Interestingly, the Pawnee Native American word for cat is either “pus”, or sometimes “kita pus.”
Richard Purvis:
December 20th, 2018 at 1:40 pm
Hmmm. I thought there was a strong link between ‘pussy’ and ‘pusillanimous’ , meaning ‘timid’ and ‘shy’. Hence the sayings ‘scaredy cat’ and ‘fraidy cat’. Pussycat would then be a derivative of these sets of words, or perhaps vice versa.
RTH:
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:56 pm
In Sweden we say ksksksksksks and kissekatt (kisse-cat).
Which makes me think the derivatives and such are wrong.
Thomas Hyle:
March 16th, 2022 at 2:44 am
have you considered that IRL a ‘pussy cat’ is not just any cat, but a gentle cat you can pet? Have you considered the actual derivation may be (noting that pus meant mouth in Gaelic the whole time) that a pussy cat is a cat that you kiss?
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Rick:
January 18th, 2018 at 12:13 pm
Interestingly, the Pawnee Native American word for cat is either “pus”, or sometimes “kita pus.”
Richard Purvis:
December 20th, 2018 at 1:40 pm
Hmmm. I thought there was a strong link between ‘pussy’ and ‘pusillanimous’ , meaning ‘timid’ and ‘shy’. Hence the sayings ‘scaredy cat’ and ‘fraidy cat’. Pussycat would then be a derivative of these sets of words, or perhaps vice versa.
RTH:
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:56 pm
In Sweden we say ksksksksksks and kissekatt (kisse-cat).
Which makes me think the derivatives and such are wrong.
Thomas Hyle:
March 16th, 2022 at 2:44 am
have you considered that IRL a ‘pussy cat’ is not just any cat, but a gentle cat you can pet? Have you considered the actual derivation may be (noting that pus meant mouth in Gaelic the whole time) that a pussy cat is a cat that you kiss?