קאַץ
קעץ
'cat'

ETYMOLOGY

The idiom וויפֿל אַ קאַץ קען פֿאַרטראָגן אויפֿן עק 'very little' may be inspired by the Polish tyle, co kot napłakał 'as much as a cat cried (i.e., very little).
The idiom קויפֿן אַ קאַץ אין אַ זאַק 'to buy a pig in a poke (something without knowing its actual value)' appears to be a calque of Polish kupić / kupować kota w worku.
{Fliciński 160}
The idiom האָבן אַ קאַץ אין קאָפּ 'to have a cat in one's head (i.e., be forgetful)' may be a calque of Polish mieć kota (w głowie) 'to act absurdly; to be stupid'.

A11

MHG a

WESTERN

Me kaft kan Katz in Sack.
{Maißim un Schnokes vun e Handelewos, LEIPZIG 1845: 39}
- Warf die Katz wie du willst fallt sie auf die Füs. {45}

Das is e Katze - Mediztrech! דאָס איז אַ קאַץ ־ מדאיצטריך 'That is an overcomplicated conclusion'

Alsace (France)

kʰats {ALSACE, Zuckerman 1969, 40}

Holland (Netherlands)

Katz [HOLLAND, Beem, Jerosche]
- Er kaaft dem katz den schmeer ab. 'V.P. supposes that katz is an abbreviation of katzev (= butcher) and gives the meaning: someone buys what he can hardly place elsewhere. Katz may well be the Yiddish word katz (= candle) here. The original meaning of the proverb is in this case: He buys candle fat, that is, worthless rubbish. In this case we must assume that the original has been somewhat corrupted and may have been: Er kaaft (dem) katzenschmer (uf). (Schmeer = fat.)' {Jerosche №432}
- Wen die katz nit derhaam is, schpringen die meis ibber die benk. {Jerosche №432}
- Wen e katz falt, falt er auf die fiess. {Jerosche №434}
Poerimkrant 6 - Werf die katz, wie du wilst, falt sie auf de fiess.
Bernst. 229.
- Katzengebet. Katzengebet komt nit in himmel. 'Said as someone curses.' {Jerosche №435}
Tendlau 1036.

Czechia

khetslɐx קעצלעך {CZECHIA, Beranek 1936: 66}

Oyberland (West Transcarpathian)

kac {WTCP, SOUTHWESTERN HUNGARY, Garvin 1965: 95}
- kacn̥gəšray קאַצן־געשריי

kac {WTCP, Dunajská Streda, 47179}

CENTRAL

Unterland (East Transcarpathian)

kats 'Katze' {ETCP, Beranek 1941}

HASIDIC

AMERICA

mə rɛt ɪm aːn a kac ɪn bɔwx מע רעד אים אײַן אַ קאַץ אין בויך
ajnər rɛt zɩx aˑn a kac ɩn bɔwx araˑn איינער רעדט זיך אײַן אַ קאַץ אין בויך אַרײַן

EUROPE

di kac hɔt lib fɩš nɔʀ zi vɩl dɩ fis ništ ajnɛcn̩ די קאַץ האָט ליב פֿיש, נאָר זי וויל די פֿיס נישט אײַננעצן [Vienna, Eidel Malowicki]

NORTHEASTERN

ער לויפֿט מיט אַ גוטע בשׂורה: די קאַץ האָט זיך אָפּגעקעצלט