Has the cat got your tongue?

I would be very surprised if their was a single TCS member that has never heard this question. I have travelled all around the world it seems that all countries have this saying. My wife is from Iran where this saying is just as popular as it is here.

Speaking of my wife (DW), who is an English professor, she says the saying is incorrect use of English. It should be: "Does a cat have your tongue?" To say the cat instead of a cat implies the cat has previously been identified. Ignoring the grammar, I have two questions that I think would serve as a great and funny thread.

1. Just who is the cat? Since I have heard this question since I was a kid, the cat must be getting pretty old by now. And since this question is used all around the world, I wonder where this cat lives. Evidently the cat does a lot of traveling.

2. Why is it that a cat gets the blame? Why don't people say "does the dog have your tongue?" I am presently reading Watership Down and I think the saying should be "Has the rabbit got your tongue?" I have had ten cats in my life and not a single one of them ever tried to take my tongue! So, what's up?

This is not a contest. I just thought it might provoke some funny answers. As usual, I know you can look up the answers but just give the first thing that pops in your mind. No fair asking your cats, either!

I've never really thought about it but we always say "did the cat get your tongue?"

It is a funny saying, there's so many odd sayings out there that don't make sense.

You have to look at the big picture. Here's my take. I think the use of 'the' or 'a' cat is just theoretical. Logically the force that created ones' silence would more than likely be a common one, like a house pet.

Cats do seem to be a fairly common house pet, and not withstanding the terror of losing the tongue to one, sets forth the loss of the ability to speak. I've got to say though that I have heard of people that don't have tongues that do utter words, so however understandable they are might be the question.

In fact, along those lines I've encountered many people thinking themselves perfectly normal, but when speaking seem to have lost their tongue to that theoretical cat.