From Latin CATTUS 

ESSERE AGILE COME UN GATTO — to be as agile as a cat

ESSERE IN 4 GATTI —  To be 4 cats, to be very few people

‘C’erano solo 4 gatti allo spettacolo’- ‘There were only a few ppl at the show’

ESSERE DEL GATTO — to be ‘of the cat’, to be in a bad situation, problematic, almost hopeless

‘Siamo del gatto’ - ‘We’re screwed’

ESSERE COME IL GATTO E LA VOLPE — to be like the cat and the fox from Collodi’s Pinocchio, to be partners in crime

‘Alessio e Massimo: eccoli lì, sempre a combinarne una’ - ‘ Alessio and Massimo, here they are: always confabulating something’ 

QUANDO IL GATTO NON C’È I TOPI BALLANO — When the cat isn’t home, the mice dance

‘Come ci divertiamo ora che il capo and in vacanza! Quando il gatto non c’è…' -  ‘We have so much fun now that our boss is on vacation! when the cat isn’t home…’

FARE LA GATTA MORTA — To play the dead  female cat, to be super flirty!! or pretending to be sweet and masking the real nature. Refers to cats playing dead when trying to get their prey

‘Guarda guarda come fa la gatta morta!! Lascia qualcosa per noi!’ - ‘Look how she’s flirting!! Leave something for us!’

NON DIRE GATTO FINO A CHE NON CE L’HAI NEL SACCO — Don’t say cat until it’s on you sack! Don’t celebrate too soon

AVERE UNA BELLA GATTA DA PELARE — To have a big cat to shave, to have a big problem to solve

GATTA CI COVA! — the cat is nursing something, like a chicken is brooding the eggs, something is happening behind closed door 

‘Non mi fido di quei due: qui gatta ci cova’ - ‘ I don’t trust those 2… something is boiling in the pot’