Who Let The Cat Out Of The Bag?

I don't have a cat but I am surprised how they manage to hide underneath a car and they are so wise to get out of it before the driver puts on the engine. © ronaldinu 2008

I am thinking I read this somewhere. I think in the days of open air markets, people would sell a pig in a poke (bag). Dishonest dealers would put a cat in the bag instead of the piglet, to fool the buyer. Sometimes someone would "let the cat out of the bag" and the dirty dealer would get caught. I think this is it, either that, or I just made up my own myth.

Try this site www.phrases.org.uk and while you're there find out how many things are 'more than you can shake a stick at'. That was one of my mums favouriet sayings and I never knew wht it meant.

Meaning Disclose a secret. Origin There are two commonly heard suggested origins of this phrase. One relates to the fraud of substituting a cat for a piglet at markets. If you let the cat out of the bag you disclosed the trick - and avoided buying a pig in a poke (bag). This form of trickery is long alluded to in the language and 'pigs in a poke' are recorded as early as 1530. The other theory is that the 'cat' referred to is the cat o' nine tails, which was used to flog ill-disciplined sailors. Again, this has sufficient historical record to be at least possible. The cat o' nine tails was widely used and was referred to in print many years prior to the first use of 'let the cat out of the bag'. The 'nine tails' part of the name derives from the three strands of cord that the rope lashes were made from. Each of the cords were in turn made from three strands of string. When unbraided a piece of rope separated into nine strings. The 'cat' part no doubt alluded to the scratches that the knotted ends of the lash made on the victim's back, like those from a cat's claws. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/let-the-cat-out-of-the-bag.html I hope this information is helpful. You can read more about it at this link!

Well sweety as my beloved Tia (yep her middle name is maria!) and her brother and sister were found abondoned and tied up in a black plastic bag a mile away from an Rspca shelter when they were only hours old this saying makes me shudder! I do believe though that it originates from the days where pigs were sold at market and some unscrupulous dealers would put a cat in the bag instead of a pig do they could make more money - when the buyer got home and opened the bag there was a cat instead of a pig! At least that is what I think - I am sure I read it somewhere a long time ago but if that is wrong I would love to hear the real reason! Hugs xxx

it's about in 1760s, before the grocerystore apperaed, people would buy fruits and vegetables in the market, there were some live animals too, they were put in the poke, but some dishonest businessman would put a homeless cat in the poke, when the custumers came back home, they found they were cheated, so 'don't buy a pig in the poke" this idom came into being."Let the cat out of the bag"means a disgusting discovery.

What I always hear is "don't buy cat in the bag".... My cat likes to be in any open object including boxes, bags, containers....she has to investigate everything....

Way back when, at county fairs, vendors would set up booths and claim to be selling baby pigs. When a sale was made, the vendor would put a few pigs in a bag, but fill it out with cats. When the buyer got home to release his purchase into the pin, he "let the cat out of the bag." The practice is also where the expression "buying a pig in a poke" came from.

Hi wolfie, This is another of those old sayings of which it is difficult to find the origin. The phase dates back to mid eighteenth century England and had the same meaning as now, but there is dispute about how it first came about. One story says that farmers taking piglets in a bag to sell at the market would sometimes substitute a cat for a pig, and if the buyer opened the bag, the cat would jump out and the trickster would be caught. Another tale says that a cat would sometimes be put in a bag with chickens LOL. It is also said that it refers to the cat o'nine tails with which lazy sailors were punished and was supposedly kept in a bag on board of ships. In the latter case there's no reference to a secret being let out. Blessings.

Maybe it has something to do with how mean and angry a cat would be after being held prisoner in a bag. If you let the cat out, all heck will break loose. But, people use the phrase to mean that a secret has been released....I don't know. Why do people say screwed the pooch? lol

Well wolfie! You pulled out some many cute sayings that I just had to respond! Even though I don't know the answer! I know that my cats love to get into bags! They like to get into everything, closets, boxes, anyplace they can get into! I have no idea where that saying came from! But I kind of like it! I also like the other ones to about curiousity killing the cat, although I hope not! But I like you last one the best about "paw for thought! Now that one is really cool! Let me know if you find out about the cat in the bag because I would love to know!

Very clever wolfie! I don't know where the saying came from, but, I had to answer because I have to tell you that my cat loves plastic bags. Whenever she hears me rustling them after coming home from the grocery store she gets all excited and looks into every plastic bag like a child. It's so cute. When the bags are empty she'll stick her head in them and finally she'll lay on them. Of course, this whole time I'm supervising her. I would never let her play with them if I weren't around to watch. She is such a card! Purrs, Catwoman=^..^= & Mija

actually the saying is every where in the world and we in Africa where made to understand that the saying came from our forefathers who have the fore site of everything . they are not educated but have the wisdom and understanding from God. you need not border yourself about it but take it the way it is understood by you. provided you can read meanings to it.