Where Does the Saying “The Cat Got Your Tongue” Come From?

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Were You Wondering is launching a new series of articles, researched and spearheaded by Craig McNeil, Author, Musician, DJ, Composer and all around amazing guy. These articles will be about common English sayings and their origins.

Although it is common knowledge that cats love to play with things that move; the thought that a feline would play with a person’s tongue sounds ludicrous. The mental picture of a feline playing with my tongue makes me cringe thinking about their sharp claws; most likely leaving me with a mouth full of blood. If not to be taken literally, how did this particular saying come into existence and why do people use it to this day?

The origins of this term are not fully known but it is thought to have been born in the imagination of children. Being that the language of children was not deemed as important or written down the term has “the cat got your tongue”; as the children say, did not find its way into adult’s vocabulary till 1881 where it was first cited in Ballou’s Monthly Magazine Vol: 53. The term had been around awhile, possibly only being used by children.

Through time, “the cat got your tongue” has been shortened to “Cat got your tongue?”, a saying that gained popularity in the 1960s and 70’s ; and is directed to anyone who is quiet when they are expected to speak.

So when you hear the expression “Cat got your tongue?”  you can thank the children from long ago with their wild imagination for such a vivid creativity that has lasted until this day.