What does "cat fur to make kitten britches" mean?

Question

its a funny saying

Answer 1

it sounds like it means you gotta skin a cat to make pants out of cat skin. Though why someone would want cat pants is beyond me. It is quite funny though!!

Answer 2

When growing up if a kid would be asked to do something and replied what for (fur)? The reply would be "Cat fur, make a pair of kitten britches" It always bothered me I would reply" but I don't want a paid of kitten britches". I found others from the south that used that phrase also. I think it's a southern thing.

Answer 3

The phrase Cat's fur to make kitten britches is a joking nonsense reply to the question "What for?" or "What's that for?" It's a pun on the words for and fur, which are often pronounced identically.

Answer 4

When I was small and would ask what for my Big Mama would say Cat fur to make a pair of kitten britches, you want a pair. From that anytime she gave me some spending money she would give me a little "cat hair". Such memories!

Answer 5

It's a nonsense phrase used to answer questions that someone doesn't want to answer. For example:

Kid, to parents discussing Christmas presents: what are you talking about?

Mom: Cat fur to make kitten britches.

Answer 6

What a revelation to me to find out decades later that I was mishearing my Dad in the Sixties when he used this phrase. I thought he was saying, "Cats FOR to make kittens britches." I never knew what he meant and never found out until today.

Answer 7

My late grandma would use that comment when something went a little overboard and she didn't believe it. My grandma and her whole family from PA would use it. I guess it's something just as helpful as cats fur for kitten britches. Thank you for posting this expression, I haven't heard it said in a log time and I miss my grandma..

Answer 8

To me it means, sometimes you have to do with what you have