What do cats call themselves?

[Huskyteer]

Let me pick your collective furry brains once again! Say I have an alt-Earth where cats evolved into the sapient life form, rather than apes. What do they call themselves? ‘Man’ sounds a bit weird, and it’s not gonna be ‘Cats’ or ‘Fels’ because they’ve yet to figure out evolution and the fact that they’re related to lions and kitties oh my.

Based on my usual sloppy wanderings through Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_(word)), some options (something that could reasonably have emerged from Greek/Latin/Proto-Indo-European):

Maor
Grm
Gum
Mu
Mannz

‘Anthro’ would possibly work, but be a bit confusing/self-referential in a furry context.

Any of the above? Something else? Or is this all unbearably twee and I should just go with ‘Man’?

[Poetigress]

In terms of a big inclusive “mankind” type word, any simple word could work, though I’d consider something that hints at a mewing, trilling, chuffing, or hissing sound – something that sounds feline, either in terms of small or big cat. That said, you could also just use “man,” especially assuming they’ve never encountered humans or any other sapient life. After all, there have been various indigenous peoples whose names for themselves basically translate to “the people” or something similar. (I would definitely consider just using “man” and “woman” to refer to individuals.)

[system]

What about making a play on their scientific names like leonan/leoni?

[Ryffnah]

Based on my usual sloppy wanderings through Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_(word)), some options (something that could reasonably have emerged from Greek/Latin/Proto-Indo-European):

Maor
Grm
Gum
Mu
Mannz

‘Anthro’ would possibly work, but be a bit confusing/self-referential in a furry context.

Any of the above? Something else? Or is this all unbearably twee and I should just go with ‘Man’?

I like Maor and Mannz. I think that Gum would be confusing. The lack of vowels in Grm makes it seem like it’s from a bad sci-fi novel. Mu conjures zen koans or cows for me – so, not so much. Anthro seems generic given how much it’s used in furry. And Man is boring when you could go with Maor or Mannz. I think I like Maor best.

[Huskyteer]

I like ‘Maor’ too - problem is it looks like it requires an accent, so I’d look like an ignoramus to any passing linguists. But what are the odds, eh?

[Ocean]

Being a bit of a science geek I like “mu” as it reminds me of the variable mu (pronounced “mew”) in physics used for the coefficient for friction. Friction - mew -cats, yeah.

[thequeenofmars]

Out of those, I’d put Mannz at the bottom of my list. If you’re looking for a replacement for the collective “man”, replacing it with Mannz seems just…silly. Not enough change between the two, I suppose. It also looks like a lolcat-esque name for mankind. O.o

[Huskyteer]

Agreed on Mu/mew, and LOL at the lolcat association. That’s definitely spoiled Mannz for me now too!

[PeppermintBatty]

“Yo, mew. What’s fly in the hood? All my mews be jumpin’ an’ jivin’ an shit.”

I like it.

[Huskyteer]

All my mews! cuddles all her mews

[Dwale]

In terms of a big inclusive “mankind” type word, any simple word could work, though I’d consider something that hints at a mewing, trilling, chuffing, or hissing sound – something that sounds feline, either in terms of small or big cat. That said, you could also just use “man,” especially assuming they’ve never encountered humans or any other sapient life. After all, there have been various indigenous peoples whose names for themselves basically translate to “the people” or something similar. (I would definitely consider just using “man” and “woman” to refer to individuals.)

Strongly agreed.

[Huskyteer]

I completely missed your response somehow, Poetigress - oops! Definitely think you’re right as to man/woman for individuals.