Region: UK | Usage example: The cat burglar slipped in through a skylight without waking anyone.

Cat burglar

Meaning

A thief who sneaks in quietly to steal.

Used in crime stories or reports about sneaky break-ins.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Cats move silently, so the metaphor fits stealthy thieves.

British crime writers in the early 1900s popularized the term.