Cat Sayings and Cat Proverbs

Cat sayings and cat proverbs... the wisdom of cats captured by cat lovers and animal observers.

Below it's a small compilation of well-known sayings about cats (and their meanings), and a few cat-inspired proverbs from around the world.

--It’s raining cats and dogs – This is an expression used to indicate that it’s pouring hard and heavy.

--Curiosity killed the cat - This phrase is used as a cautionary expression. To mind our own business.

--Let the cat out of the bag – To spill the beans, so to speak.

--Sick as a cat – Cats are known for hiding any sign of illness, so when they appear to be sick it usually means that their ailment might be quite advanced. So this phrase suggests that the person is very sick.

--To fight like cats and dogs – This phrase makes use of the legendary animosity between cats and dogs. No holds barred kind of battle.

--To be like a cat on a hot tin roof – To be excited and nervous.

--To grin like a Cheshire cat – To display a very big, and mischievous smile. The exact origins of this saying are not exactly known, but it has been widely associated with The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, and the equally famous Cheshire cat.

--Like herding cats – An almost impossible task.

--Dogs have owners, cats have staff – I think that this cat saying is pretty much self-explanatory.

Did you enjoy these sayings? Here are more feline sayings.

Cat proverbs

The following cat proverbs shed some light on the feline philosophy...

--In a cat’s world, all things belong to cats. English proverb

--Beware of people who dislike cats. Irish proverb

--A cat is a lion to a mouse. - Albanian proverb

--When the cat's away, the mice will play. - English proverb

--Happy owner, happy cat. Indifferent owner, reclusive cat. - Chinese proverb

--A cat in grass is a tiger in the jungle. – English proverb

--It is better to feed one cat than many mice. - Norwegian proverb

--The man who loves cats will love his wife. - Russian proverb

--A cat's a cat and that's that. - American saying

--Happy is the home with at least one cat - Italian proverb

--The dog was made for the man, the cat for the woman - English proverb

--An old cat will not learn how to dance - Moroccan proverb

Do you want to read more feline inspired proverbs? Here are more cat proverbs.

Books for the cat lover

You can find many of the cat sayings and cat proverbs presented here in the following books. Needless to say, these make great cat lover gifts.

--Dictionary of Quotations and Proverbs about Cats and Dogs by Robert A. Nowlan and Gwendolyn W. Nowlan

--The Cat and the Tao by Kwong Kuen Shan

--The Proverbial Cat: Feline Inspirations by Sydney Hauser

--The Philosopher Cat by Kwong Kuen Shan

--Quotable Cat Lover by Charles Elliott

--Hugs for Cat Lovers: Stories, Sayings, and Scriptures to Encourage and Inspire by Tammy L. Bicket, LeAnn Weiss, and Dawn M. Brandon

Please check back often. New sayings and proverbs will be added periodically.


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