2006-09-14 06:39:43 · 15 answers · asked by chazboy70 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
OK, here's your answer, it's gross, but true . . .
In older times, public sanitation in cities was not what it is now. In other words, they didn't clean the streets and remove the garbage as often as they do now.
So, at times when it would rain heavily, you would see dead small animals being washed down the streets and gutters - rats, cats, dogs, etc. At some point someone connected the heavy rain with the thought that "it's raining cats and dogs" since you saw them coursing down the street only in a heavy - and street and gutter cleansing - rain.
Told you it was icky, but that's what folklorists believe is the origin of this expression.
Pigs and Cows are not normally kept in cities, and would take a much heavier rain to wash down the street.
2006-09-14 06:49:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 16⤊ 2⤋
It only rained pigs and cows when people like Alexander Great and Ghengis Khan catapulted their dead animals over city walls to inflict disease on the captives. Maybe he threw dead cats and dogs too.
2006-09-14 07:54:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have heard thoughts about waterspouts (tornado over a wide body of water) determining on up fish into the air and they could later rain down some distance inland and actually make it rain fish. don't have something to do with the expression. the first answer on the following supplies the right clarification
2016-11-26 23:08:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it might hurt a little if a cow or a pig landed on you.
2006-09-14 07:34:04 · answer #4 · answered by baby_girl 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Coz if it rains cats n dogs u will just get bruised
but if it rained pigs n cows you would get squished :)
2006-09-14 06:43:52 · answer #5 · answered by kayytea_h 2 · 2⤊ 3⤋
in the old english times (of the phrases' origin), cats and ogs would literally be on the roof and would slip and fall down during the rains - hence the phrase
2006-09-14 06:47:29 · answer #6 · answered by ever_curious 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Cats and dogs(the female ofcourse), give birth to larger number at a time.
2006-09-14 06:49:07 · answer #7 · answered by Spiritualseeker 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
cause you don´t have cows and pigs on your roof at least you shouldn't have.
2006-09-14 07:11:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Coz if pigs and cows landed on you, you would die.
2006-09-14 06:47:33 · answer #9 · answered by Jade S 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
look on this site it has lots of different explanations
2006-09-14 07:41:12 · answer #10 · answered by dianesaffron19512003 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋