Like a Cat with His Ears Laid Back

In Southern and Appalachian speech, "like a cat with his ears laid back" means furious, nervous, mean, or charging full-tilt. It paints a picture of someone worked up and coming in hot - angry, determined, or moving fast, just like a cat about to pounce. The phrase is sometimes heard outside the South as "ears pinned back," but the "laid back" form is the original Southern version.

#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #Animals #PeopleandRelationships #Southern

synonyms: mad, nervous, charged

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I'll say it if we're talkin' about somebody in front of them, but they act like they ain't listenin'. 'Look at him over there - sittin' like a cat with his ears laid back.'

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I'll say it if we're talkin' about somebody in front of them, but they act like they ain't listenin'. 'Look at him over there - sittin' like a cat with his ears laid back.'

Pronunciation

[like a cat with his ears laid back]
/laɪk ə kæt wɪð ɪz ɪrz leɪd bæk/

Meaning & Usage

- Furious or ready to fight (simile)

Earl:

What happened down at the feed store?

Clara:

Old Joe lit into him like a cat with his ears laid back.

- Charging ahead or moving fast (simile)

Mae:

She tore outta that driveway like a cat with her ears laid back.

Estel:

You couldn’t’ve stopped her if you tried.

variations: like a cat with his ears pinned back, like a cat with its ears slicked back

★ If you use this one, make sure and hunker your head down a little and hunch your shoulders up a little to mimick. ★

Origin and Etymology

Cats lay their ears back when frightened, nervous, angry, or ready to strike - a sight well known to people who lived close to barn cats and farm animals. The phrase draws from that behavior, comparing a person’s fury or intensity to a cat in fight mode. The expression is attested in Southern and Appalachian storytelling and print sources from the early 1900s onward, and later appeared in Western ranch speech and cowboy writing, often in the "pinned back" form.

Usage Notes

The "laid back" form is the traditional Southern and Appalachian version; "pinned back" is more common in Western or general American writing.
Used for both anger and determination - either "mad" or "moving."
Commonly follows verbs like come at, run, or tear out.
Part of a long Southern tradition of animal similes: "mad as a wet hen," "meaner’n a snake," "faster’n a scalded dog."

Kin Topics

Common Questions

What does "like a cat with his ears laid back" mean?

It describes someone furious, nervous, mean, or charging ahead full-speed - like a cat about to pounce.

Where did it come from?

It grew out of rural animal observation. Folks who lived close to barn cats knew that "ears laid back" meant trouble or determination.

Is it Southern?

Yes - it’s native to Southern and Appalachian storytelling and spread westward with ranch speech. "Ears pinned back" is the later, more general form.

Is it still used today?

Yes, especially among older speakers, storytellers, and country folks who enjoy colorful comparisons.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 8). Like a Cat with His Ears Laid Back. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/like-a-cat-with-his-ears-laid-back
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Like a Cat with His Ears Laid Back." HillbillySlang.com, 8 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/like-a-cat-with-his-ears-laid-back.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Like a Cat with His Ears Laid Back." HillbillySlang.com. November 8, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/like-a-cat-with-his-ears-laid-back.

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