A scalded cat fears even cold water.

What it means

One bad burn makes us wary of everything that looks similar. Caution learned from pain can turn into fear of harmless things. Learn from the burn, but check whether the water is actually hot.

The source

"A scalded cat fears even cold water." This Portuguese proverb is recorded in Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Portuguese Proverbs. Translated from the original Portuguese by Spartan Surfers.

"Gato escaldado da agoa fria ha medo."

Original Portuguese, Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Portuguese Proverbs. Text read at archive.org.

Who said it

Proverbs of the world (Every age). Sayings from the Latin, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese and more, each traced to an old source in its own language.

Questions

What does "A scalded cat fears even cold water." mean?

One bad burn makes us wary of everything that looks similar. Caution learned from pain can turn into fear of harmless things. Learn from the burn, but check whether the water is actually hot.

Who said "A scalded cat fears even cold water."?

Portuguese proverb. Source: Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Portuguese Proverbs.

What is the original Portuguese?

Gato escaldado da agoa fria ha medo. Translated from the original Portuguese by Spartan Surfers.

Is "A scalded cat fears even cold water." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"A scalded cat fears even cold water." (Portuguese proverb, Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857), Portuguese Proverbs, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/a-scalded-cat-fears-even-cold-water