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  What it means

  Literally “to play like a cat with a mouse,” this idiom describes deliberately toying with someone who is in a weaker position — drawing out their suffering or uncertainty rather than ending it quickly. Just as a cat catches a mouse but does not kill it immediately, instead batting it around, the phrase describes someone who enjoys having power over another person and prolongs the situation for their own amusement. It carries a distinctly cruel or manipulative connotation.

  Vocabulary

  • bawić się — to play, to amuse oneself (imperfective reflexive)
  • kot — cat
  • mysz — mouse
  • jak — like, as

  Grammar note

  The reflexive verb 'bawić się' is imperfective, capturing the ongoing, drawn-out nature of the torment. 'Jak kot z myszą' is a comparative phrase of manner. 'Z myszą' uses the instrumental case after 'z' (with), as the preposition 'z' always takes the instrumental.

  Cultural context

  This is a widely used, vivid colloquial expression with a negative connotation. It is neutral in register — suitable for informal conversation and also writing. The English equivalent is 'to play cat and mouse with someone', which carries the same meaning and imagery.

  Beginner

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