Meanings
- humorousSynonym of tough titty (“hard luck; too bad”).
Marv's conversation usually dealt in wise cliches like "Tough titty said the kitty, but the milk's already sour.
1974, Journal of Canadian Fiction, Volume 3, page 39Synonyms: tough titty
Synonyms & antonyms
interjectionSynonym of tough titty (“hard luck; too bad”).
Origin
Chosen for the rhyme. The image is of a kitten suckling at the mother cat's teat, hence the references to milk in the extended variants. First use appears c. 1974. See citation below.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
tough titty said the kitty. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tough%20titty%20said%20the%20kitty
“tough titty said the kitty.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tough%20titty%20said%20the%20kitty. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tough titty said the kitty,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tough%20titty%20said%20the%20kitty.
Source: tough titty said the kitty on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.