What's A Group Of Cats Called? Focusing On Feline Terminology

Sridevi Tolety
Mar 28, 2023 By Sridevi Tolety
Originally Published on Dec 09, 2021
Edited by Lara Simpson
Fact-checked by Gowri Rao
Group of four small kittens playing in street.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 7.9 Min

The term cat is derived from the old English word 'catt.'

The word cat comes from the Old Latin word catus, which means domestic cat. This Latin term is thought to be derived from the Afro-Asian word "kaddîska," which means "wild cat."

Domestication of cats dates back to ancient times. Cats can handle a fall from almost every height. The world's lightest adult cat weighed only 3 lbs (1.3 kg).

The sugary flavor is undetectable to cats. A mutated chemoreceptor in their taste buds is to blame for this. As a result, cats tend to avoid sweet-tasting foods.

The clavicle bone in a cat's forelimbs is free-floating. This permits them to fit through whatever space their head can fit through unless they are significantly overweight. The largest cat ever measured weighed 46.5 lbs (21 kg). The temperature of a cat's body is roughly 101.5 F (38.5 C).

A cat's sense of smell is roughly double that of a human. Domestic cats get a lifespan of 12-14 years on average. Your house cat would most likely live a single day in the wilderness.

Cats purr at a rate of roughly 26 cycles per second, which is similar to that of a humming diesel engine. Cats aren't the only creatures who purr. Elephants, squirrels, lemurs, and guinea pigs are among the other species that purr.

A domestic cat having black fur might be a mixed or unique breed or a typical domestic cat of no specific breed. The origin of domestic cats can be tracked down to Ancient Egypt.

They also have unusually large pupils in relation to their body size. Black cats are frequently associated with Halloween or witchcraft. Black cats have long been associated with evil omens in most Western cultures, with black cats being suspected of being witches' familiars or frame witches themselves.

Although cats prefer meat, they can indeed eat various other things. The food of cats has a higher protein content than dogs' food.

Cats eat fish like tuna, salmon, whitefish, and trout, but they will also eat rats, and wild cats will eat a variety of small prey. Cats have among the highest hearing abilities of any animal. Cats use their excellent hearing to catch rodents.

Cat's feces are usually quite dry, and their urine is heavily concentrated so that it does not pollute the environment. Cats require only a little water that may exist solely on raw meat, with no other water supply.

If you loved this article, why not also read our other fun facts articles on how long do Siamese cats live and how high can a cat jump?

What is a wild group of cats called?

Glaring is a collective noun for cats. A glare requires at least four cats. The word glaring has been around for almost 700 years and comes from old Germanic languages.

Glaring is more typically employed only when cats are unfamiliar with each other. The term "clutter" is also appropriate because cats aren't known for being well-organized. "Clutter" is another term for a bunch of cats.

Bombay cats are one of the purest black cat breeds since they only appear in one color—black! There is no specific name for the group of black cats, and their group name is the same as that of other cats. Miniature black panthers, or parlor panthers, are familiar names for these cats.

The wildcat (Felis silvestris) is a tiny wild cat belonging to the Felidae family native to Africa and Eurasia. Spanning Scotland through mainland Europe and western Asia, the European wildcat lives in forested areas.

The European wildcat is a night predator of birds and small animals which live alone. It mates once a year in continental Europe, while it mates twice a year in Scotland.

So what can you call them? You can call them by various names. A dot (or dout) and destruction are two more unusual names for packs of wild or feral cats.

Destruction is the collective noun for wild cats. A feral cat colony is the most prevalent sort of wild cat population.

These colonies form when small groups of females and kittens form and work together to thrive. Even though the cats live in groups, they continue to hunt independently and do not behave like a pack of dogs.

What is a group of male cats called?

The common term for a domesticated polecat is "Ferret." The North American, or black-footed, ferret, a related wild species that once inhabited the Great Plains but is now extinct, is also known by this name.

Its range is roughly identical to that of prairie dogs, which provide most of its food; it is frequently found in shelters of prairie dogs.

A gib is a male cat that has been spayed or neutered. Toms are commonly referred to as male cats who have not been neutered. A female cat is also known as a molly. Female cats are also known as queens.

What is a group of kittens called?

When kittens are in a group, do they have a new name? A litter, kindling, or intrigue is a group of kittens distinct from cats in more ways than merely the language we use to describe them.

There are various collective nouns for them. A kindle, or sometimes, a litter, is a group of kittens. To put it another way, kittens within the same litter are connected and are frequently referred to as littermates. A litter of kittens is referred to as a kindle.

'Litter' is the most popular among collective nouns. This practice is only done when all of the kittens are born together as siblings.

Intrigue is a term that isn't often used, but anyone who has ever had kittens will tell you that this is an excellent word used for a group of kittens because they are always interested. A female cat will mate with multiple male cats when in the heat.

This frequently results in various fathers for cats in the same litter. The term "clowder," which is related to the word "clutter," can also be applied to kittens.

A group of gray cats sitting on a window.

What is a kindle of kittens?

Each animal has a unique name for its offspring. For instance, young tigers are called cubs as tigers typically come under the cat family.

The kindle is supposed to be derived from a mix of the German words kinder (children) and kindelen (old English word) which means to give birth. This word got connected with cats somewhere along the way.

A kindle is a less well-heard term for a group of kittens born to a single cat. It's the same as the more well-heard collective noun litter. The term "kindle" is now most commonly linked with Amazon's electronic book reader.

However, for several years, "kindle" has been used to designate a group of kittens, especially in the United Kingdom. Rumer Godden, a British author, wrote a children's book called "A Kindle of Kittens" in 1978.

How many cats do you need for a clowder?

An interesting fact is that cats can jump up to six times their body length. Another interesting fun fact is that particular cats are capable of swimming.

We've all read of a herd of cattle, but did you notice that a clowder is a name for a group of cats. A clowder is a proper name for a group of cats. A clowder is a collection of three or more cats. The collective noun for two cats is called a pair.

Do cats live in groups?

Cats were historically not considered a social race. Except for lions, the Felidae or cat family are solitary hunters who do not live in socially organized groups.

According to biologists, lions were once thought to be the only genuine sociable cats with a hierarchical system inside their pride. They later observed that bobcats and cheetahs have distinct social structures and that the domestic cat family (whether house cats or feral ) has a well-defined hierarchical system.

Several pet cats enjoy the company of other cats, particularly if they were raised in a cat-friendly environment.

The domestic cat has transformed into a significantly more sociable animal, both in a feral and household setting, than its asocial forebears. Domestic cats, like lions, are sociable cats with established cat social systems involving sophisticated matriarchal hierarchies identical to lion pride, according to scientists studying cat social interactions.

Cat Group Dynamics

Whether you call your group of cats a clowder, glaring, or clutter, you will probably notice some interesting dynamics within your cat group. Some cats are dynamic at all hours of the day and night, but they are significantly more active at night. The majority of domestic cats' time is spent in the area of their houses.

Cats' activity can be timed in a variety of ways. Cats save energy by sleeping far more than other animals, notably as they age.

The average daily sleep length is between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the most common. Some cats may sleep for 20 hours at a time. "cat nap" refers to a cat's habit of falling sleepy for a tiny period of time.

For a population where individuals are primarily solitary predators, it is critical that cats create a territory ( hunting territory) and that this region is defined so that confrontation with other cats is avoided. Cats use scents from their urine, face glands, feces, and anal glands to mark their territories.

This territorial marking, combined with cats' highly sensitive sense of smell, allows them to communicate efficiently and avoid direct fighting.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what's a group of cats called, then why not take a look at how long does a cat cold last or Australian Mist Cat Facts?

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Written by Sridevi Tolety

Bachelor of Science specializing in Botany, Master of Science specializing in Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs

Sridevi Tolety picture

Sridevi ToletyBachelor of Science specializing in Botany, Master of Science specializing in Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs

With a Master's degree in clinical research from Manipal University and a PG Diploma in journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Sridevi has cultivated her passion for writing across various domains. She has authored a wide range of articles, blogs, travelogues, creative content, and short stories that have been published in leading magazines, newspapers, and websites. Sridevi is fluent in four languages and enjoys spending her spare time with loved ones. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, cooking, painting, and listening to music.

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Fact-checked by Gowri Rao

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Economics

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Gowri RaoBachelor of Arts specializing in Economics

With a bachelor's degree in Economics from Krea University, Gowri is a highly skilled data analyst and an expert in regression and causation modeling. Her interests in economic trends, finance, and investment research complement her professional expertise. In addition to her professional pursuits, Gowri enjoys swimming, running, and playing the drums, and she is also a talented tutor.

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