fight like cats and dogs
Perpetually at odds
To fight like cats and dogs is to quarrel or bicker frequently and intensely.
The phrase typically describes people who share space but clash constantly—siblings, roommates, spouses: My parents fought like cats and dogs before the divorce.
Despite the imagery of mortal enemies, the expression usually suggests persistent squabbling rather than genuine violence.
- wrangleArgue or herd livestock
- bickerArgue over trifles
- quarrelAngry verbal dispute
- catfightClawed scuffle or quarrel
- squabbleTrivial noisy argument
spar · at each other's throats · dog-eat-dog · conflict · contention · clash · heated argument · incompatibility · oil and water · disagreement · discord · enmity · antagonism · sibling rivalry · family feud · dispute · domestic dispute · altercation