తాను గాక పిల్లి కూడానా?

tanu gaka pilli kudana?

Translation

Is a cat to come as well as himself? Said when a man who is already a burden upon others, brings some one else with him. Amongst the Hindus a cat is an evil omen.

Meaning

This expression is used to mock someone who, despite being incapable of helping themselves or being in a dire state, tries to take on additional burdens or pretend they can provide for others. It highlights the irony of someone who cannot sustain themselves but is followed by others (like a pet cat) expecting to be fed.

Related Phrases

A cat with a burnt leg and a dog with a burnt mouth.

This expression describes someone who is extremely restless, impatient, or constantly wandering from one place to another without purpose. Just as a cat with a burnt paw cannot stay still and a dog with a burnt mouth keeps whining or moving in distress, it refers to a person in a state of agitation or aimless agitation.

The cat wishes to see your eyes out, and the dog wishes to see you have children. Both will then be well fed.

This proverb describes people who wish for others' misfortunes or specific chaotic situations for their own selfish gain. A cat might wish for darkness (blindness) to steal food unnoticed, while a dog might hope for more offspring to increase its pack or presence. It is used to critique those who have ulterior, often harmful, motives behind their desires.

A cat which kills a rat is a cat, whether it be of wood or mud. If the work be well done, never mind the instrument.

This expression emphasizes pragmatism and results over appearance or origin. It suggests that the value of someone or something should be judged by their ability to perform their intended task or achieve a goal, rather than their outward characteristics or status.

Would this cat have drunk that milk ?

This is a sarcastic rhetorical question used to describe a person who pretends to be innocent, modest, or naive, while actually being quite the opposite. It is used when someone acts as if they are too good or too shy to do something that they are secretly very capable of or already doing.

A demure humbug.

Not just himself, but a wedding too?

This expression is used to describe a situation where a person who is incapable of managing their own basic responsibilities or needs suddenly takes on an even larger or more complex burden. It mocks the irony of someone failing at the individual level yet attempting something that requires much more resources or maturity.

If one is starving on the wedding day itself, can they expect to have children later?

This expression is used to highlight poor planning or a bad start to an endeavor. If basic necessities or the primary goal cannot be met at the very beginning (the wedding feast), it is unrealistic to expect future success or growth (children). It is often used to criticize someone who fails at the initial, most important stage of a project.

The neighbour's cat is the ally of the house cat. Both join in mischief.

This expression is used to describe a situation where two people, often who should be at odds or are expected to be rivals, secretly collaborate or help each other for mutual benefit. It is frequently used to highlight how internal and external parties might conspire together, often in a negative or mischievous context.

Besides herself, she has a child, it seems.

This expression is used to mock someone who is already a burden themselves but tries to take on or bring along another responsibility. It highlights the irony of a person who cannot take care of themselves properly yet ends up with an additional dependent or task.

Child on the hip, searching all over the village.

This expression is used to describe a situation where a person is searching for something that they already possess or is right in front of them. It highlights absent-mindedness or overlooking the obvious.

The profit of the bag also took away the hole.

This proverb describes a situation where an attempt to gain profit or solve a problem ends up causing a total loss, often exceeding the original capital. It is used when someone's greed or a bad investment results in losing even what they originally had, much like a hole in a bag leaking out both the profit and the contents.