"Katze" is feminine in German — the correct article is die. The plural is die Katzen (add -n, no Umlaut). In English, Katze means "cat". The male cat is der Kater.
Gender rule: Nouns ending in -e are very often feminine in German — die Katze, die Sonne, die Straße. This ending is one of the most reliable gender signals in the language. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Die Katze is essential A1 vocabulary and one of the first nouns German learners encounter. It's also a great noun to practice cases, because feminine articles change in a pattern that's different from masculine nouns like der Hund. Below you'll find the full declension table, example sentences, a common mistake to avoid, and a short quiz.
Katze — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Katze | die Katzen |
| Genitive | der Katze | der Katzen |
| Dative | der Katze | den Katzen |
| Accusative | die Katze | die Katzen |
Example Sentences with Katze
Die Katze liegt den ganzen Tag auf dem Fensterbrett.
(The cat lies on the windowsill all day.) — Nominative
Er streichelt die Katze sanft hinter den Ohren.
(He gently strokes the cat behind the ears.) — Accusative
Ich gebe der Katze jeden Abend frisches Futter.
(I give the cat fresh food every evening.) — Dative
Das Fell der Katze ist weich und glänzend.
(The cat's fur is soft and shiny.) — Genitive
Die Katzen schlafen zusammen auf dem Sofa.
(The cats are sleeping together on the sofa.) — Nominative Plural
Sie kauft den Katzen ein neues Spielzeug.
(She buys the cats a new toy.) — Dative Plural
Related Vocabulary & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): der Kater (tomcat / male cat), das Kätzchen (kitten / little cat), katzenhaft (cat-like — adjective)
Related Vocabulary (Verwandtes Vokabular): schnurren (to purr)
Common compounds (Komposita): die Hauskatze (domestic cat), die Wildkatze (wild cat), das Katzenfutter (cat food), die Katzenpfote (cat's paw), der Katzenbuckel (arched back / cat's back stretch), die Katzenaugen (cat's eyes)
Common Mistake with Katze
❌ Common mistake: Auf dem Dach sitzen zwei schwarze Kätzen.
✅ Correct: Auf dem Dach sitzen zwei schwarze Katzen.
💡 Why: The plural of die Katze is die Katzen — simply add -n, no Umlaut. The form "Kätzen" does not exist in German. Don't confuse the plural with the diminutive das Kätzchen (kitten), which does have an Umlaut — but that's a completely separate word. Each noun's plural form must be learned individually.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Die Augen ___ Katze leuchten im Dunkeln.
- A) die Katze
- B) der Katze
- C) den Katze
Check Answer
The genitive expresses possession (whose eyes?). For feminine nouns, the genitive article is der — and the noun itself does not change: der Katze. This is different from masculine nouns, where the noun adds -s or -es in the genitive.
2. Das Kind liegt neben ___ Katze auf dem Teppich.
- A) die Katze
- B) der Katze
- C) den Katze
Check Answer
"Neben" can take either accusative (movement) or dative (location). Here it describes a location (lying next to), so it requires the dative. Feminine dative = der: der Katze.
3. Das ist eine sehr neugierig___ Katze.
- A) -er
- B) -en
- C) -e
Check Answer
After an indefinite article in the nominative with a feminine noun, the adjective ending is -e: eine neugierige Katze. Compare with masculine: ein neugieriger Hund (-er), or neuter: ein neugieriges Tier (-es).
Want to drill more nouns like this? The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to practice — pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
More Animal Nouns
- der Hund — the dog
- das Pferd — the horse
- die Maus — the mouse
- der Vogel — the bird
- der Wolf — the wolf
- der Elefant — the elephant
- der Löwe — the lion
- das Kaninchen — the rabbit
For more animal words, explore the full animal vocabulary list.
Is it der, die, or das Katze? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including animal vocabulary and much more. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Katze masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Katze is feminine — the correct article is die. The feminine gender is easy to remember here: nouns ending in -e are very often feminine in German. Note that die Katze refers to a cat of any gender in everyday speech. If you specifically mean a male cat, use der Kater. See all gender patterns in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Katze?
The plural is die Katzen — add -n to the singular form, no Umlaut. This is the standard plural pattern for nouns ending in -e. The form "Kätzen" does not exist — don't let the diminutive das Kätzchen mislead you.
What is the difference between Katze and Kater?
Die Katze means "cat" in general (and often implies a female cat), while der Kater specifically means "tomcat" — a male cat. Interestingly, der Kater also means "hangover" in colloquial German, making it one of those fun double-meaning words. Both are A1–A2 vocabulary worth knowing early on.
Why does the article change to "der" in the dative and genitive for Katze?
This is a key pattern for all feminine nouns in German: in the dative and genitive singular, the definite article shifts from die to der. The noun itself never changes its form in the singular — only the article does. This is different from masculine and neuter nouns, which add endings in the genitive. See the full picture in the Articles Chart.
