# Cats and dogs??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406 "2001-01-23T15:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/1 "2001-01-23T15:36:10Z")
I couldn’t find a thread on this so here goes: When I was at primary school (some forty years ago) I was taught that “raining cats and dogs” was a standard expression in British English (this was in Sweden). I even think I was told to teach it to my own students when I, as result of some temporary insanity, became a teacher later on (I’m not anymore). Now, what I would like to know is this: could you still use it without sounding totally silly, and in what parts of the World? If not, how long ago did it disappear from everyday usage? ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/2 "2001-01-23T15:42:11Z")
You could use it in the UK without sounding _totally_ silly just so long as you do so in a way which lets everybody know you know that you sound just a _bit_ silly. Does that make sense? ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/3 "2001-01-23T16:01:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ticker \* > \*\*You could use it in the UK without sounding _totally_ silly just so long as you do so in a way which lets everybody know you know that you sound just a _bit_ silly. Does that make sense? \*\* Thank you. I had a feeling it was something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/4 "2001-01-23T17:13:17Z")
Well, golly gee whiz, here in Mid-America it’s still in standard usage. Dunno where you’re speaking to us from, **Floater,** but AFAIK anywhere “from California to the New York island” you can still use it with a perfectly straight face, no need for elaborate facial grimacing to indicate that you are deliberately using some quaint old-fashioned expression like “the bee’s knees” or “so’s your old man”. What English-language group are YOU speaking from, **Ticker?** If I may be so bold as to inquire… [_grimacing elaborately to indicate deliberate use of quaint old-fashioned expression_] The UK? Ah, yes, I believe they do tend to be rather more self-conscious about slang. Now, us damn Yankees, we just r’ar back and let fly. “Hellfire!” we shout, looking out the window. “It’s a-rainin’ cats and dogs! Sure cain’t fix the roof today, not while it’s a-leakin’, no sir, hand me the remote, willya…” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/5 "2001-01-23T17:48:58Z")
Ah, but you yanks can’t help but sound a bit silly, now can you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/6 "2001-01-23T18:36:57Z")
God bless Mother Nature. It’s raining men! (I can’t help being a bit silly, I’m a yank.) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/7 "2001-01-23T18:54:17Z")
If you do use the expression before going out in the rain, make sure you don’t step in any poodles. Ahhh… memories of early puns 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2001, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/8 "2001-01-23T20:47:18Z")
The modern, unexpurgated version of the phrase is: [ul]“It’s raining _catshit_ and _dogshit_.”[/ul] This is acceptable everywhere. Teach it to your pupils. Really! ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/9 "2001-08-26T20:44:09Z")
The equivalent phrase in **German (Austrian)** is: It’s raining cobblers’ apprentices. And in **Afrikaans** : It’s raining grandmothers with knobkerries. Which is remarkably similar to the expression used in **North Wales** : It’s raining old women and sticks. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/10 "2001-08-26T20:56:26Z")
[Snoopy] The proper expression is always _Dogs and cats_. [/Snoopy] ---
**Author:** ![soularrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@soularrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soularrow)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/11 "2001-08-27T02:29:49Z")
in parts of france, the expression is “it’s raining like cow piss.” Now that’s a storm I don’t want to be in! ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/12 "2001-08-27T13:12:27Z")
I know you didn’t ask for the etymology, but I feel compelled to say that ([according to my favourite etymologist](http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-rai1.htm)) nobody knows. . . [nitpick] > [@](#): > > **in parts of france, the expression is “it’s raining like cow piss.” Now that’s a storm I don’t want to be in!** The phrase used around here is _comme une vache qui pisse_ i.e. ‘like a cow pissing’. It only compares the flow of the rain to that of a urinating bovine, and does not at all imply any other urinary qualities of the precipitation. [/nitpick] . obligatory bad joke: What’s worse than raining cats and dogs? . . . Hailing taxicabs… ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs/51406/13 "2001-08-27T13:14:01Z")
_merde!_ Those buttons are to close. I swear I ment to ‘preview’