What does the old saying mean?

Form is more important than substance.

The old saying "throw the cat to the dog" refers to paying attention to the form rather than the essence of things, and can also be used to describe the mistakes in handling things.

The old saying is an ancient proverb circulating among the people, which usually expresses people's understanding and summary of a certain situation, behavior and nature of things, and is a profound spiritual accumulation in traditional culture.