Curiosity Killed the Cat

Week of January 25, 2026 – January 31, 2026

by Kaylen Iorio, Environmental Educator

Nature is full of wondrous curiosities. 

When I was thinking about what to write for my blog this week I thought about the house cat tracks in the parking lot of Baltimore Woods I’ve been seeing each morning. I’m immediately intrigued by them, who they came from, where they were going, how long ago they made them… and then I realize I’m standing in the parking lot and I should probably move. I thought to myself curiosity killed the cat… a largely famous quote I’m sure we’re all aware of. Then I thought, is this quote one of those quotes that we’ve only remembered the first half of? And with a quick google search later, I got the answer: yes, it is! The full quote reads, “curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought it back”. 

Now the origin of the cat quote dates back to Shakespeare’s time talking about sorrow and woe killing the cat but in the 1860s it shifted to curiosity and the cat coming back after answering their own question. Something about this quote struck a chord with me at this moment: animals are inherently curious beings, some more than others, but curious nonetheless. The idea that curiosity can be so strong and so powerful that we lose our way is remarkable and true. Just like me forgetting where I am, looking at house cat tracks, completely zoned in to something that’s focusing all my interest and attention we can each get lost both physically, wandering around admiring what nature has to offer, and mentally, immersed in our own thoughts with queries running laps in our brains. 

The second part of the quote is the kicker, “satisfaction brought it back”. Is that ever the case? Can we ever stop wondering once nature has made us curious? Because I know that those are house cat tracks yet I’m still looking: why? I’ve always loved that question. And I know my parents can attest to me loving that question too. Why are things in nature the way they are, and do we really know the answers to that? I think the things we do know about the natural world shrink in comparison to what we don’t know. 

I often feel content in my curiosity of nature; feeling okay with not knowing, just appreciating and admiring what’s before me. Knowing that you don’t have to know to respect, to appreciate, to admire, to love, to care, to be! My new quote will read, “curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction in its curiosity brought it back”. I’m sure some of you reading this are thinking, absolutely not, I love finding the answers to my questions, and some of you know exactly what I’m talking about, daydreaming in your own imagination of curiosity and creativity. I find such beauty in that too, that we are all perfectly curious in our own way! Nature holds the wonders of the world, wonders that have the ability to stop you in your path, to take your breath away, and to evoke endless questions and curiosities.

Keep being curious and keep getting lost in your curiosities, nature is too extraordinary and mysterious not to.

We invite our members to enjoy a weekly blog written by our naturalists. Every blog will be uniquely different but always inspired by nature. We may share a memory from a recent hike at The Woods or teach you about an animal or plant that lives on the preserve. No matter the topic, we will be sharing with you our passion for nature and celebrating the connections we all have to the natural world. Each blog will be connected to a weekly set of activities and ideas to help you put nature in your hands, even if you’re at home!