Thursday Trivia: Origin of the Tomcat

Everyone knows what "tomcat" means. The word seems to have been around forever!
Not quite, actually. It only dates back about 245 years, give or take.

"Tomcat" first appears in a book written by British dramaticist and novelist Henry Fielding, in his title, The Life and Adventures of a Cat (1760).

Fielding was known for his somewhat earthy humor and the book itself, though a children’s title, was considered by some at the time to be a bit edgy for young eyes.

Faraday: Do I look like a "Tom" to you? Didn't think so. I'm a "Faraday".

The book’s protagonist was a male cat by the name of Tom, who Fielding repeatedly referred to throughout the story as “Tom the Cat.” The book was highly popular at the time, possibly for the same reason parents don’t mind taking their kids to see a Disney movie: much of the dialogue has a secondary meaning that adults appreciate.

At any rate, Fielding’s use of the phrase “Tom the Cat,” together with its popularity, resulted in a cultural shift: male cats came to be known as tomcats.

Prior to this, they were referred to as ram-cats. And the origin of this phrase was so ubiquitous that it would be impossible to date its origin.

Its oldest use in print can only be traced back to a book written by British satirist John Wolcot, writing as Peter Pindar in 1788. Note this actually postdates Fielding's "tomcat"!

The book was Peter's pension: a solemn epistle to a sublime personage and here’s a screenshot of its use in the book:

Allie: And of course, I'd like to remind everyone that boycats are merely called Tom, while us girlcats are properly called Queen.

Anyone want to challenge her opinion on that? Maxie? Faraday? Nope, didn't think so.

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Sources:

Notes and Queries, William White. Oxford Journals. Complete text here.

Henry Fielding: wikipedia

Online Etymology Dictionary: "Tomcat"

The New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature: Volume 2, 1660-1800, George Watson (Editor). Cambridge Universtiy Press.

Peter's pension: a solemn epistle to a sublime personage, Pindar, Peter. London, 1788. Complete text here.

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