The quote’s author, William Arthur Ward was a famed 20th century inspirational writer, teacher and pastor. He must have known the furor this controversial statement would cause. Curiosity has its upside, but animal rights activists were up in arms when it was revealed that “Curiosity killed the cat.” P.E.T.A.’s anger was temporarily assuaged when, on further investigation it was revealed that although curiosity killed the cat, “Satisfaction brought it back!”
The vituperative war of words between the pro-lyric/aphorism forces and animal rights activists eased for a time until June of 1965 when Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, by topping the charts with their anti-curiosity anthem “Satisfaction,” as in “I can’t get no satisfaction.” Everyone knew immediately there was no hope for satisfaction and bringing a cat back after a curiosity fatality was pure fiction. Chaos ensued and continues to this day. Just look around.