The name is said to derive from wildcats at a crossing of the River Ravensbourne. Catford’s most prominent landmark is the Catford Cat, a giant fibreglass sculpture of a black cat above the entrance to the Catford Centre. This is a small shopping centre, housing Tesco and Iceland supermarkets as well as independent shops in the punningly-named Catford Mews. There is a street market on Catford Broadway. Catford has several pubs and a variety of non-chain restaurants and cafes.

Lewisham Council’s town hall and local government offices are located in Catford, near a crossroads of the Catford Gyratory road system. The art deco Broadway theatre adjoins the town hall. The only cinema in the borough stood opposite the theatre until its closure in 2002, while Catford’s public library is on another corner.

Catford is well connected for public transport, with two adjacent stations where railway lines cross (but do not interchange). Catford railway station is on the route between Blackfriars station and Sevenoaks via Bromley South, while Catford Bridge railway station is on the Mid-Kent line to Hayes from Charing Cross and Cannon Street stations. As well as the railway stations there is Catford bus garage, providing many routes towards Central London and out towards Bromley.