Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2,3, University of Heidelberg (Anglistisches Seminar), course: MA Hauptseminar Linguistics, language: English, abstract: 15 different proverbs, idioms and sayings about cats and/or dogs are discussed in this essay, such as "It is raining cats and dogs". These expressions are examined in chronological order, starting with those which emerged in the Middle English Period and ending with those which have their origins in the Modern English Period. In addition to a short overview of different linguistic periods, each phrase is discussed in detail. For each expression, details like their first appearance in literature, origin stories and their meaning(s) are presented.