# Kitty, Catty, Cater cornered or something else? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690 "2010-01-04T23:25:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/1 "2010-01-04T23:25:33Z")
I was talking to someone today and they used the term catty cornered, I said ‘you mean kitty cornered?’ short discussion ended in my claiming I was right regardless of what he had to say.(no i wasn’t being serious) So I looked it up and found this > **[Catty corner - phrase meaning and origin](https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/4/messages/1054.html)** > > Catty corner - the meaning and origin of this phrase ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/2 "2010-01-04T23:32:57Z")
I just say it’s diaganol to \_\_\_\_\_. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/3 "2010-01-04T23:34:03Z")
In my family “catty-wampus” means crooked or off-sqaure, not diagonal. I’ve heard “kitty corner” for diagonal, but not a super common term in my experience. Brian ---
**Author:** ![QuercusMax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/8baadc/32.png) [@QuercusMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuercusMax)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/4 "2010-01-04T23:50:42Z")
It’s catty-corner, not catty-cornered. Not a super common term, heard mostly from my dad. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/5 "2010-01-04T23:57:49Z")
Kitty-corner, no “ed.” ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/6 "2010-01-05T00:40:20Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I just say it’s diaganol to \_\_\_\_\_. Yes, that’s the common usage here too. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/7 "2010-01-05T01:31:08Z")
> [@QuercusMax](#): > > It’s catty-corner, not catty-cornered. This. I agree with **N9IWP**. “Catty-wampus” means off-kilter, mixed/messed up. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/8 "2010-01-05T02:07:30Z")
I guess “kitty-corner” although I thought it was more pronounced like “kiddie” so that’s what I assumed it was growing up. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/9 "2010-01-05T02:14:11Z")
I always thought it was [catercorner](http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/history_of_words/34258) and everything else was derived from that. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/10 "2010-01-05T02:44:21Z")
The poll didn’t have a category for what the hell does that mean anyway so I went with something else. Now I’ve read the defnition I just say boring old diagonal. I’m in the UK btw. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/11 "2010-01-05T02:48:49Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > This. > > I agree with **N9IWP**. “Catty-wampus” means off-kilter, mixed/messed up. Me too, but everyone I’ve ever heard say it said “wumpus” not “wampus.” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/12 "2010-01-05T12:43:43Z")
I’ve usually heard “kitty corner”, rarely “catty corner”, even more rarely with the “-ed” in either case, and I’ve _never_ heard “catercorner”. “Cattywumpus” has, AFAIK, nothing at all to do with diagonals. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/13 "2010-01-05T14:31:33Z")
I thought it was catecorner. That wasn’t up there so I chose _Cater-cornered._ ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/14 "2010-01-05T15:01:33Z")
I’ve seen it spelled catticornered, so I never put it together wtih “cat,” to make “kitty.” ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/15 "2010-01-05T15:16:39Z")
I voted for kitty-cornered. If the poll had allowed I would’ve gone with catty-wumpus\* as well. \*not to be confused with the [Wampus Cat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wampus_cat) ---
**Author:** ![tallcoldone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@tallcoldone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tallcoldone)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/16 "2010-01-05T17:47:59Z")
In western Ohio growing up in the 70’s, everyone said catty-corner. Living in central Michigan since the mid-80’s, I hear only kitty-corner. I still have to think about where I am before I choose which to say. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/17 "2010-01-05T19:24:48Z")
Kitty-corner, but only for a street. And I agree, catty wampus doesn’t belong in this conversation. It means something else altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/18 "2010-01-05T19:37:01Z")
I’ve heard only kitty-corner (as in, “She walked across the street kitty-corner,” meaning to go from one diagonal corner to the other). ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/19 "2010-01-05T21:34:35Z")
Kitty-corner, usually, although I’ve heard catty-corner. And it always refers to buildings on streets, as in “the Baptist church is kitty-corner from my house” (which it is). ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690/20 "2010-01-05T21:51:53Z")
I’m feeling very vindicated right now. The first time I heard this term as a kid, it was kitty. And my sister was there with me. Just a year or two ago, I said kitty, and my sister and her daughter gave me a lot of stick for it. They said it was catty, and everyone knew that, and what the hell was wrong with me? So there, sis. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitty-catty-cater-cornered-or-something-else/523690.md?page=2)