This paper makes a comprehensive and multi-dimensional contrastive study of the connotations of animal metaphors in English and Chinese from the perspective of conceptual metaphor, studies the similarities and differences in cognitive styles between Chinese and English animal metaphors, and analyzes the reasons from the aspects of natural geography, history, religion, literature and so on. The meaning of these animal metaphors is helpful to broaden readers horizons, to have a deep understanding of the cultures of different regions, and to use animal metaphors of the target culture more skillfully and freely to lay a better foundation for cross-cultural communication.