The cat's ears perked up at the sound of a mouse scurrying by.

Meaning: The cat's ears became erect and attentive when it heard the sound of a mouse moving quickly and lightly.

Choice of Words: Perked up means to become erect or attentive. Sound refers to the sensation produced by vibrations traveling through a medium such as air. Scurrying means to move quickly and lightly. The sentence describes the cat's heightened awareness to a nearby mouse.

Alternative Expressions

The cat's ears perked up at the sound of a mouse scurrying by.

Meaning: This sentence describes how the cat's ears became more alert and attentive when it heard the sound of a mouse moving nearby.

Choice of Words: The cat's ears refers to the cat's hearing organs, located on the top of its head. Perked up means to become alert and attentive, like when you suddenly become aware of something interesting. At the sound of indicates that the cat's ears reacted to a particular sound. A mouse scurrying by describes a small rodent, called a mouse, moving quickly and quietly.

The cat's ears stood up when it heard a mouse running by.

Meaning: This sentence has a similar meaning to the first one, but it uses different words to describe the cat's ears becoming more alert.

Choice of Words: Stood up is a more direct way of saying that the cat's ears became more erect and alert. Running by suggests that the mouse was moving faster than scurrying.

The cat's ears twitched when it detected a mouse moving nearby.

Meaning: This sentence also describes the cat's ears becoming more alert, but it uses different words to suggest that the cat's ears reacted very quickly and slightly.

Choice of Words: Twitched means to move quickly and slightly, like when a muscle or nerve reacts to something. Detected means that the cat's ears sensed the presence of the mouse.

Related Expressions