Pussy-Cat Mew Lyrics
A cat in her best clothes jumps too close to the fire and burns a hole in her petticoat. Now she must mend it before she gets any more milk.
Pussy-Cat Mew
Pussy-cat Mew jumped over a coal,
And in her best petticoat burnt a great hole.
Poor Pussy's weeping, she'll have no more milk
Until her best petticoat's mended with silk.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/pussy-cat-mew/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
What Does Pussy-Cat Mew Mean?
Pussy-cat Mew leaps over a hot coal that has fallen from the fire, and singes her petticoat, a skirt worn under a dress. She is upset because she will have no more milk until the hole is mended with silk. It is a cat dressed up like a person, a favorite idea in old rhymes and picture books.
History and Origin
The rhyme is printed in The Real Mother Goose (1916). In the days of open fires, hot coals sometimes rolled onto the hearth, and burnt clothes were a real household problem, so rhymes like this also carried a quiet safety message for children.
Learning Activities
- Fire safety: talk about staying back from fires, candles and heaters.
- Mending: show your child how a small hole is sewn up, or patch a doll's dress together.
- Dress the cat: draw Pussy-cat Mew in her best petticoat.