Good luck from Oso ¶:^)

"Like a cat in a bonfire, don’t know which way to turn [1895]"
http://www.penmarric.ns.ca/cattails/proverbs.htm

This is what I found. It says IN, not ON though. "Cat ON a bonfire" appears only as the film title in google- anyone seen it?

'like a cat in a bonfire' meaning not knowing which way to turn
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:_4ty67TzCkEJ:centralpets...

'Busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest,' and running round 'Like a cat in a bonfire,' or even 'All over the place like a mad womans breakfast.' 'Like a cat on a hot tin roof' and 'Like a frog on a red hot shovel' also cover people who can't stay still for long.
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:wtD5TN8Ixb4J:members.aol...

Cats hate to relinquish a favourite sunning place, even when it gets uncomfortably hot. A fidgety person is like "a cat on hot bricks" or "a cat on a hot tin roof". The phrase "cat on a hot tin roof" was popularised by the playwright Tennessee Williams. In Britain, tin roofs are less common and roofs tend to be made of slate or tile, hence "cat on hot bricks" is more common. Hot cats also give us "like a cat with its tail on fire" and "like a scalded cat" (or "like a scorched cat") which could relate to cats getting too close to the fire, or yet again to the Middle Ages when baskets of cats might be thrown onto fires, or cats might be daubed with pitch, set alight and let loose to run about in panic with their tails literally on fire (there is also "like a cat in a bonfire" meaning not knowing which way to turn). Another saying with a similar sentiment is "like a cat with the wind up its tail" which refers to the skittish behaviour of a cat on a windy day, cats generally dislike gusty weather, especially if the wind does literally catch them "up the tail".


http://www.messybeast.com/catsay.htm

Hope it helps!! :-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-09-23 19:16:00 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I\'m sorry, I wrote it in Spanish!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-09-23 19:16:45 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

meaning: not knowing which way to turn.

I see it as denoting the same meaning as
* LIKE A CAT ON HOT BRICKS (BRITISH INFORMAL)
unable to stay still or concentrate because you are very nervous or worried (© Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 2002/ MED)

* like a cat on a hot tin roof (Brit. also on hot bricks) informal very agitated or anxious. (OED)

Just thought I'd mention that I've never heard of this phrase used in the UK