Onomatopoeic, from the animal's cry. Compare Chinese 貓 (MC mjew|maew), Zhuang meuz, Thai แมว (mɛɛo), Northern Thai ᨾᩯ᩠ᩅ (maew), Lao ແມວ (mǣu), Lü ᦶᦙᧁ (maew), Shan မႅဝ်း (méao), Vietnamese mèo.
myaus
