Cats are beautiful, inquisitive creatures. And they are known for being nosy or curious. Curiosity killed the cat is a warning against being so nosy or curious. Have I ever known a cat to be killed because of its curiosity? No, and I have had many cats as companions. Right now, I have only six, but I have had more. But I’m sure there have been at least a few that have lost their lives because they just had to know about something dangerous. Say a cat was curious about what was at the bottom of a deep hole. If it was to jump in to see, chances are, it would be falling to its death. Or it could land on its feet.
An idiom is a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal meanings of its individual words. There are a lot of animal idioms out there, and curiosity killed the cat is just one of them. More will be covered in future articles.
A barking dog never bites – Even though a dog is used in this idiom, what it says isn’t really about a dog. It is talking about people who are loud and threatening, and it means they won’t back up their threats with action.
A bee in your bonnet – If a bee were to fly inside your bonnet and you were wearing it, you would be noticeably upset and disturbed. Well, at least I would. Not that I ever wear a bonnet. But at times I do wear a hat. This saying is talking about someone who is obsessed or preoccupied with something or an idea.
A cat has nine lives – We all know that a cat doesn’t actually have nine lives. This phrase speaks of a cat’s remarkable ability to not only land on its feet when falling from high up, it also references the cat’s almost magical talent of escaping great danger and recovering from harm.
A cat in gloves catches no mice – This is an expression that I had never heard before, but it makes total sense when you think about it. Think about it: A cat wearing gloves wouldn’t be a very good mouse catcher . This means that one can’t get what one wants be being cautious. One must use aggression.
A cat may look at a king- I had never heard this phrase either. It means that even those of lower status have certain rights and may be curious of those in higher positions. It states that no one is so important that they can’t be looked at or questioned.
A cat nap – I envy how deeply cats are able to sleep. It takes one no time to fall asleep, but they can wake up almost instantly, and they can sleep just about anywhere. A cat nap is a short light nap taken anytime to refresh oneself.
A copycat– A copycat refers to someone who imitates or mimics the actions, ideas, or work of another person without adding anything original. The term is often negative, suggesting a lack of creativity or originality.
Curiosity killed the cat – Has anyone ever told you that curiosity kills the cat? If so, they’re simply telling you that you are too curious, that you want to know too much. They are telling you to mind your own business.
Writing Prompt: For a writing prompt, choose any of the above idioms, and make a story out of it.
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