’ used throughout Europe.
In Turkey the word for cat is ‘kedi’ which may be where our word ‘kitty’ is derived from.
The word ‘puss’ or ‘pussy’ is linked back to the Egyptian cat goddess ‘Pasht’.
It is widely believed that the Egyptians domesticated cats descended from the North African wild cat (Felix Lybica).
‘Cat’ refers to domesticated felines and also wild cats such as lions, tigers, panthers, leopards and forest cats.
