What Does “A Kindle of Cats” Mean?
“Kindle” is the older of two collective nouns on this site that both essentially mean a group of kittens born together, the other being the more familiar “litter.” The word comes from an archaic use of “kindle” as a verb meaning to give birth or bring forth young, a usage that’s mostly vanished from modern English except in this collective-noun context.
Historically, “kindle” wasn’t unique to cats; it shows up in old texts describing litters of rabbits and other small mammals too, before “litter” gradually became the more universal term across species. Its survival specifically in cat-related word lists is largely a matter of tradition, an older, more literary word that stuck around in enthusiast and reference circles even as everyday speech moved on to something simpler.
If you’re looking for the modern equivalent, “litter” describes the same basic thing: kittens born in the same birth to the same mother, weaned and raised together in the first weeks of life.
Example: “The shelter posted photos of a kindle of cats found in a barn, all healthy and ready for adoption.”
Other Collective Nouns for Cats
A group of cats goes by more than one name. You might also hear:
- A Clowder of Cats
- A Cluster of Cats
- A Clutter of Cats
- A Dout of Cats
- A Dowt of Cats
- A Glaring of Cats
- A Litter of Cats
Related: Collective Nouns for Mammals