Jacob Cats was born on 10 November 1577 in Brouwershaven as the fourth child in the family of a beer cutter, who belongs to the higher circles of the town. Father Adriaan Cornelis Cats brings it to alderman and mayor of his hometown. He was a poet, politician and lawyer. He eventually made it to the board pensionary of Holland. This function is more or less comparable to the current prime minister.

According to tradition, Jacob Cats' parents lived here. This house, or a previous house on this spot, was one of the houses owned by Cats' father in 1591.