Curiosity killed the cat is a proverb used to warn against being too curious lest one come to harm. A less frequent rejoinder to 'curiosity killed the cat' is 'satisfaction brought it back'.
The earliest printed reference to the origin of this proverb is attributed to the British playwright Ben Jonson in his 1598 play, Every Man in His Humour, which was performed first by William Shakespeare.
...Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care will kill a cat, up-tails all, and a pox on the hangman.
In this instance, "care" was defined as "worry" or "sorrow."
Curiosity killed the cat means:
Mind your own business. Being nosy and getting yourself involved in unnecessary things can lead to problems.
- The proverb remained the same until at least 1898. Ebenezer Cobham Brewer included this definition in his Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:
| “ | What, courage man! what though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care. | ” |
| “ | Care killed the Cat. It is said that "a cat has nine lives," yet care would wear them all out. | ” |
- The origin of the modern variation is unknown.
- The earliest known printed reference to the actual phrase is found in the 1902 edition of Proverbs Maxims and Phrases, by John Hendricks Bechtel. On page 100, the phrase "Curiosity killed the cat" is the lone entry under the topical heading Curiosity.
- An early reference that suggests knowledge of the proverb had become widespread is O. Henry's short story Schools and Schools from 1909:
| “ | Curiosity can do more things than kill a cat; and if emotions, well recognized as feminine, are inimical to feline life, then jealousy would soon leave the whole world catless. | ” |
- A later printed reference to the actual phrase occurred in The Washington Post on 4 March 1916 (page 6):
| “ | CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT. Four Departments of New York City Government Summoned to Rescue Feline. From the New York World. Curiosity, as you may recall— On the fifth floor of the apartment house at 203 West 130th street lives Miss Mable Godfrey. When she came to the house about seven months ago she brought Blackie, a cat of several years' experience of life. The cat seldom left the apartment. He was a hearth cat, not a fence cat, and did not dearly love to sing. In other respects he was normal and hence curious. Last Tuesday afternoon when Miss Godfrey was out Blackie skipped into the grate fireplace in a rear room. He had done this many times before. But he had not climbed up the flue to the chimney. This he did Tuesday. Blackie there remained, perched on the top of the screen separating the apartment flue from the main chimney, crying for assistance. Miss Godfrey, returning, tried to induce her pet to come down. If you are experienced in felinity, you know that Blackie didn't come down. On Wednesday the cat, curiosity unsatisfied, tried to climb higher—and fell to the first floor. His cries could still be heard by Miss Godfrey; who, to effect Blackie's rescue, communicated with the following departments: 1. Police department. 2. Fire department. 3. Health department. 4. Building department. 5. Washington Heights court. Among them they lowered a rope to Blackie. But it availed neither the cat nor them anything. Thursday morning, just before noon, a plumber opened the rear wall back of the chimney. Blackie was taken out. His fall had injured his back. Ten minutes later Blackie died. | ” |
- The proverb, though, has been widely attributed to Eugene O'Neill who included the variation, "Curiosity killed a cat!" in his play Diff'rent from 1920:
| “ | BENNY—(with a wink) Curiosity killed a cat! Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies. Now where did I get all this information from (cross my heart, it is from Wikipedia) and why am I posting it here in my blog? Well as the saying goes "Curiosity Killed the Cat", I have been curious about blogging for the last couple of years but did not have to guts to explore and create my own blog. Temptation finally got the better of me and here I am posting my first blog - wondering whether I will get killed like the cat (am I a cat - well that's what boys term girls right??) because of my curiosity or will I succeed in this web-world of blogging. Maybe that is the reason I decided to deal with "Curiosity and the Cat".. Let's just wait and see what I am able to dig out from inside me and put forth to this world. Hope it is worth visiting and enjoying :) Signing off from here... Judy |
