What Is A Female Cat Called (With Explanations)

I’ve always been curious about what a female cat is called. We all know that a male cat is called a “Tom” but what is a female called?

What Is A Female Cat Called?

The most popular name for a female cat is “queen.” Other popular names for a female cat are “molly,” and “dam”. In addition, if you find a cat that doesn’t have a name, people would call it a female by saying “Hey, tabby!” or “Hey, cat!”.

Name #1:Queen

The most popular name for a female cat is “queen.” Apparently, this name comes from the fact that a queen is the ruler of her kingdom (or home) and a cat has “owners” who are her kingdom and she is the queen.

More than likely, the term “queen” was adopted for female cats because of its association with royalty. No doubt many people thought that by calling a cat a “queen,” they were somehow elevating the animal to a higher status or rank. In reality, however, “queen” is likely one of the least distinguished names for a cat, since every female cat is a queen in her own home.

The use of such terms as king, prince, and duke to refer to male cats is less common. Male cats are often called “studs” or “tomcats,” but these terms also apply to either sex of the cat, depending upon whether one is speaking about a male or female in a given context.

Name #2: Molly

The name “molly” (or “molly-cat”) is another name for a female cat, deriving from the proper name “Mary” (or “Molly”) for the mother of Jesus. “Molly” was also used as slang for women’s genitalia in the 19th century, which may be where the cat-related usage comes from (i.e., a cat licking her genitals being seen as “resembling” a woman grooming herself).

A molly-cat is assumed to be a female by people who are more familiar with animals than with etymology or slang. This, then, leads to the creation of a stereotype that identifies a particular kind of female animal as a “molly” or “molly-cat”. These stereotypes often revolve around certain behaviors that people mistakenly identify as particular to female animals.

Stereotypes of female cats:

Cats are nurturers and one of the most common beliefs about molly-cats is that they need to be cared for, pampered and protected by their owners.

Molly-cats are also stereotyped as being timid and delicate, which many believe makes them more suitable for indoor living rather than going outside to hunt or roam freely.

Other common stereotypes about female cats include that they play too often with their food (resulting in “presents” left for owners on beds and couches), that they’re always hungry and that their tongues constantly hang out.

And there you have it, the weirdness of human behavior when it comes to cats. Of course, if you’ve ever had a female cat, the fact that their genitals lick themselves should be no surprise to you. It’s not like they’re licking it in public or staring at you with this look on their face.

Name #3: Dam

The name “dam” is simply used to indicate the female of a species, deriving from the word “dam” for mother. As the only female cat in a household is normally responsible for most of the kittens’ care, it is appropriate to call her “dam” to drive home the point that she is the matriarch of her “kittens”.

“Dam” is probably derived from either French or Dutch, both of which languages use “la mer” and “de moeder”, respectively. Both mean simply mother, but in many European languages there is no need to use a separate word for female parent since it is implied by gender itself.

For anyone interested in the etymology of cat-related words, “dam” is but a small step away from “kitten”, which derives from Middle English cat, caughtte (i.e., a young cat). Catt itself derives from Old English catt (modern spelling: katte), which has been with us for a long time now.

Related Questions

What are spayed female cats called?

Spayed female cats are often called “fixed” (short for “neutered”). Female cats can be spayed as soon as they have reached a sufficient age and weight. The procedure is more common in the U.S., where it is estimated that about 33% of pet-owned female cats have been fixed, than in some other countries (e.g., in Australia, it’s closer to 20%).

What do you call a neutered cat?

A spayed cat. It’s simple, straightforward and accurate. Yet many still prefer to use the term ‘neutered’ to describe a castrated male cat, despite it being incorrect. We asked experts why this is so – and if there could be health implications.

What do you call a cat with no tail?

A cat without a tail is called a “stumpy”. A cat with a very short tail is called a “stumpy tailed cat” or a “bob tailed cat”.

What do you call a curled up cat?

A cat that has been deliberately made to curl up, for example by rolling it in a towel or pushing it into someone’s leg, is called an “enveloped” cat. It’s also sometimes referred to as a “cat burrito” and presumably, this is how the name came about.

What do you call a pregnant cat?

A pregnant female cat is called a “queen” (although it can also be called “dam”). A queen that is giving birth to kittens is referred to as a “queening,” and the process of giving birth itself is called either parturition or labor. Finally, the kittens are referred to as “kittens” or “kitties.”