a cat in gloves catches no mice

proverb

One cannot obtain what one desires by being cautious; one must be aggressive.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. One cannot obtain what one desires by being cautious; one must be aggressive.

Origin

From the idea that a cat's claws would be hampered by wearing gloves.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

a cat in gloves catches no mice. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20cat%20in%20gloves%20catches%20no%20mice

MLA

“a cat in gloves catches no mice.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20cat%20in%20gloves%20catches%20no%20mice. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “a cat in gloves catches no mice,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20cat%20in%20gloves%20catches%20no%20mice.

Source: a cat in gloves catches no mice on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.