Origin: The English Navy used to use a whip made with multiple rope endings called a ‘cat’o’-nine-tails’. After whipping a victim, they’d joke “cat got your tongue?” Others believe the expression comes from the Ancient Egyptian method of cutting out the tongues of blasphemers and serving them to cats for dinner.

Origin: The English Navy used to use a whip made with multiple rope endings called a ‘cat’o’-nine-tails’. After whipping a victim, they’d joke “cat got your tongue?” Others believe the expression comes from the Ancient Egyptian method of cutting out the tongues of blasphemers and serving them to cats for dinner.

Despite the article being only posted earlier today, the story didn't ring true to my ears. In fact, a simple Google search revealed the following

However, the following three sources: 1, 2 and 3 all attribute the origin of “cat got your tongue" with the infamous instrument of punishment.

Despite the article being only posted earlier today (October 1, 2020), the story didn't ring true to my ears. In fact, a simple Google search revealed the following

However, the following three sources: 1, 2 and 3 all attribute the origin of “cat got your tongue" with the infamous instrument of punishment. There is also an article that says the nine ‘tails’ represent the nine lives of a cat.

It seems clear that the cat-'o-nine-tails, which was made with nine log lines (the knots in the rope helped sailors to measure a ship's speed) is credited to have created numerous English phrases and expressions but not one reference actually can confirm with certainty that it is the source of any of the phrases listed above.

1. Is there an earlier instance than 1695 of cat-o'nine-tails?
2. Which of the above expressions, or even a different one, can be safely attributed to the whip used by the Royal Navy?

It seems clear that the cat-'o-nine-tails, which was made with nine log lines (the knots in the rope helped sailors to measure a ship's speed) is credited to have created numerous English phrases and expressions but not one of the reference actually confirms with certainty that it is the source of any of the phrases listed above.

1. Is there an earlier instance than 1695 of cat-o'nine-tails?
2. Which of the above expressions, or even a different one, can be safely attributed to the whip used by the Royal Navy?