 A group of cats is referred to as a " clowder " or a " glaring " , a male cat is called a " tom " or " tomcat " ( or a " gib " , if neutered ) , an unaltered female is called a " queen " , and a juvenile cat is referred to as a " kitten " . The male progenitor of a cat , especially a pedigreed cat , is its " sire " , and its female progenitor is its " dam " . In Early Modern English , the word ' kitten ' was interchangeable with the now @-@ obsolete word ' catling ' . 
