No busques la quinta pata al gato

/noh BOOS-kehs lah KEEN-tah PAH-tah al GAH-toh/

Don't overcomplicate things, look for hidden problems that aren't there, or try to find fault in something that is perfectly fine.

Level:B2Register:InformalCommon:★★★★☆

💡 Understanding the Idiom

Literal Translation:

"Don't look for the fifth leg on the cat."

What It Really Means:

Don't overcomplicate things, look for hidden problems that aren't there, or try to find fault in something that is perfectly fine.

English Equivalents:

Don't split hairsDon't overthink itYou're making a mountain out of a molehillLet sleeping dogs lie

🎨 Literal vs. Figurative

💭 Literal

Literally, it means 'don't look for the fifth leg on the cat'.

✨ Figurative

In practice, it means you shouldn't overcomplicate a simple situation.

Key Words in This Idiom:

📝 In Action

La solución es obvia, no le busques la quinta pata al gato.

The solution is obvious, don't overcomplicate it.

Aceptó tus disculpas, de verdad. Deja de preocuparte, no le busques la quinta pata al gato.

He accepted your apology, really. Stop worrying, don't go looking for problems that aren't there.

El plan es perfecto tal como está. Buscarle la quinta pata al gato solo nos retrasará.

The plan is perfect as it is. Splitting hairs will only delay us.

📜 Origin Story

This is a fun one! The original phrase was actually 'buscarle tres pies al gato' (to look for three feet on a cat), which appeared in Cervantes' Don Quixote. The idea was that trying to prove a cat has three feet when it clearly has four is a pointless, illogical task. Over time, people started saying 'cinco patas' (five legs) instead of 'tres pies' (three feet), probably because looking for an extra leg sounds even more absurd and impossible than trying to argue one is missing. The 'five leg' version is the most common one you'll hear today.

⭐ Usage Tips

When to Use It

Use this phrase when you see someone making a simple issue way too complicated. It's a friendly way to say, 'Hey, relax, it's not that deep!' It's perfect for situations where someone is looking for hidden meanings, finding faults that don't exist, or just generally overthinking.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'Buscar' and 'Encontrar'

Mistake: "Saying 'no encuentres la quinta pata al gato'."

Correction: The idiom always uses the verb 'buscar' (to look for). The point is about the pointless *search* for a problem, not about actually finding one. Always stick with 'buscarle la quinta pata al gato'.

🌎 Where It's Used

🇪🇸

Spain

Extremely common and widely understood in all informal contexts.

🌎

Latin America

Very common and widely understood across most countries, from Mexico to Argentina. It's a standard part of the language.

🔗 Related Idioms

↔️ Similar Meanings

Ahogarse en un vaso de agua→

To get overwhelmed by a very small problem (Literally: to drown in a glass of water).

Hacer una montaña de un grano de arena

To make a big deal out of something small (Literally: to make a mountain out of a grain of sand).

⇆ Opposite Meanings

Ir al grano

To get straight to the point (Literally: to go to the grain).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: No busques la quinta pata al gato

Question 1 of 1

If your friend tells you 'no le busques la quinta pata al gato' about a situation, what are they suggesting?

🏷️ Tags

AnimalsProblemsCommonly Used

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this phrase negative or critical?

It can be, but it's usually used in a lighthearted or advisory way. It's more like saying, 'You're overthinking this,' rather than a harsh criticism. The tone you use is very important.

Can I use 'tres pies' instead of 'quinta pata'?

You could, and people familiar with literature like *Don Quixote* would understand it. However, 'la quinta pata' is far more common in modern, everyday Spanish. Using 'la quinta pata' will make you sound more natural.