This is one of those sayings that seems stranger the more you think about it. Feline lovers won’t be surprised to learn that this common phrase has nothing to do with facial attacks from our four-legged friends.

The Many Theories Behind “Cat’s Got Your Tongue”

One gruesome popular explanation harks back to the British Navy during the 19th century, when acts of indiscipline would be punished by lashes from the fearsome cat-o’ nine-tails—lengths of knotted cord which would literally flay a person’s skin from their back. Following such a beating, mocking officers or other shipmates might ask the chagrined (and presumably quietened) sailor, “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?”

Staying in England, another possible source dates to the sixteenth century when belief in witchcraft was prevalent. Whilst historically respected for their usefulness in controlling rat and mouse populations, this was a period in which attitudes, particularly towards black cats, shifted dramatically. Perhaps because of their curiosity and stealthiness, seemingly able to appear out of thin air, cats became associated with witches and evil doings. One curious notion that arose was that cats would leap into babies’ cots and steal the breath out of sleeping infants. Could this be where cat’s got your tongue originates?

We have to travel across the world and further back in time to ancient Egypt for our next frequently proposed answer. There are many instances online of people suggesting that, in those days, the judicial consequences for known liars and blasphemers would be the removal of their tongue. Once removed, the tongue would be fed to a cat or cats. This might sound far-fetched, but we know for sure that the ancient Egyptians adored cats. They viewed them (quite rightly, in our opinion) as special beings and totems of good luck. The wealthy would routinely dress their beloved floofs in gold and jewels and even go so far as to mummify them upon their death. They also worshipped a cat goddess, Bastet—a female deity with a cat’s head who was principally associated with pleasure and good health. 

The Real Story Behind the Feline Phrase

While these are all great theories, the truth likely lies elsewhere. A significant clue is that the first documented instance of cat’s got your tongue being used occurred as recently as December 1859, when the phrase appeared in The Racine Democrat, a Wisconsin newspaper. In fact, all of the earliest appearances of this saying in print are localized to America. That, coupled with the fact that no credible evidence has been provided for links to either the British Navy, witchcraft, or ancient Egypt, means that, sadly, the origins of this mysterious and yet wonderful phrase remain shrouded in doubt.

More Like This: