Buscar tres pies al gato

[poli]

Does anyone know the meaning?

[chileno]

Does anyone know the meaning?

Look for troubles... for the complicated part of something.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

To split hairs

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

It's to look for the way of complicating simple things. One knows the cat has four feet, so, trying to find only three is absurd.

[Rusty]

Look here (http://www.tomisimo.org/idioms/es/buscarle-tres-pies-al-gato-1176.html).

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Don´t you use to split hairs in America?

[poli]

Yes, we do. I means a frustrating argument over things that do not matter.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

According to my dictionary to split hairs means buscar tres pies al gato.

[chileno]

Yes, we do. I means a frustrating argument over things that do not matter.

That's how I understand it. Would it also mean to be looking at things in complicated ways or where is a potential problem?

[poli]

I think buscando tres pies al gato would be like a malicious auditor looking
for the slightest transgression. Am I wrong?

[chileno]

I think buscando tres pies al gato would be like a malicious auditor looking
for the slightest transgression. Am I wrong?

Exactly right.

Now, is it the same with splitting hairs?

[poli]

Exactly right.

Now, is it the same with splitting hairs?
Answering this may be what splitting hairs is all about, but I think splitting hairs refers to something silly and not damaging.

[chileno]

Answering this may be what splitting hairs is all about, but I think splitting hairs refers to something silly and not damaging.

:)

Will you answer my question? I already have the doubt in my mind. :D

[poli]

:)

Will you answer my question? I already have the doubt in my mind. :D
Buscando tres pies al gato --seems to me that you fishing for something, something to prove your point even what your fishing for may be a trivial bit of evidence.

Splitting hairs is just arguing over trivial matters.

Unless I'm wrong about the Spanish phrase, the meaning is really different.

[chileno]

Buscando tres pies al gato --seems to me that you fishing for something, something to prove your point even what your fishing for may be a trivial bit of evidence.

Splitting hairs is just arguing over trivial matters.

Unless I'm wrong about the Spanish phrase, the meaning is really different.

Really, fishing for something is the correct translation. Thanks! :)

[poli]

Even better: fishing for something trivial.

[chileno]

Even better: fishing for something trivial.

Nah, just fishing.

Are you fishing now? :)

[pjt33]

Nah, just fishing.

Are you fishing now? :)
Right, time to get on with my fishing game.

[chileno]

Right, time to get on with my fishing game.

:) Aha! you like fish, now. :):D:lol::lol::lol:

[jwpaine]

I believe the full phrase is something along the lines of "don't go looking for the three feet of the cat because you're likely to encounter the fourth", meaning, more or less, "you're looking for more trouble than you think you're going to find"