Meanings
proverb
- abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of when the cat's away, the mice will play.
Origin
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 天高皇帝遠 /天高皇帝远
- 天高皇帝遠 /天高皇帝远 (tiāngāo huángdìyuǎn)People take advantage of the absence of authority
Czech když je kocour pryč (elipsis of Když je kcour pryč, myši mají pré.)
- když je kocour pryč (elipsis of Když je kcour pryč, myši mají pré.)People take advantage of the absence of authority
Dutch als de kat van huis is
- als de kat van huis isPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
Finnish kun kissa on poissa
- kun kissa on poissaPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
French quand le chat n'est pas là
- quand le chat n'est pas làPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
German ist die Katze aus dem Haus
- ist die Katze aus dem HausPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
Polish jak kota nie ma w domu, myszy harcują
- jak kota nie ma w domu, myszy harcująPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
Portuguese quando o gato não está
- quando o gato não estáPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
Russian без кота́ мыша́м раздо́лье
- без кота́ мыша́м раздо́лье (bez kotá myšám razdólʹje)People take advantage of the absence of authority
Spanish cuando el gato duerme, bailan los ratones
- cuando el gato duerme, bailan los ratonesPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
Swedish när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet
- när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordetPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
Thai แมวไม่อยู่ หนูร่าเริง
- แมวไม่อยู่ หนูร่าเริงPeople take advantage of the absence of authority
Cite this entry
APA
when the cat's away. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20the%20cat's%20away
MLA
“when the cat's away.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20the%20cat's%20away. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “when the cat's away,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20the%20cat's%20away.
Source: when the cat's away on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.