What are the most common idioms related to cats ? How and when can we use them ? Read this article of POC English carefully.
Are you a cat person? If you are, then this lesson is exactly for you! We are going to learn 5 English idioms related to cats that are of funny idioms in English . You know what idioms are. Right? So, just as a reminder, idioms are a group of words with a meaning which is different than the meaning of the words themselves!
For example, “under the weather” literally means that you are under the rain and getting wet, but as an idiom, it means to be a bit sick.
To let the cat out of the bag means to reveal a secret by mistake. Imagine that you want to keep something a secret (a surprise birthday party for example). But then you do something by mistake and the person knows that you are going to throw him a party. You let the cat out of the bag!
- Hey! How does mom know about her surprise birthday party?
- Well, I may have let the cat out of the bag.
- What did you do?
- You know, I put the cake in the fridge, and she saw it!
Learn more: idioms about food
2. There is more than one way to skin a cat
This is a very interesting idiom related to cats ! It is used to say that there is more than one way to achieve something or to do something. So, you should never give up!
- What if my business plan does not work? What should I do then?
- There is more than one way to skin a cat! Keep positive, and try again.
This question is used to ask somebody why he or she is not saying anything and are being quiet.
Imagine that you were having a conversation with a group of people and one of them doesn’t say anything. You can use idioms related to cats and ask “Hey! Why are you quiet? Cat got your tongue?
- Hey! You’ve been quiet all night! cat got your tongue?
- You know, I’m a bit shy, and I don’t know what to say.
4.To take / have a catnap
Did you know that cats are super lazy and love to sleep all the time? They usually get up, eat breakfast, sleep, eat lunch, and then sleep again! That’s why the word “catnap” is created and used in idioms related to cats !
Catnap means a short sleep during the day. So, if you take a catnap or if you have a catnap, it means that you want to sleep for 15 or 20 minutes.
- I always take a catnap after lunch.
Look at this dialogue:
- So, what’s your plan? What do you wanna do?
- I don’t know. For now, I just wanna take a catnap and then we will see what happens!
Learn more: idioms about health and diet
5.To bell the cat
To bell the cat means to do something difficult or risky that can benefit a group of people.
Imagine that you and your colleagues are not satisfied with your salary. So, one of you will have to talk to the boss. The boss might get angry and fire the person who is complaining. But whoever does it, the whole group will benefit. Now the question is who will bell the cat? (who will do it?)
- I think you should bell the cat! Boss likes you the most!
- I don’t wanna lose my job! why don’t you bell the cat?
Learn more: What are color idioms in English?
Summary of the lesson
Let’s review the idioms related to cats mentioned in this lesson!
✅To let the cat out of the bag → to reveal a secret by mistake
✅There is more than one way to skin a cat → there is more than one way to achieve something or to do something
✅Cat got your tongue? → to ask somebody why he or she is not saying anything
✅To take / have a catnap → to want to sleep for 15 or 20 minutes.
✅ To bell the cat → to do something difficult or risky that can benefit a group of people.
