Where does “Katzenstreu” come from?

Katzenstreu (German) comes from German katze, from Middle High German katze, from Old High German kazza, from Old High German katta, from Proto-Celtic kattā, from Proto-Germanic *kattǭ, from Latin catta, from Latin cattus — a cat.

Katzenstreu (German): kitty litter

Definitions

  1. kitty litter

Ancestry of “Katzenstreu”, step by step

Katzenstreu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German katze

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germankatzehouse cat, Felis silvestris catus
2Middle High Germankatzecat
3Old High Germankazzacat
4Old High Germankatta
5Proto-Celtickattācat
6Proto-Germanic*kattǭfemale cat
7Latincattaa cat
8Latincattusa cat

via German Streu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanStreulitter; mulch
2Norwegian Bokmålstreveto strive (etter / for), struggle, slave, toil
3Old Frenchestriverto compete; to argue; to dispute; to get into an...
4Frankishstrībanto exert, to make an effort
5Proto-Germanicstrībanąto be stiff; stiffen; to exert; make an effort
6Proto-Indo-Europeanstreybʰ-to be stiff
7Proto-Indo-Europeanster-sterile, infertile
Every word from Latin cattusEvery word from Latin cattaEvery word from Proto-Germanic *kattǭ