English · Proverb Attested 18+

all cats are grey in the dark

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: all cats are grey at night · all cats are gray at night · all cats are grey by night

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Sex is enjoyable regardless of the physical attractiveness or social station of one's partner.

Examples

[Of a widow:] And to make carnall appetite content, To take lacke of beautie but as an eye ſore. The fayre and the foule, by darke are lyke ſtore. When all candels be out, all cats be grey, All thingis are then of one colour, as who ſey. And this prouerbe ſaith, for quenching hot deſyre, Foule water

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Under some circumstances, individual distinctions are not relevant.

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Topics: Cats Colors

Common questions

What does “all cats are grey in the dark” mean?

Sex is enjoyable regardless of the physical attractiveness or social station of one's partner.

Is “all cats are grey in the dark” formal or informal?

all cats are grey in the dark is generally offensive, vulgar.