"It's Raining Cats and Dogs" – Briefly putting the science aside

I alluded to the phrase ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’ in my last post, but failed to display the significance of this. In the English language it is a phrase often used to describe very heavy rainfall. If you are looking for innovative scientific research, then skip on to my next post, but for a few fun facts, carry on reading!

The origin of the phrase began in the early 18^th century where in the filthy streets of 17th/18th century England, heavy rain would occasionally carry along dead animals and other debris. The animals didn't fall from the sky, but the sight of dead cats and dogs floating by in storms could well have caused the coining of this colourful phrase.

Jonathan Swift described such an event in his satirical poem 'A Description of a City Shower', first published in the 1710, and I will leave you with the words of his famous poem:

Now in contiguous Drops the Flood comes down,
Threat'ning with Deluge this devoted Town.
...
Now from all Parts the swelling Kennels flow,
And bear their Trophies with them as they go:
Filth of all Hues and Odours seem to tell
What Street they sail'd from, by their Sight and Smell.
They, as each Torrent drives, with rapid Force,
From Smithfield or St. Pulchre's shape their Course,
And in huge Confluent join'd at Snow-Hill Ridge,
Fall from the Conduit, prone to Holbourn-Bridge.
Sweeping from Butchers Stalls, Dung, Guts, and Blood,
Drown'd Puppies, stinking Sprats, all drench'd in Mud,
Dead Cats and Turnip-Tops come tumbling down the Flood.