The Kitty Song

O where is my kitty, my little grey kitty?
I wandered the fields all around
I looked in the cradle and under the table
but nowhere could kitty be found.

I went to the stable as long as was able
I looked at the old wooden spout
I went to the wood pile and stayed there a good while
but never would kitty come out.

I took my dog Rover and looked the fields over
to see if my kitty was there
No dog could be kinder but he couldn't find her
O where can my poor kitty be?

I saw a boy trundle away with a bundle
and carry it down to the brook.
Could that be my kitty, so cunning and pretty,
I guess I'll go down there and look.

For there is no knowing what people are doing
who carry things off in a sack.
So swiftly do hurry, not very long tarry,
and always come empty back.

I took my hook, and went to the brook
to see if my kitty was there;
but there I found that she had been drowned
And so I went home in despair.

• My brother Steve was kind enough to record our mother Marilyn singing the song, as she remembered it. He and our mom also provided (finally!) the definitive 1959 version of "My Little Gray Kitty", written in our grama Gladys's hand. She was doing most of her singing in DeLong, Illinois.

  Mom's "Stevie" was born in 1959, so I presume that Grama wrote it out so that Mom could get it right!:) Mom was usually singing it to us in Bowling Green, Ohio.

  ---

• I heard it said that Aunt Diane wasn't pleased at the ending of this tale, and may even have written an alternate ending! She didn't need to, as I've found this alternate version of the song (from a website which no longer exists):
  Songs as remembered and sung
  By Agnes Amelia Ransom Burton
  Oh where, oh where is my kitty?

  Oh where, oh where is my little grey kitty?
  I've hunted the house all around
  I've looked in the cradle
  In under the table
  And nowhere can kitty be found.

  I saw a boy trundle away a small bundle
  And carry it down to the brook
  Perhaps it was kitty, so cunning and pretty,
  I think I'll go down there and look.

  I'll take my hook and go down to the brook
  To see if my kitty is there
  And if I find that my kitty's been drowned
  Oh, then I'll give up in despair.

  Your little grey kitty has not been drowned
  I've found her and brought her to you
  But before you take, a promise please make
  That you'll not blame the boys anymore.

  Learned about 1905.

• And here's another alternate version, sent by Greg Miner, who learned it from his Great Grandmother Mabel Elizabeth Heroy, who sang it to him in the early 1960's in southern Michigan:

  Oh, where is my kitty, my little grey kitty?
  I've hunted the house all around.
  I looked in the cradle and under the table,
  But no little kitty was found.
  
  I went to the attic and made a great racket,
  I peeked in the old water spout.
  I went to the woodpile and sat there a good while,
  But no little kitty came out.
  
  I called old dog Rover, to search the fields over,
  And help find my kitty for me,
  No dog could be kinder, but he couldn't find her,
  Oh where can my poor kitty be?
  
  I saw a boy trundle, off with a large bundle,
  And carry it down to the brook.
  Oh can it be kitty, my little grey kitty?
  I guess I'll go down there and look.
  
  At last I have found her, brown leaves falling round her,
  Up high on the wall, by a tree.
  Oh yes, it's my kitty, my little grey kitty,
  Come, come naughty kitty to me.
  

• Most recently, I was pointed to this published version by Arleen Wirth. I have a local copy of Hymns and Poems for Little Folks (claim on "The Google" is that it was published in 1875):
  PUSSY'S HIDING-PLACE.

  Oh, where is my kitten, my little grey kitten?
  I've hunted the house all around;
  I've looked in the cradle, and under the table,
  But nowhere can kitty be found.

  I've hunted the clover and flower beds over;
  I peeped in the old wooden spout;
  I went to the wood-pile, and stayed there a good while,
  But never my kitty came out.

  I've been in the attic and made a great racket;
  I peeped into little Dick's bed;
  I've looked in the stable as much as I'm able:
  I hunted the wood-house and shed.

  I called little Rover, to hunt the field over,
  And help find my kitty for me;
  No dog could be kinder, but he couldn't find her--
  Oh, where can my poor kitty be?

  I saw a boy trundle away a small bundle,
  And drop it down into the brook.
  Could that be my kitty, so cunning and pretty?
  I think I will run there and look:

  For there is no knowing what people are throwing,
  When things are tied up in a sack;
  Whatever they carry, not long do they tarry,
  And always they come empty back!

  Aunt Clara.
  

  The same version (by "Aunt Clara") is also published in The Children's Book of Poetry (here's a local copy).

  Arleen found it in The Youth's Companion of May 25th, 1871 (local copy here), under the title "Old Puss inquires for her kitten" (with only minor modifications from that above).

  Arleen say "My grandmother used to sing this song. I have found the words as poetry (called 'Pussy's Hiding Place' by an Aunt Clara) in a book published as early as 1879 but I am having less success finding the tune. Do you know who wrote it? Was it ever published? Do you know anything about it? The tune used here is very similar to the one my Grandmother used. She lived in Nebraska and sang it to her children in the 1940's."

• Other versions, comments, and info (from another dead website):

  • "I don't know the origin of the song but my mother used to sing it as as did my grandmother before her. This is how it went. I lost my kitty, my little gray kitty. I hunted the house all around, I looked under the table and under the cradle but no where my kitty be found. Then I saw a boy stumble, he had a very small bundle and he was taking it down to the brook. So I took my hook and I went to the brook to see if my kitty was there. by the time i had found it, My poor kitty had drowned so I gave up in dispair. My folks came to the states from Germany I would guess it came from that region"
  • "My Mother, Aunts and Grandmother use to sing my kitty to us as kids. My grandmother was of 2nd generation German Polish dissent born and raised in NW Ohio. I think it could be of German origin. PS. My oldest Aunt is now a 101 years old."

• This is a recent contribution, from Breanna Carlson-Decker, whose great, great aunt sang it to her. "We are from the Central Washington area. I grew up in Yakima and the vast majority of my family is from here. She started singing that to me when I was about 2 or 3 that I can remember. Which would have been early 1990s. She actually lived to be 100! 1904-2004. She had lots of songs we'd sing together, but this one was probably the one that stuck with me the most. I will also add that her maiden name was Stevens, but her mother's maiden name was Schreiner, so, the song very well could have German origins."

• Mike T. shared his recollections of the song in 2024.