CATS AND MICE

Catnapping may mean a cat feigning sleep or lack of interest to deceive its prey (which may be playing dead) into moving. Such hunting tactics give us the 14th Century "as the cat plays with a mouse" and the more modern "playing cat and mouse" which was used in reference to politics. Remember "while the cat's away the mice will play"! The Scottish version is "well kens the mouse when the cat is out of the house". It means when the supervisor's attention is elsewhere, others are free to get up to unseen mischief.

THE CAT AND MOUSE ACT I spotted this eye-catching poster in the Museum of Science and Industry In Manchester (MSIM) in March 2004. It was originally a 1913 postcard produced by the Women's Social & Political Union (WSPU i.e. suffragettes). By 1913, WSPU had increased its campaign of destroying public and private property. When caught and imprisoned, the women responsible often went on hunger strike to gain either martyrdom or early release. To prevent this, the British government introduced the Prisoner's Temporary Discharge of Ill Health Act. The suffragettes were allowed to go on hunger strike, but once they became ill they were released. As soon as they had recovered, they were re-arrested and returned to prison to complete their sentences. This successful method of dealing with hunger strikes was just like a cat playing with prey hence the Act earned the nickname The Cat and Mouse Act.

Continuing the "cat and mouse" games theme we also have "if the cat winks, the mouse will run" meaning the need to be alert. The childhood game of tag or "catch as catch can" is sometimes called "catch as cat can" referring to the way in which cats play with their prey - letting it go and then catching it again. Sometimes the prey escapes completely. Kittens often play tag with each other, making it into a real game of catch as cat can, so maybe the saying refers to kittenish play rather than the ghoulish element of feline hunting, however "an old cat sports not with her prey" as she knows it may well escape!

Further comments on cats, mice and hunting abilities made into proverbs include "shy cats make daring mice", "it's a bold mouse who breeds in a cat's ear". "Hunt with cats and you catch only rats" refers to choosing allies wisely, "a cat in gloves catches no mice" and "a muzzled cat makes not a good mouser" which is suggestive of, or a caution against, rendering someone harmless. "When the cat invites the mouse to a feast" means never, or at least not honestly or with the intention of eating the guest! A person might be advised to "keep no more cats than will catch mice" meaning they should not support anyone unable or unwilling to do something in return. It advised wealthy people to keep the retinue to a useful minimum and not tolerate hangers on didn't give a return on investment.

"All cats love fish but fear to wet their paws" indicates someone anxious or impatient to obtain something of value, but without incurring the necessary trouble or risk. "Muffled cats catch no mice" (from the Italian "Gatta guantata non piglia sorce") may be said of those who work in gloves for fear of soiling their fingers, suggesting a loss of dexterity. Alternatively "a cat in gloves catches no mice" could mean not getting what you want by being polite or cautious and needing to take off the kid gloves and take a more direct approach to one's goal!

"A crying cat catches no mice" refers to the need for stealth, being the opposite of the squeaky wheel getting the grease, while crying of another kind is suggested in "beware the cat that sheds tears for the mouse" which means crocodile tears or deceitfulness. And when someone is "about as much use as a dead cat" they are not very useful at all since dead cat's don't catch, or even deter, mice!

Not all cats hunt of course. Some prefer handouts from humans. A Punjabi saying is "cats are dreaming of scraps" which means someone whose stomach is rumbling with hunger. In the Punjab, cats are fed on rind (meat scraps) from the family's meal (so the literal translation is "cats are dreaming of rind") so a cat dreaming of scraps is waiting for the next meal to be prepared so it can be fed. Many thanks to Mr Aziz Qureshi for providing this saying. And in Paris, "la bouillie pour les chats" (food for cats) means something that is a thoroughgoing mess - a "dog's breakfast" according to English idiom.