Cats, with their mysterious aura and enigmatic behaviors, have inspired countless cultures throughout history, resulting in a rich tapestry of sayings and adages. From the sun-drenched lands of Africa to the cherry blossom-laden landscapes of Japan, each proverb reflects the reverence, humor, and sometimes, the caution with which different societies view these fascinating creatures. Whether symbolizing independence, cunning, or sheer luck, these cat proverbs offer a window into the world’s collective thoughts and beliefs about our feline friends.
“When the cat is away, the mice will play.” – English Proverb
“A cat has nine lives.” – English
“Curiosity killed the cat.” – English
“In a cat’s eye, all things belong to cats.” – English
“The cat who frightens the mice away is as good as the cat who eats them.” – German
“Happy is the home with at least one cat.” – Italian Proverb
“Beware of people who dislike cats.” – Irish Proverb
“An old cat will not learn how to dance.” – Moroccan Proverb
“The cat who meows too much gets a mouthful of flies.” – Malagasy Proverb
“A cat may go to a monastery, but she still remains a cat.” – Ethiopian Proverb
“The cat knows whose lips she licks.” – Yoruba Proverb
“A cat with gloves catches no mice.” – Spanish
“Cats, flies and women are ever at their toilets.” – French
“After dark all cats are leopards.” – Native American Proverb
“You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with strange cats.” – Colonial American Proverb
“A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays, and for the last three he stays.” – English Proverb
“The cat who frightens the mouse away is as good as the cat who eats them.” – Chinese Proverb
“When the cat’s gone, it’s a feast for the rats.” – Dutch
“The cat loves fish, but she’s loath to wet her feet.” – Old English
“Do not call the cat a bad name because she is black.” – Ghanaian Proverb
“Without a cat, mice feel free.” – Nepali Proverb
“Better a cat’s bite than a dog’s.” – Portuguese Proverb
“A cat may look at a king.” – English Proverb
“God made the cat so that man might have the pleasure of caressing the tiger.” – French Proverb
“The cat with a glove catches no mice.” – Dutch Proverb
“There are many ways of skinning a cat.” – American Proverb
“A cat can look at a king.” – Scottish Proverb
“Never trust a cat that doesn’t purr.” – Jamaican Proverb
“The dog for the man, the cat for the woman.” – English Proverb
“The cat always leaves a mark on his friend.” – African Proverb
“All cats are grey in the dark.” – German Proverb
“The cat knows whose meat it eats.” – Maltese Proverb
“Cats don’t catch mice to please God.” – Afghan Proverb
“A cat may look on a queen.” – English Proverb
“Cats hide their claws.” – Latin Proverb
“Only the cat knows what she’s caught.” – Bulgarian Proverb
“If stretching were wealth, the cat would be rich.” – African Proverb
“A cat may go to a monastery, but she still remains a cat.” – Russian Proverb
“When rats infest the Palace a lame cat is better than the swiftest horse.” – Chinese Proverb
“He who plays with cats must expect to be scratched.” – Spanish Proverb
“A cat’s a cat and that’s that.” – American Proverb
“You can’t look at a sleeping cat and be tense.” – Japanese Proverb
“The dog may be wonderful prose, but only the cat is poetry.” – French Proverb
“More luck than the cat that survived.” – Irish Proverb
“When the cat walks, the mice rejoice.” – Indian Proverb
“A cat bitten once by a snake dreads even rope.” – Turkish Proverb
“A cat with young kittens doesn’t play with rats.” – Romanian Proverb
“The cat is out of the bag.” – English Proverb
“A cat with kittens almost forgets to purr.” – Russian Proverb
“Cats don’t catch colds by sitting in the rain.” – Icelandic Proverb
“The cat who meows at the mouse but does not pounce.” – Japanese Proverb
“Even a cat is a lion in her own lair.” – Indian Proverb