# Felis Sylvestris Cattus

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felis-sylvestris-cattus/56384>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [March 1, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felis-sylvestris-cattus/56384 "2001-03-01T14:54:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felis-sylvestris-cattus/56384/21 "2001-03-16T16:24:42Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by onigame \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Irishman \*  
> > Anybody know if Sylvester was used as a name prior to the cartoon cat?
> 
> Sylvester is a centuries-old name. It’s most likely the Latin name was named after a particular person named Sylvester, as are all the other “sylvestris” (lots of plants, for example). \*\*

No, that’s definitely incorrect. _Sylvestris_ simply means “of the forest.” If the species name was to commemorate a person, the proper form would be _sylvesterii_ (or something similar). Offhand I am not aware of any animal or plant named after a person called Sylvester, although there could be some.

The name is old however, as pope St. Sylvester I reigned in 314 A.D.

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