CAT-ch PHRASES

A bag of cats - A bad-tempered person, such as: "She's a real bag of cats this afternoon!"

A cat in gloves catches no mice - Sometimes you can't accomplish a goal by being careful and polite.
An idiom attributed to Ben Franklin in Poor Richard's Almanac

All cats are gray in the dark - All persons are undistinguished until they have made a name.
English proverb

As much chance as a wax cat in hell - There is no chance at all

As nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs - Someone with frayed nerves; jumpy
The allusion, of course, is to the fact that cats don't like having their tails tromped upon. Where the phrase originated is unknown

Cat around - To live an aimless, immoral life

Ginger cats - IS COAT COLOUR LINKED TO TEMPERAMENT?

Ginger cats are said to be spirited and fiery (and sometimes mean-spirited or sly) - very apt considering their fiery colour and there is the epithet "ginger tom" to describe the supposedly typical alley cat

Why do cats roll over and expose their stomachs?

body language shows how much he cares for you and how comfortable he is around you. Totally exposing the stomach reveals how secure he feels, because the stomach area is the must vulerable body part of the cat. He can be asking for a caress, inviting you to play with him, or may want the stomach area stroked. If he sleeps on his back this way, his trust in you is in the stratosphere.

Why are cats so curious?

By nature, the cat is an explorer and is constantly on the hunt - not always for food, but also to satisfy his quest for the unknown.

Why do cats sulk?

Humans are huge to a cat. When you scold him, you are intimidating him. And when you look down upon a cat to discipline him, he associates your fixed gaze with a rival. The eyes of many animals are a signal of power. In comparison to a cat's size, his eyes are enormous. In hostile situations, a dominant cat will stare at his rival, who will look away rather than increase the hostility. So when your cat turns away after disciplining, he isn't ignoring you; he's surrendering.

Cats and Luck

English schoolchildren believed seeing a white cat on the way to school was sure to bring trouble. To prevent the bad luck, they were to spit or turn around completely and make the sign of the cross.
Charles I, king of England, owned a black cat that he felt brought him luck. He was so afraid of losing it that he had it guarded day and night. As it happened, the day after the cat died, he was arrested.
A cat sneezing is a good omen for everyone who hears it. - Italian superstition

Dreaming of a cat is sometimes regarded as a sign of bad luck in the future. On the other hand, American folklore has it that dreaming of a white cat is good luck.
In England, it was believed that if a black cat lived in the house, the young lass would have plenty of suitors.

In France, it is believed that if you find one white hair on a black cat, Lady Luck will smile upon you.
In Yorkshire, England, while it is lucky to own a black cat, it is extremely unlucky to come across one accidentally.
In the early 16th century, a visitor to an English home would always kiss the family cat to bring good luck.
In the Dark Ages, a cat was mortared, while still alive, into the foundation of a building to ensure good luck to the inhabitants.
If a black cat crosses your path while your driving, turn your hat around backwards and mark an X on your windshield to prevent bad luck.

It is bad luck to cross a stream carrying a cat. - French superstition

Fishermen's wives kept a black cat at home to prevent disaster at sea.

It is bad luck to see a white cat at night. - American superstition

To see a white cat on the road is lucky. - American supersition

Fisherman's wives kept black cats while their husbands went away to sea. They believed that the black cats would prevent danger from occurring to their husbands. These black cats were considered so valuable that they were often stolen.

It is considered bad luck to pass a black cat after 9 pm

In North America, it's bad luck if a black cat crosses your path and good luck if a white cat crosses your path. In Britain and Ireland, it's the opposite.

If a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune, but if it walks away, it takes the good luck with it.

Cats and Witches

Norse legend tells of Freya, goddess of love and fertility, whose chariot was pulled by two black cats. Some versions of the tale claim they became swift black horses, possessed by the Devil. After serving Freya for 7 years, the cats were rewarded by being turned into witches, disguised as black cats.

Traits associated with cats include cleverness, unpredictability, healing and witchcraft, since in ancient times it was believed that witches took the form of their cats at night.

Folklore has it that if a witch becomes human, her black cat will no longer reside in her house.

It was largely in the Middle Ages that the black cat became affiliated with evil. Because cats are nocturnal and roam at night, they were believed to be supernatural servants of witches, or even witches themselves. Partly because of the cat's sleek movements and eyes that 'glow' at night, they became the embodiment of darkness, mystery, and evil, possessing frightening powers. If a black cat walked into the room of an ill person, and the person later died, it was blamed on the cat's supernatural powers. If a black cat crossed a person's path without harming them, this indicated that the person was then protected by the devil. Often times, a cat would find shelter with older women who were living in solitude. The cat became a source of comfort and companionship, and the old woman would curse anyone who mistreated it. If one of these tormentors became ill, the witch and her familiar were blamed.

A kitten born in May will be a witches cat.

Some believe black cats are witches in disguise.

Others believe black cats are witches familiars (beings that aid witches in performing their craft).