Green’s Dictionary of Slang

odd, strange; thus bad.

1846		Swell’s Night Guide 57: Ven a crib is nix of, is a multa cativa crib. That’s a rum fake, cully?
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor III 47/2: ‘How are you getting on?’ I might say to another Punchman. ‘Ultra cateva,’ he’d say.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict of Sl., Jargon and Cant I 231/2: Catever (popular) poor, bad, of doubtful quality. [Ibid.] II 60/1: Molto cattivo (circus, theatre, Punch and Judy, &c.) very bad, doing badly [Ibid.] II 75/1: Multee kerteever (costermongers) corruption of molto cattivo.
1905		A. Binstead Mop Fair 136: A figure that didn’t compel you to give the lady the frozen face [...] unless things went extra kerteever.
2019		P. Baker Fabulosa 290/1: catever, kerterver bad.
2023		R. Milward Man-Eating Typewriter 47: [I]njecting me with this cateva atomic fear and reckless carpe-diem claptrap.