Puss is an informal English word for a cat, of uncertain origin, with cognates across Germanic, Celtic, and Baltic languages that suggest it may be an expressive wanderwort.
An informal or affectionate name for a cat; also used to call a cat
Puss appeared in English in the early 16th century as a call-name for cats, but its ultimate origin is uncertain and much debated. It has cognates across Germanic and Celtic languages — Dutch poes, Irish Gaelic pus, Lithuanian pūzė — but the direction of borrowing is unclear. Some scholars suggest it originated as an onomatopoeic or expressive word imitating the sound made
Puss in Boots (Le Chat Botté) first appeared in Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale collection. The English name 'Puss in Boots' was established by the 18th century, making it one of the earliest uses of 'puss' in a literary title that remains widely known today.