ɪn wˈɪljəm ʃˈeɪkspɪɹz ɹˈoʊmɪˌoʊ ænd dʒˌuːlɪˈɛt, tˈaɪbɔlt ɪz ɹᵻfˈɜːd tə baɪ mɜːkjˈuːɾɪˌoʊ æz "pɹˈɪns ʌv kˈæts", ænd ðˌoʊ ðɪs ɪz mˈoːɹ lˈaɪkli ɪn ɹˈɛfɹəns tə tˈaɪbɜːt slˈæʃ tˈaɪbɔlt ðə "pɹˈɪns ʌv kˈæts" ɪn ɹˈeɪnɑːɹd ðə fˈɑːks, ɪt dˈɛmənstɹˌeɪts ðɪ ɛɡzˈɪstəns ʌvðə fɹˈeɪz fɹʌm æt lˈiːst ðə sˈɪkstiːnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi ɪn ˈɪŋɡlənd.
In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt is referred to by Mercutio as "Prince of Cats", and though this is more likely in reference to Tibert/Tybalt the "Prince of Cats" in Reynard the Fox, it demonstrates the existence of the phrase from at least the 16th century in England.