Did you know that August 8th is International Cat Day? Well, whether you did or not, happy Cat Day to you! And here’s our gift—a post about cat-related things: common cat breeds, essential cat body parts you should know, and a few cat-related idioms to top it off. Enjoy! Meow!

Many people have a soft spot for cats (meaning they like cats very much), but some claim that these creatures are self-willed and capricious. Whichever opinion you hold, it’s beneficial to know the most common cat breeds and idioms related to felines /ˈfiːlaɪnz/ (members of the cat family). This knowledge will greatly boost your vocabulary and help you express your thoughts in various situations, not necessarily related to cats. So, let’s get started…

Popular Cat Breeds

Cat Body Parts

• Stop – the indentation or break between the forehead and the nose
• Loin – the region of the back between the ribcage and the pelvis
• Croup /kruːp/ – the area including the lower back, hips, and base of the tail
• Flank – the side of an animal between the ribs and the hip
• Stifle – a joint in the legs of horses, dogs, and other animals, equivalent to the knee in humans

Cat Idioms

Idiom	Meaning	Example
To fight like cat and dog	to argue or fight fiercely and frequently	The siblings fought like cat and dog over who would get to play with the new toy first.
Enough to make a cat laugh	extremely funny	His excuse for being late was so absurd, it was enough to make a cat laugh.
To grin like a Cheshire /ˈtʃeʃər/ cat	to smile broadly, often in a mischievous or mysterious manner	She grinned like a Cheshire cat when she saw the surprise birthday cake waiting for her.
To let the cat out of the bag	to reveal a secret	Sarah accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party before Jill arrived.
Fat cat	someone who has a lot of money, especially someone in charge of a company who has the power to increase their own pay	The CEO lived like a fat cat in his luxurious penthouse overlooking the city.
To wait for the cat to jump	to delay making a decision or taking action waiting for the situation to develop	We’re waiting for the cat to jump on whether we’ll get funding for the project.
Curiosity killed the cat	a warning that excessive curiosity or nosiness can lead to trouble or harm	His curiosity about the abandoned building almost got him into serious trouble – curiosity killed the cat, after all.
Cat nap	a short and light sleep, typically taken during the day	After a long day of work, she took a quick cat nap to recharge before dinner.
Cat’s whiskers (old-fashioned)	better than everyone else	He strutted around as if he were the cat’s whiskers after winning the award.
Like herding cats	a situation or task that is extremely difficult, chaotic, or challenging to manage	Trying to get everyone to agree on a movie to watch was like herding cats.
Cat and mouse game	a situation where one person or group (the “cat”) pursues another (the “mouse”) in a series of strategic moves, traps, and escapes	The spy and the detective engaged in a dangerous cat and mouse game across the city.
Not enough room to swing a cat	a room/apartment is very small and that there is not enough space	The tiny apartment was so cramped, there was not enough room to swing a cat.
A cat has nine lives	a proverb that suggests cats are resilient and can survive situations that might be fatal to other creatures; it’s often used metaphorically to describe someone who has escaped danger multiple times or who seems to have an uncanny ability to recover from setbacks or adversity	Despite the dangerous stunt, he survived without a scratch, proving once again that a cat has nine lives.
To be raining cats and dogs	to be raining heavily	It’s been raining cats and dogs all afternoon; the streets are flooded.
Look what the cat’s dragged in (humorous)	a mild and usually playful insult used to announce someone’s arrival and suggest that the person has a messy or otherwise disheveled physical appearance	“Look what the cat’s dragged in,” she said teasingly as her friend arrived, covered in mud.
When the cat’s away, the mice will play	people enjoy themselves more and behave with greater freedom when the person in charge of them is not there	The teacher left the classroom for a few minutes, and when she returned, the students were chatting loudly – when the cat’s away, the mice will play.
Like a cat on a hot tin roof	very nervous	He was pacing the room like a cat on a hot tin roof, waiting for the important phone call.
To let the cat among the pigeons (British English)	to say or do something that is likely to cause trouble	His announcement that he was quitting his job let the cat among the pigeons at the office.
To lead a cat-and-dog life	= to fight like cat and dog	They led a cat-and-dog life, always arguing but deep down caring for each other.
To bell the cat	to undertake a dangerous or challenging task, especially one that requires courage and leadership	The team discussed who would bell the cat and confront the boss about the unfair workload distribution.

Practice the Idioms in Context

Complete the text below with the right idioms. The answer key is given below the text.

Answer key 🔑

1. curiosity
2. nine
3. herding
4. dragged
5. whiskers
6. cat and mouse
7. bell