Russian idioms about cats =^.^=

  In the Russian language we have quite a few idioms featuring cats. Either we adore cats a bit too much or Russian simply is a rich language ;). Below are a few pretty common Russian cat idioms.

• жить как кошка с собакой - «to live like a cat and a dog» - to constantly argue and fight, a cat-and-dog life; can be shortened to как кошка с собакой to describe someone's relationship
• как кот наплакал - «as little as a cat wept» - very little
• кошки на душе скребут - «cats are scratching one's soul» - to worry; can also be about one's heart: кошки на сердце скребут
• доброе слово и кошке приятно - «a kind word is pleasant for a cat too»
• кот в мешке - «a cat in a sack» - something you buy without knowing much about its quality or usefulness; pig in a poke
• (идти) коту под хвост - «(to go) under a cat's tail» - go to waste; in vain, down the drain
• тянуть кота за хвост - «to pull a cat's tail» - to hesitate, to postpone
• не всё коту масленица - «not all days are Maslenitsa* for a cat» - a good situation doesn't last forever.

*Maslenitsa is Pancake week in Russia. Pancakes are often served with sour cream which Russian cats like to eat :).

A cat that lived in my university in Moscow.