Explore Arabic traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-31
Meaning: Verified- English translation
No sooner had we mentioned the cat than in it jumped.
- Literal wording
We brought up mention of the cat; it came jumping.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying captures a timely coincidence: the very subject of a conversation appears at the moment it is being discussed, as though naming it had been enough to summon it on the spot.
Its picture is a cat bounding in just after people have spoken of it. Talk comes first and the arrival follows immediately, and the humor lies in how neatly the two line up.
- When it is used
Suited to light, often amused remarks at the moment someone or something being discussed suddenly turns up, pointing out that the conversation and the arrival coincided.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: No sooner had we mentioned the cat than in it jumped.