“Curiosity killed the cat, you know?” You might have heard this saying when someone prepared a surprise for you, and you just would not stop trying to interrogate them about it. Maybe you were faced with this saying when you were too curious about someone’s private affairs. This proverb is meant to tell people that curiosity can also be dangerous or unwanted in certain situations. The following article will cover everything you need to know about how “curiosity killed the cat.”
Definition: “Curiosity killed the cat”
This proverb warns a person to not look into things that do not concern them because inquisitiveness can lead to dangerous situations. Cats are said to have nine lives, but they will still lose them all due to their curiosity and recklessness. This paints a metaphorical image of why curiosity might kill a cat.
The following examples will illustrate situations of when to use the proverb “curiosity killed the cat:”
Examples
- When someone is being very pushy about getting to know something.
- When someone asks too many questions about an actually private affair.
- When you have secret plans and want the other one to stop spoiling the surprise.
The examples all display similar situations because the proverb has just this one meaning, “do not look into things that do not concern you.” However, the things a person might look into can be very individual according to the situation they find themselves in.
Explanation of the visual meaning
A cat is a naturally curious animal. If they see something of their interest, they do not hesitate to investigate it further. In some situations, this curiosity can also be dangerous, for example when they find intrigue in a car that’s about to drive away or when they climb a very high tree and cannot get down again. Thus, their curiosity has led them into a predicament.
The metaphor of the cat can be applied to us humans just the same. We tend to be interested in things that we are not meant to find out and might get ourselves in a difficult situation. Occasionally, it might be more beneficial to not investigate something further and just wait until the situation unfolds.
How to use it
This proverbial phrase is used in contexts or situations when someone is looking into things he is not meant to. The following accounts for various modern contexts, where the proverb may be used.
This phrase may be used when someone asks you about a personal affair you do not want to share.
Example
“So, who are you dating these days?”
“I’m not going to tell you. Curiosity killed the cat.”
This proverb may be used when someone is preparing a surprise for another one, but they have a hunch and start asking questions.
Example
“They told me they saw you buying a fancy cake. What are you planning?”
“Curiosity killed the cat, you know? Stop asking.”
When analysing literacy or academic text, this proverbial phrase is sometimes used to point out that some information can be dangerous when acquired.
Example
“Curiosity killed a cat! Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.”
– “Diff’rent” by Eugene O’Neill
Origin and history
The original phrasing was “care killed the cat,” with “care” meaning “sorrow” or “worry.” This precursor of “curiosity killed the cat” was used first by Ben Jonson in his play “Every Man in His Humour” 1598:
“Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care’ll kill a cat, up-tails all, and a louse for the hangman.”
When and how “care” turned into “curiosity,” we do not know. Probably one of the first mentions is in an Irish newspaper in 1868:
“They say curiosity killed a cat once.”
Similar proverbs and synonyms
There is a list of similar proverbs and synonyms that focus on the theme of not looking into other people’s business. The following list shows some widely known ones:
- None of your business.
- Good things come to those who wait.
- Don’t try to find out.
- Curiosity can be dangerous.
- Mind your own business.
… but satisfaction brought it back.
There is also an addition to this proverb, where it says, “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” The second part relativizes the first part, saying that even if you should not have meddled in a situation, in the end, you had still taken no harm and maybe even profited from it.
Example
A situation could be that an employee of a company tries to solve an error in the system and thus neglects all other work. Their boss is not amused and gives them a warning, saying that “curiosity killed the cat.” However, the employee does not stop investigating the matter and finally solves it, leading to a major improvement in the whole system. When the boss praises him for that, he tells the boss, “Curiosity might kill the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.”
FAQs
It means that you should not investigate matters that do not concern you or are none of your business. When someone tells you that “curiosity killed the cat,” they tell you to not ask further questions.
The proverb was first used in 1598. Where Ben Jonson wrote it into his play “Every Man in His Humour.” There it says, “Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care ‘ll kill a cat, up-tails all, and a louse for the hangman.” Back in the day, the phrase was originally “care killed the cat,” with “care” meaning “sorrow” or “worry.” The meaning then changed over time.
If someone tells you “Curiosity killed the cat,” but you are still determined to find out about whatever you were looking into, you can answer with the second phrase “But satisfaction brought it back.”
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