How to Read “You cannot keep a cat that does not catch mice just because there are no mice”
Nezumi naki wo motte torazar no neko wo yashinau bekarazu
Meaning of “You cannot keep a cat that does not catch mice just because there are no mice”
This proverb teaches that you should not waste resources maintaining something that serves no practical purpose.
Just as it makes no sense to keep feeding a cat that does not catch mice even when there are no mice around, it is foolish to continue spending resources on things that fail to fulfill their original purpose.
This saying is used when organizations or households maintain systems, customs, or equipment that no longer function properly, simply out of habit.
It also applies to people who fail to perform their expected roles. The proverb has two aspects: “something that was once needed but is now unnecessary due to changed circumstances” and “something that fails to fulfill its expected role.”
People use this proverb to warn against letting emotions or inertia cloud practical judgment.
In modern times, it is sometimes quoted in discussions about cutting unnecessary costs or improving efficiency. However, its essence is a practical lesson rooted in the wisdom of making the most of limited resources.
Origin and Etymology
The exact source of this proverb is debated, but it likely reflects the influence of ancient Chinese philosophy, particularly schools of thought that emphasized practical utility.
The formal, classical Chinese style of the expression suggests it has been passed down as an old teaching.
Let’s look at the structure of the phrase. “Nezumi naki wo motte” means “using the reason that there are no mice.”
“Torazar no neko” refers to “a cat that does not catch mice.” And “yashinau bekarazu” is a strong prohibition meaning “you must not keep.”
This expression likely emerged from practical wisdom in Japanese agricultural society. In the past, mice were serious pests for farmers who stored grain.
The purpose of keeping a cat was clear: to catch mice. In an era when food was precious, continuing to feed a useless cat was a burden that households could not ignore.
This practical standard of judgment eventually evolved into wisdom about resource allocation in life generally.
The urgent lesson born from daily life about using limited resources effectively was expressed in elegant language. This elevated it into a universal proverb applicable to broader situations.
Interesting Facts
The relationship between cats and mice in this proverb actually held great importance in Japanese history.
During the Nara period, cats were brought from China along with Buddhist scriptures. The main reason was to protect precious scriptures from mouse damage.
Cats were not simply pets but valued as practical guardians of cultural treasures.
In Edo period merchant houses, cats were treated as business tools to protect account books and fabric from mice.
Therefore, a “cat that does not work” was truly a serious problem. Cats were expensive, and records show that good mousers were traded at high prices.
Usage Examples
- This department has had zero results for three years now. You cannot keep a cat that does not catch mice just because there are no mice—it’s time for a review.
- Paying every month for subscriptions you never use is exactly like “You cannot keep a cat that does not catch mice just because there are no mice.”
Universal Wisdom
Behind this proverb’s endurance lies a deep insight into the human tendency to “not let go.”
We are creatures who forget original purposes and continue holding onto useless things through inertia and emotion.
Why can’t people let go of things that serve no purpose? It’s because of the feeling of “what a waste,” the hopeful thinking that “it might be useful someday,” and above all, “fear of change.”
We forget the original purpose of getting a cat and eventually the cat’s mere presence becomes the purpose itself. This strikes at the essence of human psychology.
Thinking more deeply, this proverb warns against the universal human trap of “confusing ends and means.”
In both organizations and personal life, things that began with a clear purpose become hollow over time. Maintaining them becomes the purpose itself.
Our ancestors saw through this human weakness.
As wisdom for living with limited resources, we need the courage to pause regularly and question what we truly need.
That courage may be the essential teaching for living a rich life that this proverb seeks to convey across the ages.
When AI Hears This
Living organisms consume enormous energy to maintain functions they don’t use.
For example, the mammalian brain is only 2 percent of body weight but uses 20 percent of total energy. The neural circuits governing a cat’s hunting instincts and motor skills are similar—if unused, they’re just dead weight.
Cave fish lose their eyes after tens of thousands of generations because the cost of producing the genes and proteins for eyes becomes wasteful.
In other words, “individuals with non-functioning organs” always lose in survival competition against “individuals who have lost those organs.”
What makes this proverb interesting is that it recognizes human society faces the same pressure as biological evolution.
A cat that doesn’t catch mice consumes not just the energy cost of food, but also the time and effort of care. Keeping one cat costs humans tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand yen annually.
For small-scale farmers, this could represent several percent of their harvest.
Even more important is opportunity cost. With the resources spent on that cat, you could have gotten a cat that actually catches mice or made another productive investment.
Just as organisms cannot continue carrying degenerated organs, humans living with limited resources cannot keep feeding non-functioning things.
This proverb expresses as everyday wisdom the iron rule that life learned over 3.8 billion years: “optimize or be eliminated.”
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern you is the importance of having the courage to regularly review your life.
Around us are many things that were once necessary but have finished their role, or things that aren’t producing the expected results.
It might be habits. Your morning routine, regular gatherings, hobbies you continue. They had meaning when you started, but do they truly have value for you now?
Or perhaps relationships, work methods, how you spend money. Are you continuing anything just out of inertia?
The important thing is not to become cold-hearted. Rather, it’s having the courage to let go of what isn’t essential so you can focus on what truly matters.
Time, money, and energy are all finite. When you’re trapped by things that don’t function, you cannot notice new possibilities.
Once every six months is enough. Stop and ask yourself: “Do I really need this right now?”
That question itself will be the first step toward making your life richer and more fulfilling.
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