# Euphemism: "The Cat's Ass"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemism-the-cats-ass/131260>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 7, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemism-the-cats-ass/131260 "2002-10-07T20:34:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![th0th](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@th0th](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/th0th)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemism-the-cats-ass/131260/1 "2002-10-07T20:34:24Z")

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Anyone here have an idea where the saying:

“That would be the Cat’s Ass” and the like came from?

I’ve seen a few feline rear ends, and never discerned anything remarkable about them.

I would like to know where this saying originated.

th0th

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemism-the-cats-ass/131260/2 "2002-10-07T23:36:02Z")

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Try searching in GQ for a thread using “meow” as your search word. You should get back at least on thread where we discussed this before. There were many sayings around 1910-20 which called things “the cats meow” “the cats ass” and so forth. JUst a fad at the time.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euphemism-the-cats-ass/131260/3 "2002-10-07T23:57:37Z")

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Try searching in GQ for a thread using “meow” as your search word. You should get back at least on thread where we discussed this before. There were many sayings around 1910-20 which called things “the cats meow” “the cats ass” and so forth. JUst a fad at the time.