When the cat is away the mice will play 

An idiom used when people (mostly kids) mess around and sometimes abuse their leeway when someone in authority is not around. Used to describe disobedient people, like kids.

Person 1: Have you seen the kids in the classroom? Person 2: Yeah, the teacher ain't around and they're abusing their leeway. Person 1: Well that's a problem. When the cat is away the mice will play anyway.

When the cat is away the mice will play by Anx Tuah April 28, 2025

When the cat is away, the mice will come out and play

An expression referring to a married couple having sex while their kid is at a friend's house, or at school, or a sleepover, etc.

Fish: Dude what happened?

Mike: I walked in on my parents having sex and my mom looked at me and said, "When the cat is away, the mice will come out and play."

When the cat is away, the mice will come out and play by Alfred Miller September 27, 2009