Cat Size

Album: Quatro (1974)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In her autobiography, Unzipped, Quatro says this ballad is "a song I wrote all about leaving Detroit, and one of the most popular live songs for years." It was actually co-written with her lead guitarist and future first husband Len Tuckey.
  • Cats have a wider field of view and exceptional night vision, which makes the "cat's eye" a great metaphor for finding meaning. In this song, Quatro has found this vision and is no longer blind.
  • Susan Kay Quatro was born in Detroit on June 3, 1950, and played in rock bands from the age of 14. In 1970, while performing in her hometown she caught the eye of the British producer Mickie Most, and moved to the UK the following year; commercial success soon followed. Her singles, including "Devil Gate Drive" and "Can The Can," were usually written by her producers, Mike Chapman and Nicky Chin, but Quatro was a talented writers and worked on many of the album cuts, including "Cat Size."
  • "Cat Size" was released on the Bell Label as the B-side of "Keep A Knockin'," a cover of a Little Richard classic. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 3
  • The lyrics is "I'm gonna find me a cat's eye." In a 2019 Songfacts interview with Quatro, she explained why she made the title "Cat Size."

    "There was a thing in England in the roads that was invented - these little spotlights in the road when you're on a dark road - and they were called cat's eyes," she said. "I thought, What a great idea for a song, which is what I called it. But I wanted to be clever, so I called it 'Cat Size' - just to be clever. But you've got the meaning right - it is something that sees in the dark."

Comments: 4

  • Ricky Sztajer from Newport Richey FloridaThis song was one of the best I've ever heard. It's really deep, in which Suzi was trying to tell the world what she has gone through and how she to climb her way up in a man's rock n roll world.. let's face it she was good. And men don't think of it to kindly to be beaten or upstaged by a female.. im glad she got her childhood dues paid, meaning she grew up. I was born in Detroit too. So that alone makes me wanna root for Suzi all the way.. rock on Suzi.. love ya. Hug ricky
  • Ricky Sztajer from FloridaI think cats size was a powerful message on how it all started out for Suzi. Even though I liked devil's gates drive as well but Suzi is a performer with many hidden talents. She can rock, sing the blues, go pop rock, hard rock, and she's good at it!! The one thing I'm extremely proud of is a fellow Detroiter became famous and found her itch.. god bless u Suzi. We may never meet but yr music is in my soul.. ty Suzi. Thanks for the memories
  • Gary from Canadaanother great song by the queen of rock.
  • Joel from Vallejo, CaVery nice song and she has a pretty voice.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.