dogs vs. cats (was: Vegan prescriptivism)

[Mark A. Mandel]

Lynne scripsit:

>>>>>
Just ran across this site which promotes 'animal friendly' alternatives to
common sayings.  Includes suggestion that you say "I have a bean to pick
with you" rather than "I have a bone to pick with you."
<<<<<

Boy, is *that* ever a dumb idea. Worse than "herstory", which despite its
etymological illiteracy does serve a useful purpose.

>>>>>
I was actually looking to find other expressions where dog/cat are
contrasted (other than 'raining cats & dogs' and 'fight like cats & dogs').
If you know of any, let me know, please.
<<<<<

This doesn't really count, but you might find it interesting. In his sf
novel _Glory Road_ Robert A. Heinlein mentions a pair of (fictional)
proverbs:

     Women and cats.
     Men and weather.

The language from which these proverbs are "translated" is described
approx. as "isolating, uninflected, and flat", the culture has long ago
mastered weather control, and Heinlein always views cats as independent and
unruleable. The proverbs are to be understood as meaning

     Women, like cats, are independent and cannot be controlled.
     Men, like weather, are predictable and controllable.

-- Mark
   Vegetarians eat only vegetables. I'm a humanitarian.
   <plug> http://www.teleport.com/~cat/EC_Home_Page.html </plug>
       Personal home page: http://world.std.com/~mam/