Kat River

{{Short description|River in the Eastern Cape, South Africa}} {{Use South African English|date=July 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox river | name = Kat River | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = ''Katrivier'' | name_etymology =  | image = | image_size = | image_caption = | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Eastern Cape | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the Kat River in the Eastern Cape  | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = South Africa | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = Eastern Cape | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 =  | length = {{convert|150|km|mi|abbr=on}} | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max =  | source1 = | source1_location = Winterberg, Eastern Cape | source1_coordinates= {{coord|32|34|17|S|26|45|34|E|display=inline}} | source1_elevation = | mouth = | mouth_location = Great Fish River, Eastern Cape | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|32|59|44|S|26|47|5|E|display=inline,title}} | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }} The '''Kat River''' ({{langx|af|Katrivier}}) is a tributary of the Great Fish River, that drains the southern slopes of the Winterberg in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

==Etymology== Kat, meaning "cat", is a translation of the Khoekhoen word "huncu", that apparently referred to the wildcats of the area.<ref name=raper>{{cite web |title=Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain) |url=https://archive.org/details/DictionaryOfSouthernAfricanPlaceNames |publisher=Human Science Research Council |page=242}}</ref> It lent its name to Katberg, the Katberg Pass and the Kat River Settlement.

==Course and utilization== The {{Convert|150|km}} long Kat River rises 30 km north of Fort Beaufort<ref name=raper/> in the Katberg escarpment of the Winterberg. At {{coord|32|59|44|S|26|47|5|E}} it forms a northern tributary of the Great Fish River, northeast of Fort Brown<ref name=raper/> and south of Hamburg, Eastern Cape.

It supplies the Kat River Valley with irrigation water for large citrus orchards, and supplies Seymour and Fort Beaufort with domestic water.

;Dams * Katrivier Dam

==See also== * List of rivers in South Africa

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Rivers of the Eastern Cape