proverb · Words worth keeping
All cats love fish but hate to get their paws wet.
All cats love fish but hate to get their paws wet.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying makes cats want fish while resisting wet paws. As an analogy, wanting a result can conflict with accepting what pursuing it involves.
Example
Someone checks what a desired task really requires before deciding whether to proceed.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The contrast names desire and reluctance without establishing that a particular cost is necessary. A useful application checks the actual requirements instead of blaming caution as laziness or cowardice. The phrase is not a verified description of every cat or advice to accept dangerous risks.
When to use it
Use it to discuss desire and reluctance with the actual requirements examined.
Keep in mind
Not every proposed cost is necessary or reasonable, and caution need not be a fault.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown