Cat and Kittens
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A public-house sign, alluding to the range of pewter-pots of various sizes that were so called. Stealing these pots was termed "cat and kitten sneaking.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Cat and Kittens” mean?
A public-house sign, alluding to the range of pewter-pots of various sizes that were so called. Stealing these pots was termed "cat and kitten sneaking.
Is “Cat and Kittens” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.