How to say "cat" in Japanese

• ねこJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounThe common word for the animal, especially the domestic cat, and by extension any feline; use it whenever you simply mean a cat, as in talk about pets or cats in general.
  あなたのサイトは、猫ねこに興味きょうみのある人ひと達たちにとって魅力的みりょくてきです。↗

  Your site appeals to people who are interested in cats.
• キャット
  nounA katakana borrowing of English 'cat'; less common than ねこ, it is seldom the word you want for the animal, appearing mainly where the English word itself is being used.
• 家猫いえねこ
  nounA less common term for the domestic cat, Felis catus; use it when the domestic species itself is meant, as in explanatory writing, and prefer ねこ for ordinary reference to a cat.
• クレジットカード与信照会用端末クレジットカードよしんしょうかいようたんまつ
  nounNot the animal: this is the acronym CAT, Credit Authorization Terminal, a terminal for credit-card credit authorization checks; it belongs to banking contexts, not to talk about cats.
• カト
  nounA katakana rendering of the English word 'cat'; less common and marginal as a way to refer to the animal, it is seldom the word you want — ねこ is the natural choice.

「ねこ」 is the common word for the animal, especially the domestic cat; 家猫 names that species explicitly; 「キャット」 and 「カト」 are katakana renderings of English 'cat'; 「クレジットカード与信照会用端末」 is only the banking acronym CAT.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ねこcat (esp. the domestic cat, Felis catus)
• キャットcat
• 家猫いえねこcat (Felis catus)
• クレジットカード与信照会用端末クレジットカードよしんしょうかいようたんまつCAT
• カトcat
• ぬこcat
• にゃーにゃーcat
• にゃんにゃんcat
• にゃんcat