“When the cat’s away, the mice will play” is the knowing little proverb about what people get up to once the person in charge is gone. Here is what it means, its long history, how to use it, and a few sayings that share its eye for human nature.
What Does “When the Cat’s Away, the Mice Will Play” Mean?
The proverb means that when the person in authority is absent, those under them will take the chance to do as they please. Remove the watchful cat, and the mice come out to frolic. It is used — often with a wink — about employees when the boss is on holiday, pupils when the teacher leaves the room, or children the moment their parents step out.
Origin of the Proverb
The image of bold mice in a cat’s absence is very old. A fourteenth-century Latin line ran “Dum felis dormit, mus gaudet” — “while the cat sleeps, the mouse rejoices.” An English manuscript of around 1470 declared “the mouse lords it where a cat is not,” and William Shakespeare used the idea in Henry V around 1599, writing of “playing the mouse in absence of the cat.” The neat modern wording grew out of these, and the proverb has been quietly describing offices and classrooms ever since.
Examples in a Sentence
- “The manager left early and the whole team knocked off too — when the cat’s away, the mice will play.”
- “As soon as their parents went out, the kids raided the sweets. When the cat’s away, the mice will play.”
- “With the teacher off sick, the class was chaos. When the cat’s away, the mice will play.”
Similar Proverbs
- While the cat’s away, the mice will play — the same proverb, with “while” in place of “when.”
- No eyes, no fear — people behave differently when no one is watching.
- When the master is absent, the servants take liberties — an older version of the same idea.
- Opportunity makes the thief — a gap in supervision tempts misbehaviour.
For more wry sayings about behaviour and human nature, see our animal proverbs and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “when the cat’s away, the mice will play” mean?
It means that when the person in charge is absent, those under their authority will take the opportunity to relax the rules and do as they please.
Is it “when” or “while” the cat’s away?
Both are used and mean exactly the same thing. “When the cat’s away” is the more common form, but “while the cat’s away” is equally correct.
Where does the proverb come from?
The idea appears in fourteenth-century Latin and a 1470 English manuscript, and Shakespeare used a version in Henry V around 1599.