when the cat's away the mice will play

proverb

In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative when the cat’s away the mice play · alternative when the cat's away

  1. In the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances.

Translations

Afrikaans as die kat weg is, is die muis baas
  • as die kat weg is, is die muis baasin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Chinese Mandarin 山中無老虎，猴子稱大王 /山中无老虎, 猴子称大王
  • 山中無老虎，猴子稱大王 /山中无老虎in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • 猴子称大王 (shānzhōng wú lǎohǔ, hóuzi chēng dàwáng)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • 老虎不在山，猴子稱大王 /老虎不在山in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • 猴子称大王 (lǎohǔ bù zài shān, hóuzi chēng dàwáng)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Czech když kocour není doma, myši mají pré
  • když kocour není doma, myši mají préin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Danish når katten er ude, spiller musene på bordet
  • når katten er ude, spiller musene på bordetin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Dutch als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen op tafel
  • als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen op tafelin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Esperanto kiam kato promenas, la musoj festenas
  • kiam kato promenas, la musoj festenasin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Estonian kui kassid läinud, on hiirtel pidu
  • kui kassid läinud, on hiirtel piduin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Finnish kun kissa on poissa, hiiret hyppivät pöydällä
  • kun kissa on poissa, hiiret hyppivät pöydälläin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
French quand le chat n'est pas là, les souris dansent, le chat parti, les souris dansent
  • quand le chat n'est pas là, les souris dansentin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • le chat parti, les souris dansentin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
German ist die Katze aus dem Haus, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch
  • ist die Katze aus dem Haus, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tischin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Greek όταν λείπει η γάτα χορεύουν τα ποντίκια
  • όταν λείπει η γάτα χορεύουν τα ποντίκια (ótan leípei i gáta chorévoun ta pontíkia)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Hungarian ha nincs otthon a macska, cincognak az egerek
  • ha nincs otthon a macska, cincognak az egerekin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Icelandic þegar kötturinn er frá fara mýsnar á stjá
  • þegar kötturinn er frá fara mýsnar á stjáin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Irish nuair a bhíonn an cat amuigh, bíonn na lucha ag rince
  • nuair a bhíonn an cat amuigh, bíonn na lucha ag rincein the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Italian quando il gatto non c'è, i topi ballano
  • quando il gatto non c'è, i topi ballanoin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Japanese 鬼の居ぬ間の洗濯, 鼬無き間の貂誇り
  • 鬼の居ぬ間の洗濯 (oni no inu ma no sentaku)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • 鼬無き間の貂誇り (itachi naki ma no ten hokori)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • 鼬無き間の鼠 (itachi naki ma no nezumi)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Korean 호랑이 없는 골에 토끼가 왕 노릇 한다
  • 호랑이 없는 골에 토끼가 왕 노릇 한다 (horang'i eomneun gor-e tokki-ga wang noreut handa)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Latin audācem reddit fēlis absentia murem, fēle comprehensā saltant murēs in mensā
  • audācem reddit fēlis absentia muremin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • fēle comprehensā saltant murēs in mensāin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • quō nōn versantur cattī mures dominanturin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Norwegian når katten er borte, danser musene på bordet
  • når katten er borte, danser musene på bordetin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Persian در خانه کسی که گربه نباشد موش کدخداست
  • در خانه کسی که گربه نباشد موش کدخداستin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Polish gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują, hulaj dusza – piekła nie ma
  • gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcująin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • hulaj dusza – piekła nie main the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Portuguese quando o gato sai, os ratos fazem a festa
  • quando o gato sai, os ratos fazem a festain the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Romanian când pisica nu-i acasă, joacă șoarecii pe masă
  • când pisica nu-i acasă, joacă șoarecii pe masăin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Russian без кота́ мыша́м раздо́лье, кот из дома - мыши в пляс
  • без кота́ мыша́м раздо́лье (bez kotá myšám razdólʹje)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • кот из дома - мыши в пляс (kot iz doma - myši v pljas)in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Scottish Gaelic tha fios aig an luch nach eil an cat a-staigh
  • tha fios aig an luch nach eil an cat a-staighin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Spanish cuando el gato no está, bailan los ratones, cuando el gato no está los ratones están de fiesta
  • cuando el gato no está, bailan los ratonesin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • cuando el gato no está los ratones están de fiestain the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • cuando el gato no está, los ratones bailanin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Swedish när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet
  • när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordetin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Tagalog kapag wala ang pusa, naglalaro ang mga daga, kapag wala ang pusa ay pista ng mga daga
  • kapag wala ang pusa, naglalaro ang mga dagain the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • kapag wala ang pusa ay pista ng mga dagain the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Thai แมวไม่อยู่ หนูระเริง, แมวไม่อยู่ หนูร่าเริง
  • แมวไม่อยู่ หนูระเริงin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
  • แมวไม่อยู่ หนูร่าเริงin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Turkish kedi olmayan yerde meydan farelere kalır
  • kedi olmayan yerde meydan farelere kalırin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Vietnamese vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm
  • vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tômin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Welsh llon llygod lle ni bo cath
  • llon llygod lle ni bo cathin the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Cite this entry
APA

when the cat's away the mice will play. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20the%20cat's%20away%20the%20mice%20will%20play

MLA

“when the cat's away the mice will play.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20the%20cat's%20away%20the%20mice%20will%20play. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “when the cat's away the mice will play,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20the%20cat's%20away%20the%20mice%20will%20play.

Source: when the cat's away the mice will play on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.