Why Are Female Cats Called Queens?

Posted by Jennifer Copley Jun 30, 2009

The word queen comes from the old English cwen, meaning honoured woman, wife, or female ruler. Referring to female cats as queens began in England, where cat breeders, likely as a joke, began to call their female cats queens. Given that cats are matriarchal, it does make sense.

In a multicat household or feral cat colony, the senior female cat is usually dominant. Males tend to give way to females, allowing them priority access to food sources. Given that a queen in a cat group might already be or soon become the mother of any male cat’s offspring and will require more nourishment during pregnancy and nursing, this makes sense. Males increase the likelihood of getting their genes into the next generation by letting females have more resources so that they can raise healthy young.

For more feline history and facts, see:

• Why Are Male Cats Called Toms?
• Cat History
• Cats and the Black Plague
• Cats in Warfare
• Cat Superstitions
• Halloween and the Black Cat

• Tom Cats and Kittens
• Cats Don't Always Land on Their Feet
• Why Cats Have Whiskers

Reference:

• Seidensticker, J., & Lumpkin, S. (2006). Cats: Smithsonian Q&A: The Ultimate Question and Answer Book. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books.