News Expressions Glossary Cats And Dogs

“ Every Dog has its Day ”, “ Dog Tired ”, “ It’s Raining Cats and Dogs ” are common expressions, but there are many more! Check out our extensive list of commonly used dog and cat idioms.

Cats and Dogs Expressions

A Bag of Cats When a person is bad-tempered, he or she is a bag of cats.
A Barking Dog never bites Few people who make threats actually take action. They just ‘bark’.
A Cat has Nine Lives According to myth, cats can escape life-threatening situations or high falls.
A Cat in Gloves catches no Mice A cat needs its claws to catch a mouse. If you are too careful and polite, you may never achieve your goal.
All Cats are Gray after Midnight / All Cats are Gray in the Dark We might look different from the outside, but underneath we are all the same.
Alley Cat Being homeless or having wandered away from home.
Another Breed of Cat You can say “Another Breed of Cat” when something is different from everything else.
As Much Chance as a Wax Cat in Hell If there is 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 When someone is very nervous.
Attack Dog Someone very harsh with little to no inhibitions.

Bell a Cat Doing the impossible (that no one else wants to do) or acting foolishly.
Better to be the Head of a Dog than the Tail of a Lion It’s better to be at the top of a lower level or group than a subordinate member in a prestigious group.
Big Dog An important or successful person.
Bird Dog Someone trained to receive something.
Bring a Dog to Heel To make someone follow orders.
Busier than a One-Eyed Cat Watching two Mouse Holes Being very busy. A similar expression is “ Busier than a three legged cat in a dry sand box “.
Busier than a Three Legged Cat in a Dry Sand Box Being very busy. A similar expression is “ Busier than a one-eyed cat watching two mouse holes “.

Call off the Dogs To tell someone to stop criticizing or threatening a person.
Cat-and-Mouse Game A chase between two parties consisting of constant pursuit and repeated escapes. The ‘cat’ is never victorious over the ‘mouse’, who is able to repeatedly escape, though never defeats the ‘cat’.
Cat Around The expression ‘To Cat Around’ means to live a purposeless life.
Cat Burglar A burglar who unlawfully breaks into someone’s house and steal another person’s properties. This expression refers to the way cats can sneak up to steal their pray.
Cat-eyed or Cat Eyes Being able to see very well in the semidarkness or dark.
Cat got your Tongue You are not talkative or you have nothing to say.
Cat Ice Thin, dangerous ice that’s a half inch thick or less. It’s called this to suggest the ice can only support the weight of a cat.
Cat’s Concert, Cats in Chorus, Cat’s Melody The sound of harsh noises or crying out loudly.
Cat’s Cradle Cat’s Cradle is a string game played by two or more people.
Cat’s Paw A ‘Cat’s Paw’ is someone is duped and used by someone else.
Catkins The catkins, a cylindrical cluster of flowers, look like cats’ tails.
Catnap A short, light mid-day nap.
Catty Remarks “A Catty Remark” is a malicious or spiteful comment made by someone about another person.
Cheshire Cat Grin A huge, self-satisfied grin.
Clowder of Cats A group of cats is called a ‘clowder’.
Conceited as a Barber’s Cat Someone who is very conceited or vain.
Cool Cat Keeping up with the latest trends and fads; someone with a calm and collected manner.
Copycat Copying, imitating, or duplicating another.
Couldn’t cuss a Cat without getting Fur in your Mouth Referring to crowded spaces. See also ‘Not enough room to Swing a Cat’.
Couldn’t get Elected Dogcatcher Very disliked or unqualified.
Crooked as a Dog’s Hind Leg Being dishonest or corrupt.
Curiosity killed the Cat A warning that being too curious and nosey can be dangerous.

Dead Cat Bounce In a financial market, a ‘Dead Cat Bounce’ is a brief recovery.
Dirty Dog To be a sneaky and unsavory person.
Dog and Pony Show An over-staged performance or presentation in order to impress or convince someone.
Dog Days of Summer Hot, long summer days. The ‘Dog Days of Summer’ are mostly in July and August.
Dog-Eared A book or magazine is ‘dog-eared’ when you turn down corners of pages to mark the page where you stopped reading.
Dog-faced Liar A person who lies repeatedly.
Dog in the Manger When someone has something they can’t use or don’t want but refuses to give it to anyone else.
Dog It You ‘Dog It’ when you fail to accomplish a goal due to fatigue or laziness.
Dog my Cats Being surprised or astonished, like “My goodness, what do you know!” It’s most commonly known from Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Dog Pound Jail or Prison
Dog Someone To follow, trail, or bother persistently.
Dog Tired When you’re ‘Dog Tired’, you’re very tired or exhausted.
Dog’s Dinner / Dog’s Breakfast This expression originally referred to a cooking mishap. ‘A Dog’s Dinner’ or ‘A Dog’s Breakfast’ means that something is a mess.
Doggy Paddle We all know how to do it! When someone first learns to swim, they ‘Doggy Paddle’ and swim by moving their legs back and forth quickly.
Dressed up like a Dog’s Dinner Sillily dressed for a formal occasion.
Dust Kitten A dust ball or clump, also called a ‘Dust Bunny’.

Enough to make a Cat Laugh Something very silly or funny.
Every Dog has its Day You can use the expression ‘Every Dog has his Day’ to cheer someone up when they’re having a setback. At some point in life everyone will achieve success and happiness.
Everyone and their dog A huge number of people.

Fat Cat A rich, privileged (business) person who is ostentatious with their wealth.
Fight like a Kilkenny Cat This expression refers to an old story about two cats who fought until both were destroyed.
Fight like Cats and Dogs To argue viciously.

Give a Dog a Bad Name If you give someone a poor reputation, they may never overcome it.
Going to see a Man about his Dog Used when you don’t want to tell someone you’re headed to the bathroom.
Gone to the Dogs Something is ‘Gone to the Dogs’ when it is not as good as it used to be.

Happy as a Flea in a Doghouse When you’re as happy as a flea in a doghouse, you’re very content.
Have a Cat in Hell’s Chance No chance at all.
Have a Dog in this Hunt (or Fight) To have a personal stake in an issue.
Have Kittens To get really upset or worried about something.
Hellcat A woman who is bad-tempered or evil.
High as the Hair on a Cat’s Back Something very expensive.
Honest as the Cat when the Meat’s out of Reach If a person is likely to be caught he will not steal.
Hot (Diggity) Dog! An exclamation of excitement, like “Oh yeah!”

If you can’t Run with the Big Dogs, you’d Better Stay on the Porch If you can’t keep up, then don’t try.
If you lie down with Dogs, you will get up with Fleas If you hang around bad people, you will get dragged down by them.
In the Doghouse In trouble with someone, usually with a spouse.
It’s a Dog eat Dog World People are selfish and only look out for themselves, even if they hurt other people.
It’s a Dog’s Life Having a hard, unpleasant life.
It’s raining Cats and Dogs When it’s raining very hard you can say ‘It’s raining Cats and Dogs’.

‘ J ‘ If you know any cat or dog idioms starting with the ‘J’ let us know!

Keep no more Cats than will Catch Mice Don’t keep more than what you need.

Let sleeping Dogs lie / Let sleeping Cats lie When you let sleeping Dogs or Cats lie, you leave disagreements in the past and leave things as they are to avoid rekindling an old argument.
Let the Cat out of the Bag To accidentally reveal a secret.
Like a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Extremely nervous or agitated; see also ‘Like a cat on Hot Bricks’.
Like a Cat on Hot Bricks Extremely nervous or agitated ; see also ‘Like a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’.
Like a Dog with Two Tails Visibly happy and pleased.
Like Cat and Dog ‘Like Cat and Dog’ means squabbling savagely.
Like Dog’s Breath ‘Like Dog’s Breath’ means unpleasant or unpopular.
Like Herding Cats When something is nearly impossible to accomplish.
Live a Cat and Dog Life To be quarreling all the time.
Live under the Cat’s Foot Living under the cat’s foot means that someone controls you.
Look like somebody just shot your Dog To be shocked about the news you’ve just heard.
Look what the Cat dragged in Used if someone shows up unexpectedly to the party or for the arrival of a disliked person.
Looks like the Cat that swallowed the Canary To appear self-satisfied, especially when you know you did something you weren’t supposed to.
Love Me, Love my Dog If you love someone, you should accept everything and everyone that the person loves.

Meaner than a Junkyard Dog Cruel, quick to fight.
My Dog ate my Homework An unbelievable or not thought-out excuse.
My Dogs are Barking When your feet hurt after a long day of walking.

Nimble as a Cat on a Hot Bake-Stone Used when you’re in a hurry to leave.
Not a Dog’s Chance No chance of something happening.
Not enough Room to swing a Cat Referring to crowded spaces. See also ‘Couldn’t cuss a Cat without getting fur in your mouth’.
Not my Dog If it’s not your dog, it’s not your problem.

‘O’ let us know if you know any cat or dog idioms starting with this letter!

Pretty as a Speckled Pup Someone or something very pretty.
Proud as a Pup with a new Collar Means that someone is very proud.
Puppy Love Blind affection.
Put on the Dog Dress stylishly to display wealth.
Put the Cat among the Pigeons Causing a big fight, usually by revealing a secret.
Put the Dog off the Scent To distract someone from something you don’t want them finding.

Quick as a Dog can lick a Dish Ever seen a dog eating a dish? It happens very quickly!

Rub someone’s fur the wrong way To annoy someone.

Sad as a Hound Dog’s Eye Very sad, pathetic or pitiful.
Scaredy-Cat/ Fraidy Cat Being very afraid to try something new.
See which way the Cat Jumps Wait in making a decision and first see what others do or what is going to happen.
Shaggy Dog Story Long winded and pointless story that purposely ends with an anticlimax.
Shouldn’t Happen to a Dog Something that is so terrible it shouldn’t happy to anyone or anything.
Sick as a Dog If you are ‘Sick as a ‘Dog’, you are very sick.
Sitting in the Cat Bird Seat Being in a superior or favored position.
Sly, Old Dog A ‘Sly, Old Dog’ refers to someone who is cunning and devious, though the term is usually used affectionately.
Sweeten the Kitty Increasing the pot (kitty) in a game of poker.

The Cat may look at the King ‘The Cat may look at the King’ means “I am as good as you”.
The Cat’s Meow or Cat’s Pajamas Something or someone very cool and popular.
The Cat’s out of the Bag The secret is out.
The Cat’s Whiskers A person or thing considered to be outstanding or excellent.
The Hair of the Dog that Bit you Refers to an alcoholic drink you have in the morning to get over a hangover.
The Tail wagging the Dog When the tail wags the dog, the minor, but important, part of a situation controls the whole situation.
There’s a Dead Cat on the Line When something suspicious is happening or something is wrong.
There’s Life in the Old Dog Yet Refers to someone who is old, but still has a get-up-and-go attitude.
Throw to the Dogs To disregard or abandon someone, especially in their time of need.
Top Dog Someone who has authority, usually a boss or leader.
Two (or Three) Dog Night Ever slept embracing three dogs in your bed during a very cold night? A one dog night is cold, a two dog night is colder, and a three dog night is a bitter cold night!

Underdog Have you ever felt like an underdog? When a person or group in a competition is expected to lose, they’re the ‘Underdog’.

‘ V ‘ We would love to hear some expressions here!

Walk like a Cat on Eggs To walk very lightly.
Walk the Cat Back Truly understanding a situation from the present to the past.
Watch Dog A ‘Watch Dog’ is someone who is very overprotective of and looks after someone else.
Weak as a Kitten / Cat Being very fragile or vulnerable.
When the Cat’s away, the Mice will play People might misbehave without supervision.
Why keep a Dog and Bark Yourself Don’t do something you have outsourced.
Work like a Dog When you work very hard, ‘you work like a dog’.

‘ X ‘ We would love to hear some cat and dogs idioms here!

Yard Dog An uncivil and foul person.
You can’t Teach an Old Dog new Tricks This expression means that it is impossible or almost impossible to change people’s old habits. You can use this phrase when it’s difficult to adapt to new things.

‘ Z ‘ If you have heard about a dog or cat idiom starting with the ‘Z’, let us know and we will be happy to add this new expression to our list!