Short answer Despite its name, catgut has never been documented as made from cats. It came mostly from sheep or goat intestines, and some players still use it.
The taut strings of a violin. They used to be made from animal intestines.
CatgutLiterally "cat gut," a cord made from fibers in animal intestines
But it has never been documented as made from cats. Sheep or goat intestines were what people mostly used.
Whoever named it owes the cats an apology
An old violin. Harp, lute, cello and acoustic guitar strings were gut too.
Where the name comes from is unclear. One theory says "kit," an old word for a small fiddle, got confused with "kit," a young cat.
Most strings today are steel or synthetic. Still, classical players keep using gut strings, because they give a richer, darker sound.
So the cats were safe all along
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